[nmh]

As I explained to someone else. It really doesn't matter.

Kerry had his DIVORCE before he married terraza. That marriage was valid before the eyes of God and so are two daughters of his first marriage.

From what I gather from Catholics an annulment wipes out the legitimacy of the marriage and it is "anulled". With this view of wiping out the "marriage" then the children would be ILLegitimate since his first marriage in the Catholic church is not deemed legitimate hence neither would his children be then.

[Rutles4Ever]

The children are not considered illegitimate. There is a civil marriage but not a spiritual one.

[big time major leaguer]

Wrong. That's not what the Catholic Church says. Children of a putative marriage are legitimate, even if it is subsequently annulled.

[Conservative Infidel]

A Catholic annulment does not affect the legitimacy of the children. You can really only get an annulment if you tell the church that you entered the marriage under false pretenses (i.e. "we were not truly in love.", "we didn't realize the type of commitment marriage entailed.", etc). Therefore, it nullifies the sacramental ceremony but has no affect on the civil standing. That is why Catholics essentially need to get "2 divorces", one sanctioned by the church and one sanctioned by the state.

[NeoCaveman]

With this view of wiping out the "marriage" then the children would be ILLegitimate since his first marriage in the Catholic church is not deemed legitimate hence neither would his children be then.

But legitamacy is not a concept in Church law. So how would it make an opinion on whether the children are "legitamate" or not.

[intolerancewillNOTbetolerated]

"From what I gather from Catholics an annulment wipes out the legitimacy of the marriage and it is "anulled". With this view of wiping out the "marriage" then the children would be ILLegitimate since his first marriage in the Catholic church is not deemed legitimate hence neither would his children be then."

To the unintiatied, it all sounds like a joke, as, frankly, does much of Catholicism in the U.S. today.

[firebrand]

There's no concept of illegitimate children in the Catholic Church.

[sitetest]

Dear nmh,

"From what I gather from Catholics an annulment wipes out the legitimacy of the marriage and it is 'anulled'. With this view of wiping out the 'marriage' then the children would be ILLegitimate since his first marriage in the Catholic church is not deemed legitimate hence neither would his children be then."

Are you paying attention to any of the folks who have corrected your failed understanding of Catholic teaching? When folks point out that you are wrong, do you even read their helpful comments?

Legitimacy obtains from civil law. Whether a marriage is sacramental or not, if it is legal, the children of it are legitimate.

Do you think that folks married in front of a Justice of the Peace don't have legitimate children? Do you think the Catholic Church thinks that?


sitetest