| |
Annulments
The constant and traditional teaching of the
Catholic Church throughout the centuries holds that any marriage properly
entered into by the spouses is to be considered valid and binding. All children
of a valid or a putative marriage are considered legitimate and this legitimacy
once conferred can never be taken away by any power (canon 1137).
In petitioning for a declaration of invalidity of your marriage you are asking
an ecclesiastical Tribunal to make a formal statement that your former marriage,
although entered into with sincerity by both parties, lacked some of the
essential requisites necessary for a sacramental marriage. The church
reluctantly admits petitions of invalidity since it is called to be faithful to
Christ’s teaching: “What God has joined let man not separate.”
This is why each individual petition is judged on its own merits.
Annulment Process
The annulment process is designed to facilitate growth and healing. It does not
seek to fix, blame, or find a guilty party. Its purpose is to acquire an
understanding of the personalities of the spouses, the courtship, and the
subsequent marriage. As an initial step in the process, you are asked to
submit a printed or typed report that has been composed according to the
following questions. Writing this report may be a painful task. Yet the very
discomfort should lead to your personal growth and spiritual betterment.
Documents to be Supplied
Grounds
The process is adjudicated in a legal setting to assure fairness and
objectivity. Since a declaration of invalidity is NOT a dissolution or divorce,
nor is it a mere permission to remarry, there must be serious reasons before a
petition can be accepted. Marriage comes into being by the free and reasoned
consent of the parties. Our task is to carefully examine whether or not any of
the essential requisites necessary for the sacramental marriage, were lacking.
Expenses
It is necessary for us to charge a fee toward helping pay the expenses
associated with processing your petition. Professional services, secretary
salaries, telephone services, mailing costs, etc., all add up at the end of each
month. Your parish priest will give you a copy of the various fees. Please make
your check payable to the Diocese of St. Augustine. Your fee is tax deductible.
The Diocese of St. Augustine, in order to help you in your relationship with the
Lord, is already paying a substantial amount of the actual cost of processing
the case so as not to burden you. If you are unable to pay the fee please speak
with the pastor of your parish who will work with you.
Click here to download the full Annulment Procedures Brochure
|
