Catholics/Catholic Annulment

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Expert: Fr. Timothy Johnson - 9/24/2008


Question
Greetings Father,

I am a civilly divorced Catholic who now wishes to marry another Catholic woman in the Church.  I know that I will need an annulment from the Church to make this possible.

We are not looking to be married for at least a year and my question is if the fact that I had NO intention of EVER having children with my previous wife would be grounds to declare the marriage invalid.

My now ex wife knew of my feelings toward children before we got married...I knew in my heart the day of my wedding that I would not have children with her and we did not have any children after our wedding day.  She thought that she could change my mind after our wedding day...and her hounding over the "let's have kids" thing was a decent part of the reason we got divorced.

My decision to not have children with her was not because I do not want to have kids, but was rooted in my belief that she wanted to have kids for the wrong reason (in this case to improve the relationship with her parents).

With my now future wife, I have no problems with wanting children and will if we are able to get married in the Church.

Any advice about the process to annul, if the marriage should be deemed invalid and if the process could be delayed if my ex wife decides to contest the annulment would be appreciated.

Answer
Hi, Keith:
Thanks for the question.
Be certain to present your needs at a local Parish that can assist you with the annulment process.  Let's hope that your "change of heart" to have kids, just because it is a normal part of marriage at the level of natural law.  Then, within the Sacrament, see it as part of raising up children for the Kingdom of Heaven.  I know that your ex will be contacted as part of the process.  I suppose that you will just have to wait and see just how much she will or won't cooperate.  There are procedures when one of the spouses is not cooperative, though I must admit, I don't have a lot of experience in this area, so I cannot give you a lot more information.  I can only encourage you to "go for it", and be not afraid.  I want to see you be a good practicing Catholic at every level.

Fr. Timothy Johnson

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Fr. Timothy Johnson

Expertise

A Traditional Catholic Priest, validly and licitly ordained, incardinated legally and canonically in the Diocese of Fargo, and in good-standing with my Local Ordinary (Bishop) on active assignment at a rural Tri-Parish. I can provide honest and balanced answers to questions on topics pertaining to Traditional Roman Catholicism of the Latin Church (Councils of Trent and Vatican II)and a lot about the Eastern Catholic Churches, including the Sacred Liturgy, Sacred Scripture, Church History, the use of the Latin language, the tradition of Sacred Music, and current events in the Catholic Church from a traditional, historical and balanced perspective.

Experience

I have been ordained a Roman Catholic Priest since June 2001.

Organizations
Knights of Columbus; Church Music Association of America (CMAA)

Education/Credentials
Ordained Priest, 02 JUN 2001; Ordained Deacon, 27 JAN 2001; MA - Dogmatic/Systematic Theology; MDiv - Professional Degree from Seminary; 2-Years formation with Canons Regular of Premontre including studies and experience in Sacred Liturgy, Chant, Latin, Sacraments, Spirituality. BA - Scholastic/Thomistic Philosophy; BA - Liberal Arts; AA - General Studies.

Past/Present Clients
I serve 3-small, rural Parish Communities in Easter North Dakota
I converted to the Roman Catholic Church in 1981, at the age of 15. Over the years I have done work as an organist, cantor, and choir director for the Latin Rite (English & Latin) Mass (Liturgy of the Eucharist), and even for the Hours of the Divine Office. I have worked as a cantor for a Melkite Byzantine Catholic Church. Presently my pastoral and administrative duties as a Catholic Priest do not allow me as much time as I used to have to devote to Sacred Music; but for my weekend Masses and Solemnities within my Tri-Parish, I offer High Sung Mass in English. Weekday Mass is typically Low Mass (recited Mass) in English, though on occasion I will offer the "Tridentine Mass" in Latin, which I usually offer on my "Day Off", as well. And now, in light of the "Motu Proprio" by his Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI placing the extraordinary usage of the Roman Rite back into the mainstream of the Catholic Church, I have been offering a regularly scheduled SUN, 2:00 PM Tridentine Latin Mass with a community of the faithful that has a stable existence.

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