What effect on the lifestyle and attitudes of Catholics would marriage breakdown have? In your answer make refernce to divorce and annulment.

GCSE Religious Studies (Philosophy & Ethics)

RELIGIOUS STUDIES COURSEWORK SECTION 3

WHAT EFFECTS ON THE LIFESTYLE AND ATTITUDES OF CATHOLICS WOULD MARRIAGE BREAKDOWN HAVE? IN YOUR ANSWER MAKE REFERANCE TO DIVORCE AND ANNULMENT.

The following section of my coursework will identify what effects on the lifestyle and attitudes of Catholics would marriage breakdown have. To support my answer I will make reference to divorce and annulment.

I have defined the following words as they may be used throughout this section of my coursework.

DIVORCE – the civil courts permission to be free from a marriage so a couple can remarry.

ANNULMENT – a declaration that a marriage has not occurred in the first place (that the bride did not give the sacrament to the groom and that he did not give sacrament to the bride).

MARRIAGE – ‘condition of man and woman legally united for purpose of living together and usually creating lawful offspring’.

COHABITATION – ‘living together as husband and wife when not married to each other’.

PROMISCUITY – ‘having sexual relations not limited by marriage or cohabitation, casual sex’.

ADULTRY – ‘voluntary sexual intercourse of married person other than spouse’.

MONOGAMY – marriage to only one partner.

POLOGAMY – marriage to more than one partner at the same time.

SERIAL MONOGAMY – marriage to several people in your lifetime, but separated by divorce so that you are only married to one partner at a time.

The are several reasons for marriage breakdown, the following are the most common;

Drugs
Alcohol
Adultery
Children – cant have children or one of ...

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PROMISCUITY – ‘having sexual relations not limited by marriage or cohabitation, casual sex’.

ADULTRY – ‘voluntary sexual intercourse of married person other than spouse’.

MONOGAMY – marriage to only one partner.

POLOGAMY – marriage to more than one partner at the same time.

SERIAL MONOGAMY – marriage to several people in your lifetime, but separated by divorce so that you are only married to one partner at a time.

The are several reasons for marriage breakdown, the following are the most common;

Drugs
Alcohol
Adultery
Children – cant have children or one of the partners don’t and the other does
Gambling
Criminal behaviour
Pressures of work
Abuse – physically or mentally
Bigamy
Illness
Financial problem

Despite preparation and right intentions, sometimes a marriage does not work. The Christian churches recognise that we do not live in a perfect world and they have developed ways of trying to help people who are faced with the tragedy of a broken marriage. A couple may decide they must divorce and put an end to their legal status as a married couple. A person who is divorced may then petition the church to review the marriage and investigate whether a full, free willed consent (as much as a person can give) was exchanged at the time of the wedding. If the church determines that a defect in the consent existed at the time then an annulment can be granted. Such a declaration proclaims that one or both parties did not (or could not), give full, free will consent, and therefore no indissoluble, sacramental bond was established.

The Catholic churches only grant annulment for certain reasons, as follows;

Force into marriage
Married already
Married under age
Marriage is not celebrated in front of a priest
No witnesses
Marriage is not consummated
Severe mental illness
Hiding something e.g. aids
Drug addiction
One or both of the couple do not want children
The wish to move to a foreign part

Catholics need to get a legal divorce through the court so it is legal. Then the couple’s marriage will be cancelled and they can have annulment and if they want can remarry. They have to go to a diocesan marriage tribunal to hear the case for annulment. If the reason is acceptable in the Catholic churches the annulment will be granted. If the marriage is annulled The Declaration of Nullity has no civil bearing on the legitimacy of children and simply states that a sacramental marriage did not take place, therefore both parties are free to marry. The children are legitimate despite annulment. Since divorce involves a civil decree by the state and if not recognized by the church, a divorced person remains in good standing and may receive the sacraments. However, if a divorced person remarries without a Declaration of Nullity (annulment), then strictly speaking, an act of adultery is committed: since the first marriage still is presumed valid, remarriage without an annulment places the person in a state of mortal sin. Jesus said ‘The man who divorces hi wife and marries another is guilty of adultery against her’ Mark 10:11-12 (vice versa). Therefore, the Church encourages a divorced person who may think he may one day remarry to see his parish priest and pursue the annulment process.

Petrine Privilege

Should a Catholic be married to a non-baptised person who is behaving in a very unsatisfactory way then the Catholic can ask the pope for an annulment. The reason for annulment will be carefully looked at and investigated. If the annulment is granted the person must not marry another non-Catholic.

Pauline Privilege

This is based on 1 Cor 7 v 8-15

A catholic who is married to a non-Catholic who prevents the Catholic from being a member of the church and going to church is allowed to be granted annulment.

The Catholic lifestyle helps people live their lives in accordance of God’s will and gives them a set of morals, attitudes and beliefs to follow. Marriage is central to a loving relationship and divorce is not acceptable under God’s law, the only time a married couple can separate is if they are granted an annulment.