Purpose of Tribunal

About Church Annulments
The Marriage Tribunal has a two-fold ministry that involves protecting the exercise of rights given in Church law for those who might be seeking possible remarriage in the Catholic Church and helping participants experience closure, healing and reconciliation with their faithcommunity.

These participants are persons who have experienced the breakup of a marriage and are requesting a review of that marriage in the hopes of receiving an annulment.

An annulment, also knowas a declaration of invalidity, is a statement by the Church community,made after long and serious study by the Marriage Tribunal, that one ofthe elements seen as essential for a binding marriage was not presentin the parties’ exchange of marital consent. This declaration recognizes that a legal marriage existed and that all children born ofthis union remain legitimate. Children are a gift from God and areentitled to the love and support of both parents as well as the faith community.

The Church understands marriage as a covenant bywhich a man and woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, directed toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of children.

The Church also understands that in our modern world, some married couples are faced with very difficult challenges that may lead to the breakdown of their covenant. The Church as a whole, and the Marriage Tribunal, inparticular, strives to reach out to those suffering the pain of divorce.

The Annulment Process
The process usually begins at the local parish level. Parish priests,deacons, and specially trained lay persons are advocates whose role is to assist persons with the technical aspects of the process as well aslend emotional and sometimes spiritual support to those seeking an annulment.

Just as each marriage is unique, each annulment or marriage case is also unique. A call to an advocate in your localparish to discuss your particular situation will help you determine thetype of marriage case you may have and will give you the information needed to begin the process.

In the Diocese of KansasCity-St. Joseph, all are welcome to call the Tribunal Office directly for information and possible contacts in your local parish.

The review of a marriage is most commonly done through the formal case process. In this process, the person applying, the petitioner, will beasked to provide basic information such as the names, current addresses, and baptismal information for both persons in the marriage,as well as their marriage license and divorce decree. If more than one marriage is involved, each marriage will be addressed separately,therefore the same information will be needed for each marriage.

Church law requires that the former spouse, the respondent, be informed of the request for an annulment and invited to participate. Participation by the respondent is encouraged, but optional. The respondent also hasthe right to express their reasons if they object to the granting of achurch annulment.

The petitioner is asked to provide testimony that includes information about themselves, the former spouseand their family backgrounds, their courtship and married life. The respondent is invited and encouraged to give similar testimony.

The petitioner is required, and the respondent is invited, to givewitnesses. Witnesses, persons who knew both parties before and after marriage, who would be willing to fill out a brief questionnaire about their courtship and married life, are needed to corroborate and add tothe information submitted by the petitioner. Close friends, family members and former in-laws are good choices for witnesses.

Itis important to note that all testimony given by the petitioner,respondent and witnesses will be kept in strict confidence, unlessthese persons instruct otherwise.

It is the role of theadvocate to assist the petitioner in gathering the basic information ofnames, addresses, etc., necessary documents such as the marriage license and divorce decree, and the petitioner’s testimony and submitit to the Marriage Tribunal for review.

It is the role of theTribunal staff members to accept the request for the review of the former marriage, to determine if there are sufficient grounds neededfor the declaration of nullity, and to gather testimony from the witnesses and respondent if they chose to participate.

The review of a former marriage is taken very seriously. All informationis kept in the strictest confidence. Careful attention is given to theindividual rights of the petitioner and respondent and the process isclosely monitored to insure that proper procedure is followed asprescribed by Church law. It is ultimately the Tribunal judges who givea decision on the validity of the marriage.

Given the fact that such a decision regarding the declaration of invalidity for a particular marriage is so important, all judgments of invalidity are reviewed by a second court to see that procedural law was followed. The parties themselves can request their own appeal of a decision ifthey have further compelling proofs not previously submitted.

There are fees involved in this process. Fees vary from diocese to diocese,and should be discussed with an advocate. Likewise, discuss with anadvocate, any financial difficulties that may hinder your ability topay the fee. No one is ever denied the services of the MarriageTribunal in the Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph because of an inability to meet this financial obligation.

tribunal@diocesekcsj.org