The validity of a civil marriage

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I know this question has probably been asked before, but I can't find it easily on the forum.

The question is this: Why is it that an annulment of a marriage must be sought when that marriage was conducted in a civil ceremony? Doesn't the Catholic church state that such a ceremony is not acceptable as a valid marriage between two Catholics? For example, supposing a Catholic man wants to marry a non-Catholic woman (and the woman is willing to convert to catholicism) and that woman is divorced, the marriage having been conducted in a civil ceremony. That woman will have to seek an annulment before she can become a Catholic and marry the Catholic man, right? So if the Catholic church requires an annulment of the civil marriage, aren't they then saying that the civil marriage is a valid one? Why require an annulment of a marriage that isn't valid in the first place? Or am I comparing apples to oranges?

-- Dee (Dee@none.sorry), June 13, 2003

Answers

Dear Dee,

An annulment does not dissolve any existing bond. Rather, an annulment is simply an official statement to the effect that no valid marriage ever existed. It doesn't change anything. It only states that which is already the case - namely lack of validity.

-- Paul (PaulCyp@cox.net), June 13, 2003.


Dee, Paul is correct. I think it also needs mentioning that the Church would assume a civil marriage between two non-Catholics to be valid, and this is why such a marriage would need to be annuled if possible-- that is, if it is actually an invalid marriage.

-- R, (me@mine.com), June 13, 2003.

Dee,

You are indeed comparing apples and oranges. In brief, the Church has one set of rules for marriages between non-Catholics, and another set of rules for marriages where at least one party is Catholic. The latter are subject to many additional rules (such as the rule that requires the marriage to be in the Catholic Church), so failure to follow those rules results in additional grounds for obtaining a decree of nullity. The former are subject to fewer rules, and thus there are fewer potential grounds for the annulment process.

Note that even in the case of two Catholics marrying in a civil ceremony without a dispensation (i.e., waiver) from the rule to marry in the Church, a decree of nullity is still required to remarry. It is just that in this case, the grounds are straightforward and the process is relatively quick.

-- Mark (aujus_1066@yahoo.com), June 14, 2003.


THANK YOU, ALL, FOR SETTING ME STRAIGHT.....!

-- Dee (Dee@none.sorry), June 16, 2003.

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