Divorce, annulment and the Catholic Church

He also wrote about marriage and divorce questions in leading national publications, and addressed the subject before the Canon Law Society of America and other organizations. Somehow he even found time to write a book titled The Dilemma of Divorced Catholics. Critically well received, it has gone through several reprintings and underwent some revisions after the church introduced its new Code of Canon Law in 1983.

And now I'd like to share some very good news with Christopher friends and other readers of this column. Father Catoir has revised and updated The Dilemma of Divorced Catholics to reflect not only the Code of Canon Law but also the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which was first published in 1994.

Subtitled "Where Do You Stand With the Church? What Is the Internal Forum?," the book will be published next month by Catholic Book Publishing/Resurrection Press. What's more, it's a special pleasure to recommend the book to all of you.

Father Catoir's book will make its newest appearance at a time when divorce has reached appalling levels in our country, and when Catholics, sadly, are all too often victims of failed marriages themselves. When that happens, Catholics - especially those Catholics concerned about their standing in the church - are eager to "regularize" their situation, but it isn't always that easy. And that, in particular, is just what Father Catoir addresses.

"I have tried to express my compassion for people in marital difficulty while at the same time remaining faithful to the church's teaching," he writes in his introduction. "Marriage is an indissoluble bond. I respect the teaching authority of the church and submit to that authority in complete peace."

Well, what about annulments?

"The question before every church tribunal is this," Father Catoir continues. "Which of the marriages presented for an annulment are truly valid, and which are not? No one questions the fact that marriage is indissoluble, and that a truly valid marriage bond cannot be broken or dissolved, and that no one can validly begin a new marriage while an existing valid marriage is still in possession, but we can and must ask questions if a serious doubt exists concerning the validity of a specific marriage."

And those are the questions that are at the heart of this newly reissued book. There's little doubt that marriage annulments in general are among the most misunderstood (and, often, the most widely misrepresented) facets of the church's teaching. That's why an individual reader needn't be involved in a difficult marriage situation personally to learn something from a reading of Father Catoir's book. All of the annulment information (and misinformation) you've ever heard gets a clear airing here, in a readable question-and-answer format that will be easy to understand. And of course, those who know the heartache of marital problems themselves will benefit from this book in a special way.

Father Catoir remains a staunch friend of The Christophers, and we continue to admire all he does to extend the Christopher message of hope, love and joy. In this new book, you'll see a vibrant example of just what we mean.

- - -

Dennis Heaney is president of The Christophers

- - -

For a free copy of the Christopher News Note: "What marriage means, why marriage matters," write: The Christophers, 12 East 48th St., New York, N.Y., 10017; or e-mail: mail@christophers.org.

Contact

The Christophers
http://www.christophers.org ,
Dennis Heaney - ,

Email

Keywords

More Catholic PRWire

Showing 1 - 50 of 4,716

• « Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• Next »

A Recession Antidote
Randy Hain

Monaco & The Vatican: Monaco's Grace Kelly Exhibit to Rome--A Review of Monegasque-Holy See Diplomatic History
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

The Why of Jesus' Death: A Pauline Perspective
Jerom Paul

A Royal Betrayal: Catholic Monaco Liberalizes Abortion
Dna. Maria St.Catherine De Grace Sharpe, t.o.s.m., T.O.SS.T.

Embrace every moment as sacred time
Mary Regina Morrell

My Dad
JoMarie Grinkiewicz

Letting go is simple wisdom with divine potential
Mary Regina Morrell

Father Lombardi's Address on Catholic Media
Catholic Online

Pope's Words to Pontifical Latin American College
Catholic Online

Prelate: Genetics Needs a Conscience
Catholic Online

State Aid for Catholic Schools: Help or Hindrance?
Catholic Online

Scorsese Planning Movie on Japanese Martyrs
Catholic Online

2 Nuns Kidnapped in Kenya Set Free
Catholic Online

Holy See-Israel Negotiation Moves Forward
Catholic Online

Franchising to Evangelize
Catholic Online

Catholics Decry Anti-Christianity in Israel
Catholic Online

Pope and Gordon Brown Meet About Development Aid
Catholic Online

Pontiff Backs Latin America's Continental Mission
Catholic Online

Cardinal Warns Against Anti-Catholic Education
Catholic Online

Full Circle
Robert Gieb

Three words to a deeper faith
Paul Sposite

Relections for Lent 2009
chris anthony

Wisdom lies beyond the surface of life
Mary Regina Morrell

World Food Program Director on Lent
Catholic Online

Moral Clarity
DAN SHEA

Pope's Lenten Message for 2009
Catholic Online

A Prayer for Monaco: Remembering the Faith Legacy of Prince Rainier III & Princess Grace and Contemplating the Moral Challenges of Prince Albert II
Dna. Maria St. Catherine Sharpe

Keeping a Lid on Permissiveness
Sally Connolly

Glimpse of Me
Sarah Reinhard

The 3 stages of life
Michele Szekely

Sex and the Married Woman
Cheryl Dickow

A Catholic Woman Returns to the Church
Cheryl Dickow

Modernity & Morality
Dan Shea

Just a Minute
Sarah Reinhard

Catholic identity ... triumphant reemergence!
Hugh McNichol

Edging God Out
Paul Sposite

Burying a St. Joseph Statue
Cheryl Dickow

George Bush Speaks on Papal Visit
Catholic Online

Sometimes moving forward means moving the canoe
Mary Regina Morrell

Action Changes Things: Teaching our Kids about Community Service
Lisa Hendey

Easter... A Way of Life
Paul Spoisite

Papal initiative...peace and harmony!
Hugh McNichol

Proclaim the mysteries of the Resurrection!
Hugh McNichol

Jerusalem Patriarch's Easter Message
Catholic Online

Good Friday Sermon of Father Cantalamessa
Catholic Online

Papal Address at the End of the Way of the Cross
Catholic Online

Cardinal Zen's Meditations for Via Crucis
Catholic Online

Interview With Vatican Aide on Jewish-Catholic Relations
Catholic Online

Pope Benedict XVI On the Easter Triduum
Catholic Online

Holy Saturday...anticipation!
Hugh McNichol

• « Prev
• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• Next »