Annulment facts for kids
An annulment is a special way the Roman Catholic Church can say that a marriage never truly happened. It's different from a divorce, which ends a marriage that was considered real. With an annulment, the Church declares that something important was missing from the very beginning, meaning the marriage wasn't valid in the eyes of the Church.
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What is a Catholic Annulment?
An annulment is a declaration by the Catholic Church that a marriage was not valid from the start. This means that, according to Church law, the marriage never truly existed as a sacred bond. It's not about saying the relationship didn't happen, but that it didn't meet the requirements for a valid Catholic marriage.
Annulment vs. Divorce
Many people confuse annulment with divorce, but they are very different.
- A divorce ends a marriage that was considered real and valid. It dissolves the legal bond between two people.
- An annulment declares that a marriage was never valid in the first place. It's like saying the marriage never truly began in the eyes of the Church. This means the people involved are free to marry again in the Church.
Reasons for an Annulment
The Catholic Church has specific rules for a marriage to be considered valid. If any of these rules were not met when the marriage happened, an annulment might be possible. Here are some common reasons:
Age Requirements
One reason for an annulment is if one or both people were too young when they got married. The Catholic Church has minimum age requirements for marriage.
- Males must be at least 16 years old.
- Females must be at least 14 years old.
Sometimes, local Church rules might set even higher age limits. If someone was below these ages, the marriage might not be valid.
Already Married (Ligamen)
If one person was already married to someone else when they entered into the new marriage, the new marriage is not valid. This is called "ligamen." The Catholic Church believes marriage is a lifelong commitment between one man and one woman. You cannot be married to two people at the same time.
Sacred Orders
If a man who is already a priest or a member of a monastery (a monk) tries to get married, that marriage is not valid. Priests and monks take special vows, including a vow of celibacy (not marrying). These vows prevent them from entering into a valid marriage in the Church.
Close Family Relationships
People who are closely related by blood (like siblings or first cousins) or by marriage (like a step-parent and step-child) cannot validly marry in the Catholic Church. These relationships are called "impediments" and prevent a valid marriage from forming. The Church has rules about how closely related people can be to marry.
See also
In Spanish: Nulidad matrimonial para niños
