The Vatican has issued revised guidelines for Catholics who wish to obtain an annulment, an essential step for Catholics who have divorced and want to remarry with the blessing of the Church. Here’s an article on the new pronouncements from The Scotsman. Here’s another from the Washington Post. And another from The Guardian.
Catholics can obtain an annulment on the grounds of impotence, refusal of the other spouse to have children, or psychological immaturity at the time of the marriage. It’s this last reason that annulment critics charge is being overused, permitting almost anyone who obtains a divorce to get an annulment. This practice seems particularly prevalant in the US, which accounts for about 2/3 of annulments worldwide.