My sister is getting married. She and her fiance are both catholic, but her fiance is divorced, and his annullment from the church after 4 years has still not been approved, but I suspect he's either been denied an annulment or never even applied for one.
My questions are, does it really take three years or longer to get an annulment or is her fiance trying to pull one over on us?
Secondly, they want to get married in April, so they are going to get married by a judge.
The only reason my sister is going along with this is because he has promised her they will get married in the catholic church after he gets his anullment.
Would the catholic church allow them to get married again after they were originally married in a civil ceremony?
2007-01-01 10:14:06 · 12 answers · asked by Rosebee 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
It all depends on the the conditions that, supposedly, lead to an annulment. Just because a couple request an annulment from the Church does not mean they'll get it. An annulment is a declaration from the Churh stating that no marital bond existed in the first place. As you can see, this is not a decision the Church should make lightly. Sometimes, in searching for the right decision, the Church needs years to ascertain whether or not an annulment declaration is necessary.
You suspicions are correct. His attempts at annulment have either failed, or he is not really actively pursuing one, for whatever reason. Either way, the Church will not allow him to be married without an annulment.
Assuming this guy means well in his promise, he is in no position to guarantee an annulment. It is not up to him.
The only way they can get married in April is if the annulement actually is declared by then. Or, more likely, they intend to get married in the court.
As far as civil unions go, they are not binding in the eyes of the Church. A civil union might mean something to political law, but not in God's Law. A real marriage must be declared in the presence of God. A civil-union from a court has no Spiritual component, thus is not recognized by the Church.
If they are to get "married" via civil union from a court, especially when previous marriage(s) have not been annuled, they will be living in sin.
I do not believe their civil union will prevent them from getting married in the Church.
However, if their ultimate intention is to get married in the sight of God, why then do they seek civil union at all?
2007-01-02 02:16:57 · answer #1 · answered by Daver 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Catholic Church believes that God does not recognize civil divorces.
Jesus said, "Therefore what God has joined together, no human being must separate." (Mark 10:9)
However there may be hope of a declaration of nullity.
The term "annulment" is a misnomer because the Church does not undo or erase a marriage bond.
Rather the Church issues a declaration of nullity when it discovers that the parties were not truly joined by God and hence a full spiritual sacramental marriage as understood by the Church was not present.
Then the parties are free to marry for the first time.
This process usually takes about a year and may NOT result in a declaration of nullity. Your sister should be very careful.
The Catholic Church will allow them to marry in the Church if the declaration of nullity is granted.
With love in Christ.
2007-01-01 15:28:22 · answer #2 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Annullments generally don't take that long. Usually a year or so. He's probably pulling her leg.
If they marry in a civil ceremony they would have to go to Confession both for having the ceremony, and having sex afterward because the Church does not consider a civil marriage between two Catholic people to be legit. Then they would have to separate themselves (both with living conditions and sexually) until they got married in the Catholic Church.
2007-01-01 10:27:39 · answer #3 · answered by Dysthymia 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Church and civil weddings are different. Even if you're annulled in church, you would still have to go through the process of having the civil wedding annulled.
2016-05-23 04:06:11 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually, the civil wedding has higher authority than the church, logically, why arent couples allowed to marry directly in church? Church wedding are just waste of money. In God's and man's eyes, a couple is legally married under a judge.
anyway, your sister should find out first if the previous marriage has really been annulled...sorry no help really =D
2007-01-01 10:22:51 · answer #5 · answered by Tomoyo K 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Annulments are not always granted, and they are certainly not a sure thing.
But assuming the annulment does indeed come through, they should have no problem getting their marriage validated in the Catholic Church.
If it doesn't come through, they'll be living in a constant state of adultery.
2007-01-01 11:42:08 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The church will not marry them as long as he's still married. Annulments aren't always granted but i think he simply didn't request one.
They will not be concidered married as long they haven't had a catholic wedding.
2007-01-01 10:31:05 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If he is already divorced why does he have to have a annulment from the church. What was the reason for his divorce, I don't really understand If they love each other where the get married should not matter, as long as they are married.
2007-01-01 10:20:36 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 4⤋
This website has the answers you are looking for. It's called Catholic Answers.
Catholic Answers
http://www.catholic.com/
Look in the forums and under the "Ask and Apologist" forum. Do a search, and you will find an answer to a similar question.
.
2007-01-01 10:17:15 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
It took me 2 1/2 years to get my annulment.
2015-04-03 15:05:19 · answer #10 · answered by c 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋