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Catholic Marriage Annulment

Marriage Annulment

An annulment in the Roman Catholic Church is an official ruling that a marriage was never valid, that it effectively never existed.
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Annulment Marriage Catholic

Some of those reasons can be brought up in any religion, but what I do not understand is... how can you make something so that it never existed?

Catholic Marriage Annulment Catholicism Studies

Basically, the Catholic Church is saying that the contract between the man and woman was not valid and therefore was not a binding contract to put it into today's words. I am sure that some of the allowable reasons for annulments were far different from what is being tried today and that is what Pope Bennedict is trying to remind the courts in granting annulments. I think the part that becomes interesting is if the annulment is granted. Depending on the reason for annulment, what was that time of psuedo-marriage called...sin? Fortunately, annulments are not the easiest thing in the world to get. Unfortunately, at least it used to be, donations made them easier to find.

Annulment Marriage Catholic

In that case, wouldn't that mean that the priest that married them was also performing an invalid ceremony - the same to which he most likely called down God's blessings on the individuals now made one? I still do not get the point. Moses in the end gave a bill of divorcement to the people of the time when they pressured him... Why not just do the same and used that nasty word 'divorced' rather than try to bend time by saying it never existed.

Annulment Marriage Catholic

In the Catholic Church, prior to marriage, you go through instructional teaching if you want a Catholic recognized wedding. It is at this time the priest will get to know the 2 to be married and will instruct them on the meaning of marriage. He is actually allowed to refuse them marriage. If you read the reasons for annulment, can the priest know that these elements exists during the time of instruction? Probably not.

The Catholic Church has taken marriage very seriously. IMO, as you say "Moses was pressured" And I think the Catholic Church does not want to be pressured to excuse marriages easily and would prefer for it to be a difficult hurdle to get over. Again, IMO, the Catholic Churches have allowed the government to get pressured into giving away divorces easily (All it takes now is cash), but they will only grant annulments under certain conditions. The overwhelming majority of divorces in the US are over "Irreconcilable differences". Notice that that is not a allowable annulment basis as outlined by the church.

Semantics? Maybe...

Catholic Marriage Annulment

I noticed you are Catholic - if it came to the point that you had to divorce your wife (Heaven forbid), and went before the church and you succeed and they use the terminology "It never existed" - how would you feel about those good times in the marriage?

Catholic Marriage Annulment

Ahhh...for me it would be easy. The marriage was never blessed in the Church's eyes to begin with, as I never asked for a Church sanctioned wedding. My wife is Buddhist. So the day we said "I do" In Salzburg, Austria, it already never existed in the Church's eyes.

So, you are probably now left with the question of how do I feel already knowing it never existed? Honestly, I have no problem with it. There were marriages before there was a Catholic Church. Were they not yet acceptable to God? Are other religions marriages acceptable? Well, if the Jews are truly the chosen ones, then I expect their marriages to be acceptable to God. Personally, I differ with the Church on what happens to non-believers in the after-life. I do think that Buddha is a lot closer to God in the afterlife than most will ever get. Are his teachings contrary to that of Jesus? Nope...the ten commandments are still standing. I actually believe that our children will get a benefit from seeing two very different religions with similar messages.

Again, the use of an annulment in the Catholic Church is really a statement that you asked the Church to grant you a wedding and now you are asking them to disolve the marriage. It is their rules and they believe there are only a few acceptable reasons to grant that request...just as there were only a few acceptable reasons you should have gotten married (The instructions).

Catholic Marriage Annulment Studies Catholicism

Thanks for correcting my assumption, but it is good that you added that extra bit to save me bringing in another question. I decided to google this Topic and I am amazed how much information there is to try and help people get an Annulment... this seems to be a big issue in the Catholic church.

This site helps you find the grounds that will be needed to get an Annulment or in other words what will work what will not work:
https://landru.I-link-2.net/shnyves/grounds_annul.htm

Here is a good one:

Here is a 101 rundown: https://frpat.com/annulments.htm

And the best for last, here is one for you Vincenzo: