boyfriend getting annulled

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Hello- I am not a catholic but my boyfriend is a non practicing Catholic. He was married in the Catholic Church. They recieved a divirce one year later after they realized that they had married for the wrong reasons. Now a year after the divirce his ex wife wants to an anullment. My questions are 1)what if he does not respond before the time frame the church gave him 2) what benefit does it have for her or him to get it anulled 3) what are the negatives if it is not anulled? 4) what does the process consist of? I appreciate any comments on this matter.

-- kristi dahl (kristideeblue@yahoo.com), November 12, 2001

Answers

Response to boyfriend getting anulled

Jmj

Hello, Kristi.

I'll answer your first three questions and encourage you to read about the fourth at another site.

1)what if he [your friend] does not respond before the time frame the church gave him?
The process begun by his wife will go forward even if he ignores it. His testimony would be very desirable, but it cannot be compelled.

2) what benefit does it have for her or him to get it anulled?
First, let me correct your terminology. One cannot "get [a marriage] annulled." To paraphrase Jesus, "What God has joined together, man cannot separate." What we are talking about is a process by which a tribunal (court) of Church law experts makes a determination as to whether or not a couple really and truly gave consent to a valid marriage on their wedding day. If they did not do so, the tribunal will grant a Declaration of Nullity (a statement that no marriage really occurred, despite the ceremony). If a couple's "union" was actually a nullity in God's eyes, then they were never really married, so they are free genuinely to be married to other people now, and with the Church's blessing.

3) what are the negatives if it is not anulled?
If the tribunal decides that your friend and his wife were validly united in the Sacrament of Marriage, then they are still married in the eyes of God and the Church. (The Church does not recognize the power of a civil divorce to end a valid marriage. Only death ends a valid marriage.) In that case, neither partner could re-marry. Any attempt to re-marry (e.g., him to you) would be null and void, regardless of the fact that the state/secular-courts would recognize it. If a null "remarriage" takes place, the "remarried" Catholic is unable to receive the sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion -- which is the greatest loss a human being can experience in life.

4) what does the process consist of?
You can read about it by visiting these pages:
http://www.dwc.org/questions/qannulment.htm
http://www.dwc.org/webpage/annul.htm

God bless you.
John

-- (jfgecik@hotmail.com), November 12, 2001.


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