Many marriages are “ended” by separation or divorce, but for the baptized Christian they remain valid marriages forever. There are, however, cases in which a Christian marriage can be recognized as null, i.e. it never existed. This book, written by a specialist with a gift for clarity on a complicated, sensitive issue, is a guide for a first approach to the problems related to the conditions for eventually declaring the nullity of a canonical Christian marriage. This work is an indispensable aid for the pastors of souls, for Catholic counselors, and can be very useful also for anyone who has serious questions about the validity of his own marriage. The primary purpose of this work is to provide clear, well-founded information in sufficient quantity to parish priests and to all who will act as counselors in these matters, either in formally organized parochial counseling services, or in other possible forms of collaboration with the parish priest, or else in the ecclesiastical tribunals themselves as a step previous to the possible introduction of the case. Among the areas he covers are: Violation of the freedom of consent; Error about a person; Exclusion of offspring; Exclusion of fidelity; Incapacity to consent; Incapacity to assume the essential obligations of marriage; Conditional consent.
For more than twenty years, A Concise Guide to Canon Law has provided priests, deacons, and lay pastoral ministers with essential information about Church laws that regularly impact the lives of everyday Catholics. This compact reference guide addresses topics such as who can receive the sacraments and when, the responsibilities of pastors and bishops; administration of parishes; and the role of finance and pastoral councils. The book also now includes the teachings of Popes Benedict XVI and Francis on issues such as marriage and annulment, as well as a new chapter on Catholic funerals. Canon lawyer Aldean Hendrickson, director of the tribunal for the Diocese of New Ulm, also has updated this practical guide with additional material that includes: a chapter on the Liturgy of the Hours; an updated section of frequently asked questions and answers at the end of each chapter; a revised and enhanced glossary of key terms; and a suggested reading list for deeper study.
In The Divorced Catholic's Guide to Parenting, Catholic author, speaker, and licensed clinical professional counselor and pastoral counselor Lynn Cassella-Kapusinski, herself a child of divorce, takes parents step by step through these challenges. Drawing on her own story and professional experience, she helps Catholic parents walk with their children through the heartbreak of divorce into the healing, peace, and even joy that is possible in their lives. In this groundbreaking work, readers will: Uncover the emotional effects and challenges that divorce or separation may have on children and find concrete, developmentally appropriate ways to address them Understand common problems children face as a result of coparenting difficulties or a parent’s personal issues and learn how to communicate constructively about them Navigate circumstances that arise in the later stages of divorce when a parent is absent, or when one or both parents date or remarry Explore ways to use the divorce as a Catholic teaching tool on God, forgiveness, and the beauty of the Sacrament of Matrimony Find outside resources and additional support Throughout this book, Lynn's thoughtful advice reveals how the Catholic Faith and its teachings are the key to loving your children through divorce and preparing them to live full, joyful lives. "I commend Lynn Cassella-Kapusinski for shining light on a common, but difficult to address, topic. She offers wisdom for parents on how, with God's grace, to raise their children after the pain of separation. Not only does she communicate the teaching of the Church, but she also offers insightful, practical details, stemming from her own experience as a counselor, that will greatly benefit divorced parents in supporting and guiding their children." — Archbishop Samuel J. Aquila, Archdiocese of Denver "The Divorced Catholics Guide to Parenting is a welcome follow-up to Lynn's earlier works. Drawing from the best of the psychological sciences, the Church's teachings, and her own experiences, this newest addition demonstrates a thoughtful coincidence of wisdom with approachability and practicality. Lynn's book and ministry are great gifts to the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond." — Archbishop William E. Lori, Baltimore "Lynn Cassella-Kapusinski's book, The Divorced Catholic's Guide to Parenting, is an answer to the calling of the whole Christian community to accompany with attention and care those who have endured the effects of divorce. Offering professional and personal insights, it is a timely resource particularly to help treat and heal the wounds suffered by the most innocent and vulnerable — the children of divorce." — Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory, Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. "A very impressive, easy-to-use guide for divorced parents to help with their children's journey. Lynn shares her experience as a child of divorce and counselor to families and provides specific tools and the gifts of our Catholic Church to minimize the trauma of divorce for children. This guide addresses any stage your family is struggling through and can be revisited as dynamics change. As a Family Therapist, I recommend this book for parents who are looking for answers and support to ease the pain." — Kelly Klaus, MA, LMFT, Executive Director of Catholic Divorce Ministry "A remarkable book to aid divorced parents in pastorally walking with their child who has been affected by divorce. Lynn once more writes a great resource for families who seek healing. She provides practical and poignant steps that divorced parents can take to aid their child. Lynn captures the reality that it is faith in God that will be an anchor for all dealing with loss and pain." — Michael Donaldson, MTS, Parish Development Director, Saint Oscar Romero Catholic Community, Eastvale CA ABOUT THE AUTHOR Lynn Cassella-Kapusinski, LCPC, NCC, is a licensed clinical professional counselor, pastoral counselor, and a leading figure in Catholic pastoral care of children from divorced or separated families. Her work has been recognized by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family, the Knights of Columbus, and various dioceses. She has appeared on EWTN and Relevant Radio and speaks at conferences around the country.
Rethinking Cooperation with Evil: A Virtue-Based Approach applies Thomistic virtue theory to today's most challenging questions of cooperation with evil. For centuries, moralists have struggled to determine the conditions necessary to justify moral cooperation with evil. The English Jesuit Henry Davis even observed: "[T]here is no more difficult question than this in the whole range of Moral Theology." This important book addresses this challenge by applying the virtue-based method of moral reasoning of St. Thomas Aquinas to issues of cooperation with evil. Those who pastor souls report frequently receiving questions from attentive believers about whether a particular human action inadvertently contributes to some moral evil. Examples of potentially immoral cooperation with evil include whether one may shop at a particular franchise known for its support of abortion, whether Catholics may attend civil marriages outside the Church, or whether an organization may submit to government mandates that health insurance include payment for immoral practices. Although recent moralists have tackled specific topics related to cooperation with evil, agreement on an overall common paradigm has not yet been reached. Rethinking Cooperation with Evil proposes a method for Christian believers and others to approach these questions from the foundation of the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas and the magisterial teaching of the Catholic Church. This text provides both an overall method for how to understand the issue of cooperation, as well as practical counsel for specific cases. Rethinking Cooperation with Evil advances the theological conversation on this topic from both speculative and practical vantage points. To facilitate his argument, Connors utilizes historical analyses that contrast Aquinas's method of moral reasoning with that of the casuist treatment of cooperation. Consequently, the book includes numerous case studies that will be of interest both to moral theologians and readers new to the topic.
General Principles of Sacramental Theology addresses a current lacuna in English language theological literature. Bernard Leeming’s highly respected book Principles of Sacramental Theology was published more than sixty years ago. Since that time, there has been a noted decrease, especially in English language sacramental theology, in treatments of the basic topics and principles – such as the nature of the sacraments of signs, sacramental grace, sacramental character, sacramental causality, sacramental intention, the necessity and number of the sacraments, sacramental matter and form, inter alia – which apply to all of the sacraments. This book will be of use in seminary, graduate, and undergraduate courses. The sacraments play an irreplaceable role in pursuing a Universal Call to Holiness that is so central to Vatican II’s teaching.
Many marriages are “ended” by separation or divorce, but for the baptized Christian they remain valid marriages forever. There are, however, cases in which a Christian marriage can be recognized as null, i.e. it never existed. This book, written by a specialist with a gift for clarity on a complicated, sensitive issue, is a guide for a first approach to the problems related to the conditions for eventually declaring the nullity of a canonical Christian marriage. This work is an indispensable aid for the pastors of souls, for Catholic counselors, and can be very useful also for anyone who has serious questions about the validity of his own marriage. The primary purpose of this work is to provide clear, well-founded information in sufficient quantity to parish priests and to all who will act as counselors in these matters, either in formally organized parochial counseling services, or in other possible forms of collaboration with the parish priest, or else in the ecclesiastical tribunals themselves as a step previous to the possible introduction of the case. Among the areas he covers are: Violation of the freedom of consent; Error about a person; Exclusion of offspring; Exclusion of fidelity; Incapacity to consent; Incapacity to assume the essential obligations of marriage; Conditional consent.
These pages were written by one hand and many hearts ... by separated spouses faithful to the sacrament because they are convinced this total gift of self is not an anachronism imposed by the Church to be accepted with patient resignation, but a path of sanctification lived out in the joyous paradox of the Gospel. This book, besides offering numerous points for reflection on the theme of separation, proposes a true and proper path subdivided into stages for groups of people who, living with the suffering of a spouse's separation, wish to remain faithful to the sacrament of their marriage. Among the many suggested prayers and meditations, one in particular, the renewal of the Yes, has captured the attention of many churches both at home and abroad. The "Marriage Vows Renewal," included in the last stage, is promulgated by the Pontifical Council of the Family. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops published a recommendation for the book on their Marriage Resource Center: "The greatest strength of Campanella's book is her articulation of the vocation of the separated person to live out his or her marriage vows as a particular witness of God's eternal love for fallen humanity, and the practical path she offers to the realization of this call. Although she does not include personal details of her own situation, it is apparent that Campanella has walked this path herself. This imbues a sense of hope and inspiration to the reader."
In 1993, Sheila Rauch Kennedy received a letter from the Boston Catholic Archdiocese announcing that her former husband, Congressman Joseph Kennedy, was seeking an annulment of their marriage. If the Church granted the annulment, the marriage, which had lasted twelve years, would be rendered nonexistent -- not simply ended, as was stated in the divorce decree, but invalid from the start. And their two sons would be regarded as children of an unsanctified union. Joseph Kennedy needed the annulment to remarry within the Church, and he encouraged his ex-wife to ignore the details. Stunned by the hypocrisy of the process and the betrayal of trust it involved, Sheila Rauch Kennedy was determined to defend the legitimacy of her former marriage. Shattered Faith is the fascinating chronicle of that struggle, and of what Kennedy uncovered about the uses and frequency of annulments in the United States. Interweaving her own experiences with those of other women whose trust in the Church was shattered by annulment, she tells a story that will surprise, anger, and move readers of every faith.
You CAN understand annulment. You just need a little help! You never wanted this to happen, but now you're civilly divorced. There's no such thing as Catholic divorce because in God's eyes a valid marriage can never be broken. But sometimes what looks like a marriage from the outside can be fatally flawed from the beginning. Only God can see deeply into the human heart. He knows how human frailty and weakness, and inabilities of some people to enter into marriage freely and fully despite their best attempts. After careful study of such an attempted union, the Church may be able to declare that no valid marriage bond was created. And this book will help you understand the process. Regardless of your situation, the Church is here to help and you don t have to be a priest or canon lawyer to understand the basics. This little book with big help dispels the common myths and misunderstandings about marriage, divorce, and annulments, and is helpful for: - Divorced men and women who are considering if they have grounds for an annulment - Those who need help completing their formal petition for a Decree of Nullity (annulment) - Lay or religious ministers who work with the separated and divorced - Parish priests and deacons involved in divorce ministry - Those who counsel divorced Catholics - Anyone who wants to know more about what the Church really teaches about divorce "I was afraid of the annulment process at first, but found it incredibly healing and even freeing. I learned so much about myself and was able to forgive my ex-spouse and ask for forgiveness as well." - Patty "I had no idea of what the Church really taught about marriage and divorce. I thought I did, but I was blown away when I learned the truth. Going through the annulment process actually made me hunger to know more of my Catholic faith." - Jim
This handy reference provides a compact overview of the most important canonical issues facing pastoral ministers today. Arranged by topic, this resource offers a thorough summary of church law along with helpful sections of frequently asked questions at the end of the chapters.
