What is a Decree of Nullity (Annulment) and how does it differ from a divorce?
A civil divorce claims to dissolve a legal marriage contract. In contrast, the Catholic Church upholds Christ's explicit teaching that a valid, consummated sacramental marriage can never be dissolved by any human power ('What God has joined together, let not man put asunder'). A Decree of Nullity is not 'Catholic divorce'; it is a canonical judgment after ecclesiastical investigation stating that on the wedding day, an essential element was missing (such as lack of free consent, grave lack of discretion, psychological incapacity, or deliberate exclusion of children or fidelity), meaning no valid sacramental bond was ever formed.
Sources
- Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 1625-1632
- Matthew 19:6
Awaiting review by the chaplaincy. Written in our own words; the Church's own texts are the authority.