You
have done such an excellent job simplifying the Liturgy
of the Hours for the average person. . . . I wonder if you could give
some clear guidance about divorce and remarriage in the Church. . . . I hear
so much that is contradictory.
 et’s begin with two basic
principles about marriage. First, with the exception of unlawful (that is,
sinful) marriages—such as with a close relative, an ex-spouse of a parent,
or between two men or two women, etc.—the Catholic Church recognizes
all marriages between persons outside the Catholic Church as legal
marriages.
Second, whenever one of the
persons involved in the marriage is Catholic (by baptism or conversion),
the marriage is valid only if a Catholic bishop or priest contracted the
marriage or assisted at it. (See the
Code of
Canon Law: Can. 1108 §1)
With these principles as the
starting point, let’s now consider the implications for prospective
Catholic converts and Catholics themselves.
Implications
for Converts to Catholicism
Not
Married
If you are not married (and have
never been divorced), then issues about marriage will not be an impediment
to your conversion.
Divorced
If you are divorced, then, when
you enter the Church, you cannot marry without getting your first marriage
annulled. (If you have been divorced several times, only the first marriage
is the impediment; the other “marriages” are invalid.)
Currently
Married—Never Divorced
If you are currently married
and neither you nor your spouse has ever been divorced, then, when you enter
the Catholic Church, your marriage can be given a Catholic
blessing.
Currently
Married—History of Divorce
If you are currently married
and you or your spouse has ever been divorced, then your current marriage
is sinful, being an adulterous relationship. When you enter the Catholic
Church, you could remain legally “married” but you would have to
commit to sexual continence to be in a state of grace. If circumstances warrant,
your first marriage (and your spouse’s first marriage as well, if that
is the case) might be annulled by the Church, and then your current marriage
could be blessed.
Implications
for Catholics
Not
Married, Seeking Marriage to a Divorced Person
There are several possibilities
here.
• |
You, the Catholic, cannot marry
a non-Catholic person unless his or her first marriage were to be
annulled. |
• |
You, the Catholic, cannot marry
a Catholic person who has previously contracted a valid Catholic marriage
unless his or her first marriage were to be annulled. |
• |
You, the Catholic, could marry
(under pastoral guidance and approval) a Catholic person who has
previously contracted a non-valid Catholic marriage. |
Non-Catholic
Marriage, Now Divorced, Seeking Remarriage
If, as a Catholic, you married
outside the Catholic Church, your marriage is not considered valid, so, if
you have a civil divorce, you could remarry (under pastoral guidance and
approval) someone who is suitable to contract a valid Catholic
marriage.
Catholic
Marriage, Now Divorced, Seeking Remarriage
If you married within the Catholic
Church, you did so with full awareness of your obligations as a Christian
spouse. To say otherwise would make a mockery of Catholic marriage preparation.
Therefore, it would be a rare case for such a marriage to be annulled. Divorce,
then, would be the end of the line because remarriage would not be
possible.
About
Annulment
A decree of nullity from a diocesan
tribunal essentially amounts to saying that one or both spouses entered the
marriage gravely lacking in free consent to the responsibilities of a
Catholic marriage. This is not something easy to
prove, and it usually requires considerable documentation.
Note, however, that in seeking
advice about these matters from a priest or a diocesan official you might
receive information that is contrary to
canon law.
If everyone adhered to the true Faith, we would have
unity. But, when people dissent from the true
faith, they contradict the faith, and that is why they end up contradicting each
other.
You’re free to circumvent
any of the rules that you want, but what would be the point? Liberal Church
officials can deny Christ, but Christ cannot deny Himself. If you follow
the advice of those who want to make you throw aside the Cross in order to
feel good about yourself, you take up the risk of following those heretics right into
hell. It would be far better for you to
take up the Cross and follow Christ into the Kingdom
of Heaven.
|
