[CdMGuy]

There was a period of time after Vatican 2 when annulments were far too easy to obtain. I believe that has been tightened up a good bit over the past several years.

As for the article, it is way over the top. Many annulments are obtained for quite valid reasons. One example would be when a Catholic marries outside of the Church and later secures a civil divorce. As that Catholic’s marriage was not considered valid in the eyes of the Church, for whatever reason, the Church requires that an annulment be secured in order for that person to later marry another person but this time in a Catholic ceremony. Generally, one is automatically issued within a month or two.

Another example is when a Catholic marriage later produces no children because one of the parties refuses to have any children. As the primary purpose of marriage is procreation, the Church can consider the marriage to be invalid.

[RachelFaith]

I am a Catholic and go to Mass... on occasion... and went to Catholic HS... I KNOW exactly what the rules are. And in both cases we have a CLEAR violation of the principals set forth by Our Lord in the Gospels. Adultery or other immoral acts would be the ONLY such allowed cases. Annulment MAY have covered the case where a Marriage did NOT exist, but it has become de facto Catholic Divorce. That is the point of the article. And my point is, when the Church begins to treat the LAW like the Pharisees, they get the same results.

[verdugo]

re: 1)when a Catholic marries outside of the Church 2)when a Catholic marriage later produces no children because one of the parties refuses to have any children.

I did mentioned the second example. As for the first, I don't believe that before Vatican II, anyone needed a formal annulment decree for a marriage outside of the Church, as it was always considered living in adultery. It must have been so, because there were only 35-50 annulments per year WORLDWIDE.

The post Vatican II persons who received annulments for having married outside of the Church are assured that their annulments are valid, as any Catholic knows that a Catholic who marries outside of the Church is living in adultery.

[SuziQ]

There was a period of time after Vatican 2 when annulments were far too easy to obtain. I believe that has been tightened up a good bit over the past several years.

True, and I believe Cardinal Josef Ratzinger who was a big supporter of that reduction. Marriage tribunals in many Dioceses have undergone major changes in the past few years.