Ordinary Time Reflections: Cana, Annulments, and Opportunities for Growth

As you look around the church, it is obvious that a change has occurred.  The Christmas decorations have all come down since the Christmas Season has come to an end.  We are now into a comparatively lengthy period of Ordinary Time. Lent and Easter are a bit later this year, thus the lengthy period of Ordinary Time.  Ash Wednesday isn’t until March 5.

We have also experienced a recent change in weather, with some snow and colder temperatures.  Seeing a high temperature on Monday for minus four, I am going to a warmer climate for a few days – I am going to San Antonio Monday through Friday.  Of course, on Saturday the high temperature there is forecasted to be 70 degrees, but then cooler the rest of the week.  Still, in the forties is better than negative temperatures.

I am going there to attend a conference entitled “Priests for an Apostolic Age.”  Our Bishop invited me to attend and offered that the Diocese would pay.  How could I refuse?  It will be an opportunity to gather with priests and bishops from across the country to learn about and share ideas regarding evangelization, stewardship, how to inspire and motivate others to grow in our faith, and how to be proactive as we face the pressures of our current landscape.  It will be good to get away for a week, but also to participate in this conference.

This weekend we hear in our Gospel reading the story of the wedding feast at Cana.  It is one of the few times we hear about weddings in the scripture readings, despite the importance and significance of marriage.  It is a good time to remind you that if you have questions about marriage, please reach out and speak with a priest or deacon.  In the Catholic Church there are many misunderstandings when it comes to marriage.

To begin with, many do not realize that in the Diocese of Superior, priests and deacons can participate in weddings that do not take place in a church.  This is a permission our bishop has granted.  So even if a couple desires to be married at a golf course, park, or some other venue, a priest or deacon can witness the marriage.  One caveat is that the wedding must take place geographically within the boundaries of the Diocese of Superior.  The preference is for marriages to take place in a Catholic Church, but this an option that is allowable.  Couples must still go through marriage preparation in the Church.

A second misunderstanding is that once a Catholic is divorced, he or she is not able to receive Holy Communion.  This is false.  Divorce is a civil matter.  There is no such thing as a “Catholic divorce.”  A couple who gets a divorce is considered by the Church to still be married.  Thus, they are able to receive Holy Communion.

Another misunderstanding is that an annulment in the Church after a divorce costs thousands of dollars and takes years to complete.  Again false.  In our Diocese an annulment costs $250 and financial assistance is available.  The cost generally covers the postage and copying that is needed to complete an annulment.  In our Diocese an annulment typically takes six to eight months to complete.  While there is no guarantee an annulment will be granted, most often they are.  Sometimes when people meet with a priest or deacon it is discovered that a full annulment is not required.  There are several circumstances where this is the case, but only by meeting with a priest or deacon can this be determined.  Annulments also have no bearing on civil proceedings regarding a divorce, nor do they make children illegitimate, which is another misunderstanding people often have.

If you have a question about receiving the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony or a question about your marriage situation, don’t be afraid to reach out and speak to a priest or deacon.  It just might be one of the best things you do.

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