Discovering that your spouse has been unfaithful can be absolutely devastating. You vowed to love each other and be faithful to each other until death, but now the person you thought you knew so well has completely betrayed you. So, what can you do?

You may be wondering whether you can get a Catholic annulment instead of a divorce when you learn your spouse has cheated. This week’s Catholic Annulment - Another Chance blog discusses if a Catholic can divorce for adultery and what other options are possible.

Catholic Annulment - Another Chance is a group of professionals made up of both current and former church judges who can provide you with the assistance you need to make your Catholic annulment process simple and stress-free. Read on to learn more about Catholic annulment in the case of adultery and contact Catholic Annulment Another Chance to begin your annulment process today!

What Is Adultery?

Before we dive into adultery in relation to the Catholic annulment process, let’s discuss the basics of adultery. Adultery is when a married person steps outside of their marriage and has relations with someone who is not his or her spouse. It’s also referred to as “having an affair” or “cheating.”

If you've recently discovered that your spouse has been unfaithful to you, it can be absolutely devastating. We’re here to provide some clarification on annulment in the Catholic church and how it relates to cases of adultery. For more information, reach out to our experts at Catholic Annulment - Another Chance today!

Adultery and Catholic Annulments

Wondering whether you can get a Catholic annulment after you’ve discovered your spouse has committed adultery is a common reaction. However, in most cases, adultery does not serve as grounds for a Catholic annulment in a marriage.

A Catholic annulment completely nullifies your marriage, almost as if it never existed. In order for this to happen, though, the grounds for annulment must be present before or during the exchange of the vows, but not after. This means that any problems that occurred after your wedding day, including adultery, do not qualify as grounds for a Catholic annulment.

However, if there were grounds present for a Catholic annulment from the very start of your marriage, you may qualify. For example, some could argue that engaging in a relationship with someone other than who you are set to marry goes against agreeing to be faithful for life and intending to do good for each other. While cheating before you’re officially married is not technically considered adultery, you could still argue that there were necessary grounds present before you were officially married. This can be the first step in receiving a sort of divorce in the Catholic church.

If you discover your husband or wife had a child with a partner outside of your marriage or that they were secretly married to the person they were engaging in an affair with, you may qualify for a Catholic annulment.

To learn more about the grounds and qualifications, reach out to Catholic Annulment - Another Chance. We can help you determine whether your situation qualifies for an annulment, and if so, obtain the necessary information and documentation to help speed the process along.

What If I Can’t Get a Catholic Annulment?

Unfortunately, your marriage must meet specific requirements, known as grounds, in order to successfully qualify for an annulment. If it doesn’t, you can choose to appeal the decision. You can decide to apply for an annulment on different grounds, which may qualify your marriage.

If the appeal is denied, you have a couple of options. You can choose to try to repair the marriage and live civilly with your spouse, working to forgive the infidelity over time. Or, you can choose to go through with a divorce. While this is the last resort for many, it is necessary in certain circumstances. A divorced Catholic can get remarried in church as long as he or she follows certain steps.

At Catholic Annulment - Another Chance, we understand how difficult this situation can be. Not only is your heart broken because you’ve just discovered the person you love and trusted has betrayed you, but now you have to figure out what to do about it.

If you qualify for a Catholic annulment, our team of church judges can work with you to make the process simpler so you can get on with your life as soon as possible. To learn more about whether your marriage qualifies, reach out to Catholic Annulment - Another Chance today!