Annulment

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I am currently going through an Annulement. I started the process in February and am still waiting. I was married in a non-religious ceramony when I was young and since divorceed.

I want to marry the woman I love very much ASAP. But we are still waiting for the date that the judge will review our case. It been such a long process that both my future wife and I are suffering. Can't the catholic church look into speeding the process up? or at least get more judges so that once all the other procedures have been met, your not left hanging around waiting for a date to get judged?

Is there anything I can do in the mean time to speed things up.

Thanks.

-- MatthewGull (matthew.gull@prweek.com), August 21, 2001

Answers

Jmj

Hello, Matthew.
Sorry to read about your difficulty, but your situation is not out of the ordinary. My belief is that you have not yet waited the "average" amount of time for a case like yours.
You wish that there could be more tribunal members. It is a very difficult, time-consuming, and expensive proposition for a Catholic diocese to prepare new canon lawyers for tribunals. Perhaps there is an acute shortage of qualified and interested people in your (arch)diocese. Or perhaps there has been an explosion of converts and/or "reverts" there [fallen away baby boomers returning], and thus many more people than before are seeking Decrees of Nullity. In the U.S., I believe that the required education in Canon Law usually takes place at Catholic University in Washington, D.C..

It seems that you could contact your pastor and even the office of the tribunal at the chancery (bishop's headquarters) to seek a more rapid resolution of your case. If, after reading the following, you believe that you are not being treated fairly, you can contact the St. Joseph Foundation to speak to an independent canon lawyer for advice.

One canon lawyer and diocesan tribunal member (who has posted a lot of information about the Nullity process on the Internet) says this:
"As regards time, it usually takes eight months to a year, sometimes less, sometimes more. Actually, a great deal of the time depends upon [the petitioner]. To begin with, you must complete a questionnaire with a rather detailed essay section. Also, the person you propose as witnesses must complete their questionnaires. ... I find that the greatest bulk of the time is spent waiting for witnesses to respond. You, the petitioner, should make sure you talk to them in advance and ensure that they are willing to cooperate. Also, you should make sure that they complete the questionnaire in a timely manner. Doing these things can greatly reduce the amount of time needed for a definitive sentence to be reached." [This priest also mentions that fact that the tribunal must attempt to contact the petitioner's spouse, which may take some time. If contact is made, there may be a delay in the filing of that person's (and that person's witnesses') paperwork.]

Clearly, all of this is a difficult process in which impatience is likely to brew -- but must be fought off. Please join with your friend in "offering up" these present sufferings to God as a personal sacrifice in reparation for your sins and past mistakes. Try to trust that God is allowing this delay for a good reason. Please pray for the patience to wait even much longer than you have thus far waited.

St. James, pray for us.
God bless you.
John


-- (jgecik@amdg.ihs), August 21, 2001.


John is right unfortunatley. It takes a year for the entire process. Just sit back and be very patient.

-- Brad (Brabdus@foxberry.net), August 22, 2001.

Not an answer ... a question. How does a person who is non-Catholic, but Christian get an annulment? I was also married in a civil ceremony, and would rather have the whole thing annulled than divorce ... in the hope that God will send me the right person and I can marry again.

Any helpful suggestions would be appreciated.

-- L. J. Brown (godswoman00@yahoo.com), October 29, 2001.


Dear L.J.,
You wrote that you "would rather have the whole thing annulled than divorce".
I believe that I have read that the Church does not investigate the validity/nullity of a union until after a divorce has taken place.

Also, although I am not certain of this, I think that the Church would not evaluate the putative union of a non-Catholic (such as yourself) until such time as you may be seeking to marry a Catholic.
I'm wondering if your interest (strong enough to move you to ask your question) may be a sign that Our Lord is drawing you to inquire about becoming a Catholic yourself?
God bless you.
John

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), October 29, 2001.


I married very quickly in the wake of a broken engagement and without repairing a very broken relationship. My husband is Catholic and I am not. I love him but know in my heart that I rushed into this marriage for the wrong reasons. I can not leave him if it means that he will never be able to take the Eucharist or have the chance to find and marry a Catholic and raise children in the Catholic faith as he so desperately wants to. For this reason among others, I am contemplating trying to get an annullment of the marriage. We have been married for 2.5 months. I do not even know if a non-catholic can apply? If so and one is not granted, I struggle with what is the right thing to do for us both and in God's eyes. If I stay unhappily, i do not feel that I could have children with him because of my sadness and the things that are missing in the marriage. I am afraid i will be depressed and I am not sure that is fair to either of us and I know that is not fair to a child but I know that my rash decision to marry him was not fair either and i do not want to isolate him from the church because that is the most important thing in his life. I know I sound irresponsible and selfish and I am ashamed of what i have done even if it was unintentional and done in a panic, I know that does not excuse me and that i don't deserve forgiveness. I would not be seeking an annullment because I want to be free to marry though I would want God's forgiveness, i want him to be free and i would pray that he would meet a catholic girl to marry but at the very least, he would still be able to attend and participate in the mass. So, i guess my question is: Can a non- catholic apply for an annullment if married to a catholic?

-- laura lou simon (fhsid1@yahoo.com), September 06, 2002.


Hello, Laura Lou.

Reading your message made me very sad. I am sorry that things are so very tough for you.

I could give you some facts about nullity, what you would have to do, etc., but to do so seems inappropriate to me, given your present circumstances. Here's what I mean ...

You mentioned having been together for only 2.5 months. I am certainly not qualified to act as a professional adviser, but I wonder if you may be making a premature judgment. Perhaps you and your husband can work things out and, with God's help, your marriage could succeed.

I would recommend that you seek some wise counsel. If you don't know where to turn, please start by contacting your husband's pastor or a married, permanent deacon in the Catholic diocese. You can discuss things privately or in a joint session with your husband and the advice-giver.

I am praying for you.
John

-- J. F. Gecik (jfgecik@hotmail.com), September 07, 2002.


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