Expert: Rick Jackson - 9/16/2008

Question
So my understanding of an annulment, is that you are actively proving that the sacrament of marriage didn't occur.  Does the church allow members to prove that other sacraments didn't occurr? Is this a dumb question? I mean, if we can, and are allowed, and do prove that the sacrament of marriage didn't occur in special cases, what is to stop us from proving that our baptism, or confirmation, or a particular reconciliation didn't occur? Do people try to do this?  Can you "divorce" the church by proving that your baptism or confirmation didn't occur?


Answer
Hi Matt.

1. Yes,
2. Sort of, and
3.No. :)

A Baptism may also be shown to be invalid.  Not a dumb question at all.

...but key to both is that it is not WE (or the recipient) proving it invalid, but the Church - based on the evidence.  This also addresses your last issue to some extent.

One cannot "divorce" the Church in the way you describe.  There is not a "marriage" to the Church in Baptism but a sacramental confirmation of the union.

Indeed one can discard and/or reject that which Christ has given him, however this is a different situation altogether.

Don't focus in this way on the Sacrament(s) itself but on the real gist of the matter, which is one's willingness to pursue a life in Christ in it's fullest.

Rick.