Annulments

“Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her…For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one.”

"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 an annulment?

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.

The process for obtaining such a declaration is frequently misunderstood.

"Annulment" is a word that is sometimes used to refer to a Catholic "declaration of nullity." Actually, nothing is made null through the process. Rather, a Church tribunal (a Catholic Church court) declares 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.

For a Catholic marriage to be valid, it is required that:

  1. the spouses are free to marry;
  2. they are capable of giving their consent to marry;
  3. they freely exchange their consent;
  4. in consenting to marry, they have the intention to marry for life, to be faithful to one another and be open to having and raising children;
  5. they intend the good of each other; and
  6. their consent is given in the presence of two witnesses and before a properly authorized Church minister.
    Exceptions to the last requirement must be approved by Church authority.

For information on the annulment process or how to begin contact Rebekah (Rebekah.polkoski@stgacc.org) to schedule an appointment.