Why does the Catholic Church not recognize divorce but recognizes anullments?

Answer 1

An anullment is the declaration that the marriage that is to be annulled was never valid in the first place. This could be for a variety of reasons - non-consumation (i.e. no sexual contact having taken place) being just one. People who have had a previous 'marriage' annulled are allowed to marry in the Roman Catholic Church as their previous relationship is declared not to have been a valid marriage anyway annd so are free to marry 'properly'.

A divorce is where a previous valid marriage has been legally dissolved. However, as the Roman Catholic Church does not accept divorce, in the eyes of that church, although legally the couple may not appear to be married, the church recognises that they still are married, and so remarriage in church is not possible.

Other churches, however, (such as the Church of England) do recognise the legal dissolution of a marriage, as divorce under certain circumstances (such as infidelity) was even accepted by Christ himself. So, depending upon the bishop or individual priest's conscience and understanding of Christian doctrine, in the Church of England remarriage in church can take place after a divorce for pastoral reasons, under certain circumstances, and after a period of prayer, repentance, instruction and counselling.

The remarriage of widowed people however, is perfectly in order, and is Biblically acceptible, as this breaks no vow made at any previous marriage service as the promise to remain married 'until death us do part' refers to either partner, the surviving partner after a death being free to remarry if they so desire.