Tanayjeet Das, Jamshedpur x The couple are not open to children
We can show up at a worship conference, put our hands in the air and speak in tongues, but family issues
(i.e., contraception)
are the real test of our faith. People are naturally
x Deep routed sin in either or both their lives
sensitive about marriage and breakup. Many of us have
during the courtship which interfered with
hair trigger responses when discussing issues of love,
their discernment, such as sex
sex, children, retirement savings, education for the
x Insufficient marriage preparation
kids, dividing houses and property, etc. Some get really
x Either party not having been baptized
angry when they think the Church is “interfering.” We
x Messed up marriage ceremony
think it’s the first reason people leave the Catholic
x No consummation of marriage
Church. One lady who was surveyed said:
x One or both partners being forced into
“I wasn’t going to pay a bunch of money just for a
marriage.
piece of paper that says my marriage never existed,
If an annulment is granted, are the kids bastards?
forget it... it was a real marriage, I did love him when I
God loves all of his children. They are all precious to
married him... and my kids are legitimate, and now I’m
him regardless of how they are conceived. That is why
divorcing my husband because he had an affair... and
Catholics have such a problem with abortion. The
the Catholic annulment process is stupid and I’m not
father will always be the child’s true father, and the
going to subject myself to all those personal questions,
mother will always be the true mother, regardless of
so I’ve gone to an Evangelical Church, where I can
whether there was a marriage or not, and regardless
divorce and remarry.”
of the presence or absence
She had a compelling story.
of love, or even if sin was
Marriage is a very emotional
involved
issue. This matter therefore
conception by either, or both
gives rise to several questions…
parents.
Does an annulment mean that
All of God’s kids are
love dosen’t exist?
legitimate!
Love is not limited by marriage.
Of course children do much
A valid Christian marriage in the
better with a mother and a
Catholic Church requires more
father, but that’s not the
than love between the spouses.
issue here. Legitimacy is a
during
the
This is one reason why same sex marriage is a no-go.
temporal issue, based in civil law, and Canon law. It is
Perhaps there is love, but maybe there are other
an historical artifact related to inheritance, dynasties
mitigating factor in the marriage, such as:
and social privileges.
Rally
26
April-May 2013