This initiative will seek to transform the suffering experienced by Catholic women when a marriage covenant ends through a research-based project to reimagine the Roman Catholic annulment process. This project is intended to increase awareness of the annulment process to foster healing and restoration. The Roman Catholic annulment process, dating back to A.D. 110, historically focused on a more transactional approach to breaking the covenantal bond established in a Catholic marriage. This process will help women view and experience the annulment process as a journey toward healing and restoration leading to new relationships with self, others, and God. Finding joy in a new beginning brings hope. Yet finding a new beginning in the annulment process is an experience of faith. The study examines Catholicism as a way of life in the broader context of sacramental theology. The sacramental life centers on seven interrelated sacraments. The sacrament of marriage creates a covenantal relationship and life-long marital bond. This bond cannot be dissolved. There is no Catholic divorce. Therefore, when a civil divorce occurs, a complex cycle of grief follows. While marriage remains a
significant part of the fabric of our society, approximately 50% of all U.S. marriages end in divorce. Despite controversy regarding the annulment process, it can be a life-giving journey that transforms suffering. Church documents provide vision, clarity, and the opportunity for Catholics to understand teachings on marriage, divorce, and annulments. The project will include a group of 8-10 Catholic women, who were married in the Church and experienced a civil divorce. These women will build trust, develop authentic relationships, and support each other as they journey together. The group will be structured using the Bridges Transition Model which highlights three stages of transition: endings, neutral zone, and new beginnings. This one-year project will be evaluated using information gathered during individual and group sessions. A structured outline has been established for the project and aligns with the steps in the annulment process.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bu.edu/oai:open.bu.edu:2144/46088 |
| Date | 21 April 2023 |
| Creators | Nizza, Teresa A. |
| Contributors | Wolfteich, Claire |
| Source Sets | Boston University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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