"The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament." ( Catechism of the Catholic Church 1601)
Because Marriage is a Sacrament of Grace, by Christ's design, it must be approached with the greatest care. For this reason, Holy Mother Church, the Bride of Christ, has been entrusted with the safeguarding and overseeing of this Sacrament. Taking this charge very seriously, the Church has established required laws for couples seeking to enter into a marriage covenant:
If you are in a conjugal relationship with someone and want to have this relationship validated, that is blessed by God through his holy Church, please consider contacting the pastor for guidance. He will be happy to set up a meeting in confidence to discuss your situation.
An Annulment is a juridical procedure in which the Church, through the authority granted by Christ, determines that an attempted marriage was not binding and Sacramental. Because there are elements that must be present at the time of a marrige rite for the marriage to be valid it is important to discern if each of those elements had been present. Guided by the Holy Spirit, and with the role of "loosening and binding" the Church can investigate through questionaires whether a or not a failed marriage is valid. In order for a marriage to be valid the following elements must be present: