Catholic attitudes to divorce, remarriage, separation & annulment

What is meant by ‘divorce’

The legal ending of a marriage

Catholic attitudes - Divorce

• They are no longer two but one flesh

• The Catholic Church doesn’t recognise divorce because they have broken a life long commitment to God

• Divorced Catholics are not allowed to remarry in the Catholic Church. This would be classed as committing adultery

• Divorced Catholics can’t receive holy communion because the vows taken before God are meant to last until at least one partner dies.

• a marriage can only end as a result of the death of one partner

• The couple have made a covenant with God in the sacrament of marriage. A covenant cannot be broken by any earthly power.

• Divorce undermines the family and can bring disorder into society.

What is meant by ‘separation’

When spouses cease living together without formally divorcing

Catholic attitudes - Separation

• Time apart to resolve issues intends to remain married

• Catholic Church accept the idea of separation

• Separated couples may attend counselling (Marriage Care) set up by the Catholic church to remend marriages

What is meant by ‘annulment’

A declaration that the marriage never happened, to have annulment you must apply to investigate marriage. Impediment to the validity of marriage :

• Lack of consent = arranged/ forced marriage

• Lack of judgement = refers to a situation where someone getting married didn’t have the mental ability to understand what marriage really means — like the responsibilities and commitments involved.

• Inability to carry duties of marriage = the marriage hasn't been completed through sexual intercourse, either because one partner is unable to or refuses to on purpose.

Catholic attitudes - Annulment

• If marriage is annulled the couple is free to remarry within the Catholic Church

• An annulment is a finding that there was no real marriage contracted in God's eyes. from a religious perspective there is no marriage, irrespective of civil law or appearance to others.

What is meant by ‘remarriage’

Marrying after previously being married

Catholics attitudes -Remarriage

• Not allowed in the eyes of the Catholic Church

• Breaks the promise of life long commitment

• “Till death do us part”

• “Two shall become one flesh”

Reasons why marriages end:

• Adultery

• Death

• No longer in love

• Inability to carry out the duties of marriage

• lack of intention

• lack of consent

• Married for the wrong reasons

• Incompatible

• Married young

• Financial issues

• Abuse

• Different aims / plans in life

Sources of authority for divorce

• ‘Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.’ Mark 10:9

• “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”’ Mark 10:11-12

• Catechism of the Catholic Church 1640 – ‘a marriage concluded and consummated between baptised persons can never be dissolved.’