Annulment Writing Workshop [Catholic Caucus]

Good Shepherd Parish ^ | February 5, 2017 | Good Shepherd Parish

[tomsbartoo]

I don’t believe you are correct on your assertion that Ted Kennedy’s annulment was annulled by the Vatican. Although I can understand why you might believe that, as that rumor has been circulating for many years.

The confusion probably stems from the fact that the marriage of Joseph P Kennedy II to Sheila Rauch was annulled and then later reversed by the Vatican. They, by the way had two children, twins.

The substance of your point, however, is still valid, regardless as to which Kennedy’s annulment was rescinded by the Vatican. A further confirmation of the fact that Ted Kennedy’s annulment was never set aside is that after he divorced Joan Bennet in the early ‘80s, he remarried much later (mid ‘90s?) in a civil ceremony. Importantly, that marriage was later “blessed” by the Catholic Church.

Now while nothing is beyond the pale in today’s Catholic Church being headed up by the current pope, the Church under Pope John Paul II would never have allowed a marriage to be blessed if they had reason to believe he was still “married” under the laws of the Church.

[tomsbartoo]

The numbers are easily researched, but if memory serves me well, I seem to recall the annulments to be in the 50,000 per annum range in recent years. I believe they were falling off a bit because there are not quite as many divorces...because there are not quite as many marriages––Catholics or otherwise.

Living together without the benefit of marriage is a far more popular option than marriage these days. When the parties feel they’ve had enough of each other they can just walk away without all that messiness about lawyers and divorces––not to mention annulments for those diminishing number of Catholics who are still at least somewhat interested in practicing the faith.

Unfortunately, this behavior is so common today, some readers might miss the fact that I’m obviously being sarcastic. Hopefully that would be very few on this site.