കത്തോലീക്കാസഭയില്‍ വിവാഹമോചനമില്ല്ല

എന്നാല്‍ വിവാഹം നടന്ന സമയത്തു അതു സാധുവായി നടന്നിട്ടില്ലെങ്ങ്കില്‍, കാനന്‍ നിയമവും സഭാനിയമവും പൂര്ണമായി പാലിക്കപെട്ടിട്ടില്ലെന്നു തെളിഞ്ഞാല്‍ അതു അസാധൂവായി പ്രഖ്യാപിക്കയാണു ചെയ്യുക (അതുപ്പോലെ കിഴക്കന്ന് സഭയിലെ കാനന്‍ നിയമമനുസരിച്ചു ഒരു ഡീക്കനു വിവാഹം ആശീര്വദിക്കാന്‍ അനുവാദം ഇല്ല )

The Catholic Church, Divorce, and Annulment

An annulment is commonly and incorrectly called a "Catholic divorce." The differences between divorce and annulment can be confusing to Catholics and non-Catholics alike — especially when remarriage is a possibility. Divorce and annulment aren't the same thing; they differ in two ways:

First, divorce is a civil law decree from the state, whereas an annulment is a canon law decree from the Church. In other words:

The state issues a marriage license; and the state issues a divorce decree.

The Church celebrates the Sacrament of Matrimony; and only the Church can issue a Decree of Nullity (otherwise known as an annulment). The Church does not believe in divorce.

The second is the existence of the marriage after a divorce or annulment:

A civil divorce basically says that what was once a marriage is no longer a marriage. The marriage took place but ended. A previously married couple no longer has the legal obligations of husband and wife.

An annulment, on the other hand, basically says that the Sacrament of Matrimony never took place to begin with.

Civil divorce ends a civil marriage; a Church annulment declares that the Sacrament of Matrimony didn’t occur from day one.

Keep in mind that Church annulments are not a form of divorce and have no affect whatsoever on the legitimacy of children, because that’s a purely legal (civil) matter. Annulments don’t make the children born of that union illegitimate. Annulments declare that a marriage was never a valid sacrament in the first place even if both parties entered into it with good faith and intentions.