|
Home / Offices & Ministries / Family Ministry / Marriage / Second Marriages
Second Marriages
Marriage is a covenant, “by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life." (Code of Canon Law #1055.1) The couple intends to give visible expression to God’s steadfast love over a whole lifetime. The Church teaches marriage is forever.
When a marriage ends with the death of a spouse, a person is free to remarry in the Catholic Church.
When a marriage ends with a divorce, a person is not free to remarry in the Catholic Church without a decree of nullity commonly referred to as an annulment. When a person receives an annulment they are free to re-marry in the Church.
Once a decision to remarry has been made, couples follow the guidelines for Getting Married in the Church.
Couples who re-marry face different issues than a couple marrying for the first time. Because some of these issues may be complex the couple is required to attend a re-marriage preparation program. Areas of discussion in the re-marriage preparation programs include:
- A couple’s interaction with extended families and friends.
- An assessment of bad habits or emotions carried over from the previous marriage.
- A discussion about mixing finances and prenuptial agreements.
- Children and blending families, becoming step-parents.
- Reconciliation and forgiveness about resolving issues from your past.
For information about ways to help you through the process contact the Office for Family Ministry by calling (313) 287-5892 or email familyministry@aod.org.
Related Links
|
