I have been talking to a lady at work that is Catholic. She is the middle of a civil divorce and has three children. I know for her to remarry in the Catholic church she has to get an annullment, becuase they do not recognize civil divorces. Anyways....what happens with the children after an annullment according to the church? Since an annullment makes it so the marriage never existed wouldn't it make it so the children were created out of wedlock? Just wondering about the legistics of an annullment.
2007-02-01 13:18:17 · 9 answers · asked by cala 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
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.
The procedure is the same whether or not there are children in the marriage. If a declarations of nullity is granted then the children are still considered legitimate and retain all legal rights (Canon 1137).
With love in Christ.
2007-02-01 17:04:42 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Although i am not catholic, i do go to a catholic school and a LOT of the kids have divorced parents who are also very catholic. the children are not created out of wedlock if the parents are annulled because the church understands the parents couldnt get along and didnt have a strong relationship with each other, therefore god could not be in the relationship. I think also that the church has adapted to modern times and will annull marriages more easily.
2007-02-01 13:25:43 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
After the annulment the marriage is considered as if it never happened (because it never fullfilled the requirements of marriage to begin with). Thus the relationship between the two parties is considered to have been adultery and the children born out of wedlock. A person who has an annulment would have to go to Confession for the adultry.
Custody of the children is for the civil courts to decide and there is no penalty placed on the children by the Church.
2007-02-01 13:22:56 · answer #3 · answered by Dysthymia 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Nothing happens to the Children.
The whole "out of wedlock" only was important when inherritance was strictly on a birth order basis.
Now that is no longer the case. Children are children, no matter the state of the parents, or their souls.
2007-02-01 13:21:45 · answer #4 · answered by azarus_again 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
The short answer is: No, the children are not illegitimate.
If the parents' mirriage was considered valid at the time of their conception/birth, the kids cannot become retroactively illegitimate.
To use an analogy: If you unwittingly spend counterfit money, you are not guilty of theft.
2007-02-01 13:32:52 · answer #5 · answered by sean d 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It does not make it so the marriage never existed. It more or less validates the fruit of the union but, because it was proven the union should not have been validated in the first place the binding legalities of it are forgiven.
2007-02-01 13:33:27 · answer #6 · answered by Midge 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Code of Canon Law states, "The children conceived or born of a valid or putative marriage are legitimate." (Canon 1137)
A putative marriage is a marriage that was thought to be valid by a least one of the spouses.
2007-02-01 13:27:39 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The status of the children is not affected at all by an anulment.
2007-02-01 13:55:37 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Non Catholic here, but raised by one. I'm pretty sure they will rot in hell.
2007-02-01 13:21:37 · answer #9 · answered by Who Knew! 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋