Marriage Preparation at Holy Family

Marriage is a covenant by which a man and woman establish a partnership as a couple with God for their whole lives. By its very nature it is ordered to the well being of the spouses. To appreciate this special vocation, those who are planning to marry at Holy Family parish must be part of our marriage preparation program. Once you have decided to be married in the Catholic Church, you should contact the parish six months prior to the intended date of marriage. For more information, contact Betsy Staal.

Natural Family Planning Classes (NFP)

Classes are sponsored by the Holy Family Marriage Preparation Team and open to all. Presented by Scott & Marie Elmenhurst. All classes are held in the Youth Center from 7:00 – 9:45 p.m. The cost of a session is $135 which includes materials and registration. You must register online at the Couple to Couple League website. For more information call the Elmenhursts at 425-788-2453 or email at book.maven@comcast.net or see the flier.

Fall Session (2011)

• Sun., Sept. 25
• Sun., Oct. 23
• Sun., Nov. 13

Annulments - Tribual Advocacy for Degree of Nullity

This process is offered to those adults who have experienced an unsuccessful marriage and are seeking to petition the Tribunal of the Archdiocese for a possible nullity. The parish has professionally trained and appointed advocates to assist any inquiring individual. The process brings reconciliation and healing to those experiencing the pain of a failed marriage and wishing to be free to marry in the Catholic Church.

When someone applies to the Tribunal Office for an annulment, he or she will need to show that the previous marriage bond was ineffective. The Tribunal Office provides Annulment Advocates to help you through the process. The annulment advocate, by listening to your story, will help you reflect on your past marriage, and let you know if you have grounds for a "declaration of nullity". If you have grounds, the advocate will then help you submit your petition to the Tribunal.

You will need a few documents to petition for an annulment.

• A recent-dated copy of your baptism certificate;
• Marriage Certificate from the County;
• Final divorce decree.

You will also need witnesses, usually four (4), who can testify about the marriage in question. A major part of the process will be the testimony: telling the story of the previous attempted marriage in such a way that the Tribunal judges can understand why you believe that the consent for the previous marriage bond was ineffective.

It is not so much that the Tribunal judges declare a marriage null, as that the judges agree with the petitioner that there was something wrong with the previous marriage bond, due most likely to ineffective consent. The judge will decide that the petitioner is not bound by that marriage, and therefore the marriage bond is not an impediment to a new marriage.

The above is a simplified explanation of annulments, and does not attempt to cover everything about annulments. Canon law has a lot more to say about the matter.

Please know that receiving an annulment, or a "declaration of nullity", does not mean you never had a marriage, and does not mean that children from that marriage become illegitimate.

Note, if you are a Catholic, and you married outside the Catholic Church, you do not need to go through the long formal procedure mentioned above. Instead you need only to prove that your marriage was not validly celebrated in the Catholic Church to receive an annulment. This process is called a "Lack of Form."

However, if you are not a Catholic, and have been married before, are divorced, and now want to marry a Catholic, you will need to obtain a "declaration of nullity" in order to marry the Catholic party in the Catholic Church. You will most likely need to go through the longer, formal process. The Church recognizes your previous marriage as valid, unless proven otherwise. The reason is simple. As a person who is not Catholic, you did not need to follow the Catholic rules of marriage.

Please contact Betsy Staal for more information about the process.