What is an annulment and why is one necessary to remarry after divorce?
An annulment is a declaration by the Church that serious personal or spiritual flaws prevented the relationship from becoming a marriage. In essence, an annulment is a declaration that the marriage, as the Church understands marriage, was not valid or never existed. This is a decision made by the diocesan Tribunal only after careful investigation. Catholic teaching is that a marriage is a permanent partnership between a man and a woman that lasts until death. While the Catholic Church recognizes that there could be legitimate reasons why the marriage was not valid, it does not recognize a civil divorce as ending the partnership entered into before God. Therefore, no one may enter another marriage while the first spouse is still alive until a thorough investigation allows the Church to determine, with moral certitude, that no valid marriage ever took place. Doesn’t an annulment mean that any children born during my marriage are illegitimate? Annulment does not affect legitimacy of child
