Asking on behalf of a relative: Annulment process?

Started by alicewyf, August 03, 2016, 09:38:42 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

alicewyf

My mom and dad have been divorced for 11 years. My mom is remarried civilly (since 2008). My dad just got engaged. He is interested in getting his marriage to my mom annulled so he can remarry in the Church. His intended is going to convert to Catholicism (from Orthodox, I believe, she is from Ukraine). My dad lives in Romania. He said that they have a ton of Orthodox churches there and he isn't sure how to get the process started from overseas. Ideas?

(As a side note, I am fine with this. I think giving both of my parents the opportunity to come into full communion with the Church is great. Reconciliation is not happening so this is the next best thing in my view. Of course the tribunal will make the final decision).

Kaesekopf

Best off contacting the diocese where the couple contracted sacramental marriage for guidance.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
Wie dein Sonntag, so dein Sterbetag.

I am not altogether on anybody's side, because nobody is altogether on my side.  ~Treebeard, LOTR

Jesus son of David, have mercy on me.

alicewyf

Is that something that can be done over the phone or email? They were married in Southern CA. Of course he is half a world away now.

Kaesekopf

No idea.  Probably the initial contact can be done via phone or email.  I'm not certain how they would do the evicence gathering with him so far away, but I imagine it can be done.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

Wie dein Sonntag, so dein Sterbetag.

I am not altogether on anybody's side, because nobody is altogether on my side.  ~Treebeard, LOTR

Jesus son of David, have mercy on me.

Chestertonian

he should have gotten the annulment done before he started dating other women
"I am not much of a Crusader, that is for sure, but at least I am not a Mohamedist!"

alicewyf

I agree Ches. I am trying not to rock the boat too much. I am just thrilled he even cares where he is married.

VeraeFidei

Quote from: alicewyf on August 03, 2016, 09:38:42 PM
My mom and dad have been divorced for 11 years. My mom is remarried civilly (since 2008). My dad just got engaged. He is interested in getting his marriage to my mom annulled so he can remarry in the Church. His intended is going to convert to Catholicism (from Orthodox, I believe, she is from Ukraine). My dad lives in Romania. He said that they have a ton of Orthodox churches there and he isn't sure how to get the process started from overseas. Ideas?

(As a side note, I am fine with this. I think giving both of my parents the opportunity to come into full communion with the Church is great. Reconciliation is not happening so this is the next best thing in my view. Of course the tribunal will make the final decision).
Obviously the details of this are none of our business, but I do think it is far more important to discover the truth about your parents' relationship rather than treating annulment like Catholic divorce. Annulment is supposed to be about a discovery process of whether your father and mother contracted a real marriage on that day when everyone thinks they did. If they did, that mustn't be erased due to here-and-now convenience. If they did not, fine. But to discuss the annulment process as one with a predetermined conclusion is to miss the point entirely.

Armor of Light

I'm pretty sure most, if not all, the grunt work can be done via mail and phone calls..
Anyone have a stat on the percentage of annulments that are not granted? Pretty miniscule I imagine. I've never heard about, or met, anyone who didn't have one granted.
If thou wilt receive profit, read with humility, simplicity, and faith, and seek not at any time the fame of being learned.

Thomas à Kempis

Jacob

Quote from: Armor of Light on August 11, 2016, 07:40:34 AM
I'm pretty sure most, if not all, the grunt work can be done via mail and phone calls..
Anyone have a stat on the percentage of annulments that are not granted? Pretty miniscule I imagine. I've never heard about, or met, anyone who didn't have one granted.

I don't have a stat, but I do know one person whose annulment decision was reversed.  Joe Kennedy (son of RFK) had a quickie annulment granted in the Boston archdiocese.  His wife wasn't contacted and when she found out, she insisted that the appeal go directly to Rome.  Rome eventually reversed it.
"Arguing with anonymous strangers on the Internet is a sucker's game because they almost always turn out to be—or to be indistinguishable from—self-righteous sixteen-year-olds possessing infinite amounts of free time."
--Neal Stephenson