Now this is a quote worth stealing. It can be used in all sorts of discussions where it will drive liberals crazy.
A question for the Catholics out there. How does the church handle adultery? Is the wronged partner released from the marriage and free to remarry or does the church hold them still married.
This article may shed some light on the subject for you.The Catholic attitude on marriage is not debatable for anyone who is really willing to live by the doctrine of the Scriptures.
The Church would advise that the spouses separate in some circumstances. Typically, spousal abuse and adultery are grounds for separation, unless the wrongdoer obtains forgiveness from the spouse and eradicates the problem.
Once separated, the spouses may seek legal protection for themselves, their children and their property, i.e. obtain legal divorce under the laws that the state may have.
However, neither of that dissolves the marriage. In the eye of God the separated spouses (whether legally divorced or not) remain married. Neither of them may re-marry. That is regardless of the allocation of guilt for the separation.
The only thing that may allow a former spouse to re-marry is if the marriage is declared null. But grounds for annulment are not the same as grounds for divorce. Annulment is possible if (1) it is sought and (2) a defect can be pointed out in the initiation of the marriage. Defects of spousal life after the marriage was properly initiated are not grounds for annulment. For example, if the marriage was not initiated freely (a spouse was coerced) or fraudulent (a spouse was already married and have no right to marry) or not intended as a traditional life-long monogamous union of a man and a woman open to parenthood, then these might be initial defects and ground for annulment.
So adultery may play a role in the annulment process insofar as it points to the lack of intent to form a union of mutual fidelity. Other frequently occurring defects these days that may lead to annulment are lack of intent to have children or openness to a divorce and a second marriage after a while. However, in itself adultery is not grounds for annulment, and without annulment neither spouse is free to marry.
Note also that annulment does not impute that the union was sinful while it lasted, nor confer illegitimacy on the children so long as the spouses assumed, albeit incorrectly, that their marriage was real.
The former couple can make an inquiry on annulment. If the marriage is found to have been non sacramental it is annulled and they’re no longer married in the church
The adulterer is culpable for the adultery (which is a serious/mortal sin)
That person can seek another marriage if someone’s dopey enough to get involved but they are free to change their ways