We believe that marriage is a sacrament, and that it endures for life. The words of Jesus in the Gospel make it plain that permanence is what God intends for marriage. So, there' s no such thing as "Catholic divorce." However, when a relationship ends in a civil divorce, it is some times possible to determine that the relationship was not the sacramental bond the Church defines as "marriage." Such a determination is call a "decree of nullity," or an annulment.

Annulment
An annulment is a declaration by the Church that a marriage is nullified, either because of a lack of form or a lack of adequate consent at the time the wedding was performed. "Lack of form" means that something in the form of the wedding was amiss. "Lack of adequate consent" is a more complex category, and includes cases where one or both parties failed to give (or were incapable of giving) complete and free consent to the marriage and all its responsibilities.

Many people misunderstand the reasons for a decree of nullity, and its implications. Our hope is that this Web site will answer many of the most common questions people have; our strongest wish is that this process will be a source of closure and healing for everyone involved.