Does an annulment make children illegitimate?
No! This is one of the most common misunderstandings among Catholics and non-Catholics alike. “Illegitimacy” is, in the modern world, a civil legal term. If the parties entered marriage by observing all the legal requirements of the state, then any offspring born of the marriage are “legitimate.” Neither the civil divorce nor an annulment change the status of the children born to parents who met all legal requirements at the time of marriage. In fact, if a marriage that produced children is declared invalid, both parties will be reminded of their continuing obligations and responsibilities toward the care and upbringing of all children born in the prior marriage.
