There is a difference between being divorced and annulled. But even being divorced and thus excommunicated, one can have that overturned if one is willing to go through the hoops and show his/her devotion to the church. There are some nominal feels for classes and the like, and I have heard many Christ-aphobes claim that it costs tens of thousands of dollars to have this done (their excuse to bash the church) but I have yet to see any proof of this. I think our church charges around 200 bucks for the classes, and they last for months and cover everything from catechism to marriage relationships, etc. Much cheaper than marriage counseling in any event.
They require the classes for both man and woman, so as to help prevent another divorce I imagine (in the case of remarrying).
Actually, it is my understanding that divorce alone is not means for excommuniation. Divorce and remarriage is when one is not supposed to receive the eucharist.
Yes, you are correct that in Catholicism you can seek an annullment... an interesting concept that says based on determination that the marriage was not valid to begin with in the churches eyes.
I have little faith in the Catholic church on this particular topic.... as they granted my grandfather an annullment after he not only married my grandmother, had 4 children with her and were married for a few decades, but divorced and a few years later remarried each other AGAIN only to finally divorce again. Yet the church managed to grant an annullment to him years after the second divorce....
I think the church needs to come clean on this one, and I say this as a Roman Catholic. Marriage is a union of two flawed and sinful people, while it is santified by God, this cannot be denied. The bible clearly allows divorce for certain reasons, and even denies divorce for others. IE a man who takes a virgin must marry her, and may never divorce her.
When I read the bible myself I see far more pragmaticism on the nature of marriage and divorce than the Roman Catholic faith takes on the issue.