Ethan Walker
The Catholic Church does not recognize divorce as it considers marriage to be a lifelong, unbreakable, and sacred bond. However, it does not prohibit civil divorce and supports divorced members through various programs and groups. While divorce itself does not affect a Catholic's standing in the Church, remarriage outside the Church without a prior annulment is considered adulterous, preventing the individual from receiving Holy Communion.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Catholic Church's stance on divorce | The Catholic Church does not formally recognize divorce. |
| Divorce in the Bible | Jesus himself taught that marriage is permanent (Matthew 19:3-6), and St. Paul reinforced this teaching (see 1 Cor 7:10-11 and Eph 5:31-32). |
| Divorce and remarriage | A Catholic may not remarry after a civil divorce unless they have received an annulment. |
| Divorce and the Church | The Church believes that God established marriage as a permanent union. An annulment is an extension of God's mercy for imperfect Catholics. |
| Divorce and civil law | The Catholic Church does not recognize a civil divorce because the State cannot dissolve what is indissoluble. |
| Divorce support in the Church | Many dioceses offer programs and support groups for divorced and separated persons. |
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What You'll Learn
The Catholic Church does not recognise divorce
The Church teaches that marriage is a covenant, rooted in unconditional love, rather than a contract. A covenant states, "I will do my part whether or not you do yours", reflecting the belief that marriage is indissoluble and cannot be dissolved by any authority, including civil or church courts. While the Church does not prohibit civil divorce, it does not recognise it as a valid dissolution of a marriage. Instead, it views civil divorce as a legal separation or suspension of the marriage relation, known as "divorce a mensa et toro" or "divorce from bed and board".
The Church offers support to Catholics going through a divorce, encouraging them to remain close to God and participate in the Sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist. Divorced Catholics are considered full members of the Church and are not excommunicated. However, if a Catholic divorces and remarries outside of the Church without a prior annulment, it is considered an issue as the Church still recognises the person's prior marriage. In this case, the person is not living within the precepts of Church teaching and would typically be unable to receive Holy Communion.
Annulment in the Catholic Church is different from civil annulment. While a civil annulment declares that the marriage never existed, a Catholic annulment acknowledges that the marriage existed but failed. To obtain a Catholic annulment, one must go through the tribunal process, which may or may not approve the annulment. The Church offers resources and support groups for divorced Catholics, recognising the pain and complexity of emotions that accompany divorce.
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Divorce is a civil law matter, not a religious one
The Church's stance on divorce is that it cannot be dissolved by any authority higher than the contracting parties, and civil authority has no right to dissolve a marriage. This is based on the belief that marriage is a covenant, not a contract, and that it is instituted by God and Christ. The Church teaches that marriage is permanent and indissoluble, and this is supported by quotes from Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew and Mark, and reinforced by St. Paul.
However, the Church does recognize that separation may be necessary, especially if the well-being of spouses or children is at risk. In these cases, the Church may grant an annulment, which is different from a civil annulment. A civil annulment declares that the marriage never existed, whereas a Catholic annulment acknowledges that the marriage existed but failed. The Church also allows for a limited form of divorce, known as divorce a mensa et toro or divorce from bed and board, where the couple physically separates but their marital relationship does not fully terminate.
Divorce itself does not affect a person's status in the Catholic Church, and divorced Catholics are full members of the Church who are encouraged to participate in its activities. They may present themselves for the Eucharist and receive the Sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist, to remain close to the Lord. Many dioceses offer programs and support groups for divorced and separated persons, and the Church encourages them to seek support within their community.
While the Church may not formally recognize divorce, it does emphasize the importance of forgiveness and mercy for those going through a divorce. This is supported by various Biblical parables, such as the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant and the Parable of the Prodigal Son, which demonstrate Jesus' compassion for those who have strayed.
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Annulments are permitted by the Catholic Church
The Catholic Church does not recognise civil divorce, as it believes that marriage is a permanent union that cannot be dissolved. However, the Church does permit annulments, which are different from divorce. An annulment is a declaration by a Church tribunal that a marriage thought to be valid according to Church law actually fell short of at least one of the essential elements required for a binding union.
To obtain an annulment, an individual must go through a thorough evaluation process conducted by a tribunal, which assesses the beginning of the former couple's marriage. The petitioner must provide a written testimony about their former marriage, including details of the couple's background and history, as well as a list of witnesses who can answer questions about the relationship and both parties involved. The respondent does not have to participate or agree to the annulment for the process to proceed.
The tribunal will then assign a defender of the bond on behalf of the Catholic Church to list all the facts that support the marriage's validity. If the tribunal declares the marriage invalid, both parties will be able to remarry in the Catholic Church. However, this declaration only has religious implications and no civil effects, meaning it does not impact children, property rights, or inheritance rights.
The essential elements required for a valid marriage in the Catholic Church include:
- Both spouses are free to marry
- Both individuals are capable of giving consent to marry
- Each person freely gives their consent
- Both people give their consent in the presence of two witnesses and before a Church minister
- The pair intends to marry for life, be faithful, and be open to having and raising children
- Each person respects the other and has their best interests at heart
It is important to note that an annulment in the Catholic Church does not deny that a marriage ever existed. Instead, it recognises that a marriage that was once thought to be valid was actually invalid at the time it was contracted. While divorce is not recognised by the Church, annulments are permitted as an extension of God's mercy for imperfect Catholics living in an imperfect world.
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Divorce is not a barrier to participation in the Church
The Catholic Church does not recognise divorce, as it considers marriage to be a lifelong bond. However, divorce is not a barrier to participation in the Church. Divorced people are full members of the Church and are encouraged to participate in its activities.
The Church understands the pain of divorce and offers support to those involved, encouraging them to remain close to the Lord through the frequent reception of the Sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist. Many dioceses offer programs and support groups for divorced and separated persons.
Divorce itself does not affect a person's status in the Catholic Church. However, if a Catholic divorces and then remarries outside of the Church without a prior annulment, it becomes an issue. In the eyes of the Church, that person is still married to their prior spouse, and so the new marriage is not valid, and the person is considered to be living in an adulterous relationship. In this case, such a person would typically be prevented from receiving Holy Communion.
The Church's annulment process is an extension of God's mercy for imperfect Catholics living in an imperfect world. An annulment recognises that a marriage existed but failed to thrive. To get a Catholic annulment, one must go through the tribunal process, which may or may not approve the annulment.
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Remarriage is only possible with an annulment
Divorce is not against Catholic religion or teaching. The Catholic Church recognises the pain of those who have divorced and offers its support to those involved. It encourages them to remain close to the Lord through frequent reception of the Sacraments, especially the Holy Eucharist. Many dioceses offer programs and support groups for divorced and separated persons.
However, the Church believes that God established marriage as a permanent union. When two people marry, they form an unbreakable bond. Jesus himself taught that marriage is permanent (Matthew 19:3-6), and St. Paul reinforced this teaching (see 1 Cor 7:10-11 and Eph 5:31-32). Therefore, the Church does not recognise civil divorce because the State cannot dissolve what is indissoluble.
The Church's annulment process is an extension of God's mercy for imperfect Catholics living in an imperfect world. An annulment in the Catholic Church is not the same as a secular, legal annulment. Instead of taking the position that the marriage never happened, the Catholic Church asserts that a marriage "fell short" in some way, thereby explaining the divorce.
Remarriage in the Catholic Church is only possible with an annulment. Anyone who wishes to remarry in the Church—even if he or she is not Catholic—must submit his or her prior marriage(s) to the scrutiny of the Church. This is known as the \"tribunal process\", a formal consideration of the divorce in which a bishop decides whether to apply a declaration of nullity to the end of the relationship. If the bishop awards a declaration of nullity, the person is free to remarry in a Catholic Church. If not, they can still get married, but outside of the Church.
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Frequently asked questions
The Catholic Church does not formally recognize divorce, as it considers marriage to be a lifelong bond. However, the Church does not prohibit civil divorce and offers support to those going through a divorce.
Yes, Catholic people do get divorced. The Catechism of the Catholic Church acknowledges that the separation of married couples may be necessary, especially if the well-being of spouses or children is threatened.
A Catholic may not remarry after a civil divorce unless they have received an annulment, which recognizes that the marriage was not canonically valid.
Divorce looks at marriage in civil law, while annulment looks at marriage from the perspective of the Gospel and Church doctrine. A civil annulment declares that the marriage never existed, whereas a Catholic annulment acknowledges that the marriage existed but failed to thrive.
No, divorced people are full members of the Church and are encouraged to participate in its activities. Divorced Catholics in good standing with the Church may receive the sacraments.
