I would like to know what chances/alid grounds you think I possibly have to receive a SECOND annulment.I am going to list the details as best I can. In giving your opinions, please, do not judge me or be unkind, I am returning to the Faith after hearing my Lord calling me back to Mother Church during this lent. I will abide by the tribunal's decisions, and will still be faithful to attending mass, and do whatever else in the way of penance and worship that I can if denid the 2nd annulment. I only want to have what God wants for me through His Church, and no "loopholes" or "rule bending".Here are the facts: Married at age 16 to"F", I was unbaptized NON Catholic,he was agnostic/atheist NON Catholic. He abandoned me while I was pregnant, and had urged me to abort the baby. We separated but did not divorce immediately. I met "G" on the rebound from a painful romance breakup. I was married "G" at age 24 in a Unitarian (non Christian) ceremony.I was pregnant by "G" (unplanned) when we had wedding.I was NOT in love with him, and was going to break off relationship prior to engagement, but found out I was pregnant.I was "talked into" marriage to "G" by friends, etc.due to pregnancy. I married him knowing full well I did NOT love him on the wedding day,and did NOT have sex on our honeymoon. 2nd husband was baptised Episcopalian (non practicing) and a Buddhist at time of wedding. I, (NOT "G") and my 2 children, converted to Catholicism in 1984 during this 2nd marriage. We had 15 years of miserable marriage on both sides, and both had infidelities. Tried counseling, etc. no help. I was in great despair and depression toward end of marriage, and confided in my old friend/boyfriend "D" (was engaged to "D" some time, we broke up, then I married "G" later). We fell in love and were intimate.I left 2nd husband and married "D", a baptized "cradle Catholic", in a Methodist church.We should have lived apart, we should have sought an annulment before attempting marriage, but we did not.In my unhappiness for the 15 yrs. of my marriage to "G", I was in a hurry to find happiness with "D", make up for lost time in my middle age, and needed financial and practical help with two kids,not to mention the comfort of a spouse.We married when we were in our forties,and were not practicing our faith then. We lost one child to miscarriage, but then had a healthy daughter. She is in Catholic school, and making first communion next month.She is very devout, (and only 10 yrs. old) It is on my heart to return to the one true Church and Faith, and do my best to please God now. I sincerely feel His pull on my heart.I truly love my husband "D", and have no intention of EVER divorcing him, no matter what happens.I long for the Eucharist, and to receive it legally and with the approval of the Church.I want so much to go to the altar as a family."When we learn better, we do better" someone once said. I am humbly trying. Please, I ask again, show me the love and compassion of the Saviour in your replies.Where there is life, there is still hope. In Christ,Cynthia

-- Cynthia Matranga (newheaven_7@yahoo.com), March 19, 2004

Answers

Cynthia,

I'm sorry to say that this isn't the best board for compassionate replies on annulment questions. I strongly recommend the Yahoo group CatholicsRemarry for compassionate and accurate advice and support.

Your question title mentions a second annulment, but I can't tell from your story if or when you recieved your first annulment. If you have never received an annulment, your best bet might be to dissolve your first marriage via Pauline privilege, which would make your second marriage invalid by prior bond. But go to CatholicsRemarry for advice from tribunal canon lawyers. Good luck!

-- Mark (aujus_1066@yahoo.com), March 19, 2004.

Cynthia,

You state that you "converted to Catholicism in 1984 during this 2nd marriage" and that before this you were unbaptized. In other words, you were unbaptized at both prior marriage ceremonies.

If this is the case, there was never a sacramental marriage to begin with. This makes the annulment investigation very simple and quick. So, yes, you can probably get an annulment to be married in the Catholic Church.

See your local priest as this must be done before you can be sacramentally married. Then go to Confession as you have been living in an irregular union. After these are all done, then you can receive Holy Communion.

-- Pat Delaney (pat@patdelaney.net), March 19, 2004.

Cynthia,

Presuming all that you have told us above I would suggest the grounds of "Total Simulation." Mark, if the first marriage is declared invalid then there is no prior bond interferring with the second marriage. Also, Pauline might not work - we don't know that the 1st "husband" wasn't baptized - merely that he was an "agnostic/atheistic non-Catholic." That phrase isn't specific enough to know that Pauline would work.

Also Cynthia, I'm presuming the first marriage has been annulled? If it hasn't then any process would have to start with that marriage.

However, I disagree with what Pat has written above. Actually we presume that when non-Catholics marry in a manner recognized by their own churches (or merely by the civil law) that they marry validly, true perhaps not sacramentally but validly, until otherwise is proven in a full anullment process.

Hope that's helpful.

-- Fr. Mike Skrocki JCD (cand) (abounamike@aol.com), March 19, 2004.

Mark, if the first marriage is declared invalid then there is no prior bond interferring with the second marriage.

Sorry for my being unclear. This was my point exactly in suggesting the Pauline privilege; this way the marriage is dissolved instead of declared null, so the prior bond would still apply and the second marriage would not need to be investigated.

You have a good point that I should have made it clear that the Pauline privilege may or may not be applicable in Cynthia's case, depending on the facts.

-- Mark (aujus_1066@yahoo.com), March 19, 2004.

Fr. Skrocki, To help clarify the situation of my former marriages: The first marriage was (easily) annulled through the tribunal a few months before I was baptized into the Catholic church in 1984, during my 2nd marriage. 2nd husband remained unchurched. As to the second marriage, I was UNbaptized, but my 2nd husband was probably baptized an Episcopalian, as he was an altar boy in the Episcopal church as a child. He left the church and became a follower of Eastern religious thought. As I said, we were married in a Unitarian Universalist fellowship hall, and wrote out own ceremony, which made no mention of Jesus or God. The officiant was the "president" of the fellowship hall, and was legally allowed to perform weddings by the state. (a college professor) and no Christian service occurred.Hope this clears up some questions.Any followup response?

-- Cynthia Matranga (newheaven_7@yahoo.com), March 19, 2004.

Cynthia,

I don't know how your baptism into the Catholic Church during your second marriage is going to affect the outcome in your case. The fact that you became a Catholic may have involved a con-validation by a Catholic Bishop of your second marriage.

Is that the case?

-- Pat Delaney (pat@patdelaney.net), March 22, 2004.

Father Mike,

My question to you on the other thread applies here as well.

In my understanding, the only true bar to a sacramental marriage by an individual is an existing sacramental marriage in which that same individual is already involved.

You have referred to a valid marriage that is non-sacramental. In other words, as I understand it, this is a civil union and not an indissoluble sacramental union.

Are you saying a valid non-sacramental marriage is a bar to a sacramental marriage, or would it be more precise to describe it as only a hindrance that can be dispensed, given the right reason, after investigation and evaluation?

Thanks,

-- Pat Delaney (pat@patdelaney.net), April 04, 2004.