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As the topic title states, I have a question regarding a marital annulment. Specifically, a Catholic annulment.
The question is fairly simple but I can't figure out if the answer is. That's why I'm going to ask the more knowledgeable people here. It doesn't affect me or my life one way or the other but it would clear up my confusion.
My understanding of annulment means that the marriage is declared invalid, null and void, as if it never existed. I've usually thought that sort of event to occur in a relatively short-term marriage, i.e. a year or less. But, regarding an annulment through the Catholic church ... say if someone was married for over 20 years and gets a divorce, then becomes Catholic and wants to take it another step further by having their now dissolved marriage annulled ... does that make the couple's children illegitimate? I've never cared for the term but it's been used and is still used within some churches. I never think any child as illegitimate but we all know how some view this.
Thinking on it, in the context of the church, I would say yes because a marriage that's annulled is declaring it never happened. It's null. It's void. But there are children involved in the mix so their place in this needs to be considered. I really don't know but would like to so if any of you know the answer to this, I would sincerely appreciate help in understanding it.
As the topic title states, I have a question regarding a marital annulment. Specifically, a Catholic annulment.
The question is fairly simple but I can't figure out if the answer is. That's why I'm going to ask the more knowledgeable people here. It doesn't affect me or my life one way or the other but it would clear up my confusion.
My understanding of annulment means that the marriage is declared invalid, null and void, as if it never existed. I've usually thought that sort of event to occur in a relatively short-term marriage, i.e. a year or less. But, regarding an annulment through the Catholic church ... say if someone was married for over 20 years and gets a divorce, then becomes Catholic and wants to take it another step further by having their now dissolved marriage annulled ... does that make the couple's children illegitimate? I've never cared for the term but it's been used and is still used within some churches. I never think any child as illegitimate but we all know how some view this.
Thinking on it, in the context of the church, I would say yes because a marriage that's annulled is declaring it never happened. It's null. It's void. But there are children involved in the mix so their place in this needs to be considered. I really don't know but would like to so if any of you know the answer to this, I would sincerely appreciate help in understanding it.
Okay That site explained it pretty well. Essentially, it's a moral issue and not a legal one, correct? I don't mean to sound obtuse but it still sounds a little strange to me that someone would jump through so many hoops to erase their marriage when there are so many other reasons why it makes sense to simply be divorced. I guess it's good too that the children aren't adversely affected by this. It would also assure that person in a long term (but annulled marriage) the right to claim social security benefits under their ex spouse, should they choose to do so.
I appreciate your answer and the site, as well. Thank you
Okay That site explained it pretty well. Essentially, it's a moral issue and not a legal one, correct? I don't mean to sound obtuse but it still sounds a little strange to me that someone would jump through so many hoops to erase their marriage when there are so many other reasons why it makes sense to simply be divorced. I guess it's good too that the children aren't adversely affected by this. It would also assure that person in a long term (but annulled marriage) the right to claim social security benefits under their ex spouse, should they choose to do so.
I appreciate your answer and the site, as well. Thank you
It's a King Henry the VIII question. At that time, there was no division between state and church - meaning the pope approved personal decisions of kings - like marriage/divorce. As illegitimate children had no rights to their father's throne, King Henry VIII wanted an annulment to have the church recognize the legitimacy of his future bride's children in inheriting his throne.
While the Catholic Church see marriage as a lifelong commitment blessed by God. It requires an annulment of the first marriage to recognize the second marriage. An annulment DOES NOT replace the legal divorce decreed from the state. A couple must have both!
According the the US government, divorced people are legally permitted to remarry. As there is the separation between religion and state, annulments have no standing in the US government.
That's an even better understanding for me. Thank you so much YorktownGal.
Then, if I'm getting this right, the entire action of annulment isn't God's Law. It originated in the 1400's and enacted by the pope for a another human being. It wasn't anything Divine. Just another rule/law made by man for the church. Right?
I admit I'm not well versed in the rules of the Catholic church but I do enjoying learning why things are done in certain ways. That goes for every religion, though. It also lets me know that all these rules set forth by man have little to nothing to do with a personal relationship with the Lord which seems like a big waste of time. (that last part was my personal opinion). Again, thank you for taking time to educate me on this.
That's an even better understanding for me. Thank you so much YorktownGal.
Then, if I'm getting this right, the entire action of annulment isn't God's Law. It originated in the 1400's and enacted by the pope for a another human being. It wasn't anything Divine. Just another rule/law made by man for the church. Right?
I admit I'm not well versed in the rules of the Catholic church but I do enjoying learning why things are done in certain ways. That goes for every religion, though. It also lets me know that all these rules set forth by man have little to nothing to do with a personal relationship with the Lord which seems like a big waste of time. (that last part was my personal opinion). Again, thank you for taking time to educate me on this.
Good point! simply just a part of evolution.
The Evolution of Marriage
82:0.1 (913.1) MARRIAGE—mating—grows out of bisexuality. Marriage is man’s reactional adjustment to such bisexuality, while the family life is the sum total resulting from all such evolutionary and adaptative adjustments. Marriage is enduring; it is not inherent in biologic evolution, but it is the basis of all social evolution and is therefore certain of continued existence in some form. Marriage has given mankind the home, and the home is the crowning glory of the whole long and arduous evolutionary struggle. https://www.urantia.org/urantia-book...ution-marriage
The Marriage Institution
83:0.1 (922.1) THIS is the recital of the early beginnings of the institution of marriage. It has progressed steadily from the loose and promiscuous matings of the herd through many variations and adaptations, even to the appearance of those marriage standards which eventually culminated in the realization of pair matings, the union of one man and one woman to establish a home of the highest social order. https://www.urantia.org/urantia-book...ge-institution
Marriage and Family Life
84:0.1 (931.1) MATERIAL necessity founded marriage, sex hunger embellished it, religion sanctioned and exalted it, the state demanded and regulated it, while in later times evolving love is beginning to justify and glorify marriage as the ancestor and creator of civilization’s most useful and sublime institution, the home. And home building should be the center and essence of all educational effort. https://www.urantia.org/urantia-book...nd-family-life
I'm not sure why you're using verbiage from that Urantia Book. I really wasn't asking to dissect this issue 100% on a secular level. I only wanted to know if annulling a marriage through the Catholic church would cause issues with legitimacy for a couple's children and maybe even financial problems because the marriage wouldn't be recognized as legit. One thing is certain. Man has messed up what God intended for His children. Of course, that's only if one believes. And that's a discussion for another thread and topic which has pretty much been beaten to death here.
It seems that this person I referred to has the idea that it will erase their spousal history. I'm still having difficulty wrapping my mind around that. You can't erase history. Oh well. <sigh> Man-made religious rules ... it's a very strange beast. Different rules for different denominations. It sure answers the question as to why people can't agree on things, though. Doesn't it?
That's an even better understanding for me. Thank you so much YorktownGal.
Then, if I'm getting this right, the entire action of annulment isn't God's Law. It originated in the 1400's and enacted by the pope for a another human being. It wasn't anything Divine. Just another rule/law made by man for the church. Right?
I admit I'm not well versed in the rules of the Catholic church but I do enjoying learning why things are done in certain ways. That goes for every religion, though. It also lets me know that all these rules set forth by man have little to nothing to do with a personal relationship with the Lord which seems like a big waste of time. (that last part was my personal opinion). Again, thank you for taking time to educate me on this.
I used King Henry VIII only as an example. Annulment is God's law and the Catholic Church has recognized annulments almost since its inception - 30 AD
Today, annulments of marriage are rare. But they are still available if you meet certain grounds for annulment. The idea around civil annulment is that the marriage was never legal. This means that the marriage never existed in the eyes of the law. In legal terms, an annulled marriage is "void" or "voidable" and is sometimes called a "nullified" marriage.
We [bishops] understand the pain of those for whom divorce seemed the only recourse...We urge them to make frequent use of the sacraments, especially the Sacraments of Holy Eucharist and Reconciliation…We encourage divorced persons who wish to marry in the Catholic Church to seek counsel about the options that exist to remedy their situation, including the suitability of a declaration of nullity when there is no longer any hope of reconciliation of the spouses."
- USCCB, Marriage: Love and Life in the Divine Plan, 2009
What is often referred to as a “marriage annulment” in the Church is actually a declaration by a Church tribunal (a Catholic Church court) that a marriage thought to be valid according to Church law actually fell short of at least one of the essential elements required for a binding union.
——————-
If a declaration of nullity is granted, are the children considered illegitimate?
No. A declaration of nullity has no effect on the legitimacy of children who were born of the union following the wedding day since the child's mother and father were presumed to be married at the time that the child was born. Parental obligations remain after a marriage may be declared null.
I used King Henry VIII only as an example. Annulment is God's law and the Catholic Church has recognized annulments almost since its inception - 30 AD
I'm very sorry for taking your example literally. I know that divorce is addressed in the Bible but annulment is not, at least I've never read it there but then I'm not a scholar on everything related to the Bible and my confusion on the other aspects that would be affected by an annulment is why I asked. I understand it now. Nothing will alter the legitimacy of any children. Thank you
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That site explained it pretty well. Essentially, it's a moral issue and not a legal one, correct? I don't mean to sound obtuse but it still sounds a little strange to me that someone would jump through so many hoops to erase their marriage when there are so many other reasons why it makes sense to simply be divorced. I guess it's good too that the children aren't adversely affected by this. It would also assure that person in a long term (but annulled marriage) the right to claim social security benefits under their ex spouse, should they choose to do so. 
