8.299. Is there a contradiction between the post‑Vatican II redefinition of Marriage & annulment standards and the traditional Catholic doctrine on the indissolubility of marriage?
Yes. The traditional Catholic Church teaches that marriage is a sacramental, indissoluble union instituted by God, and no human power—not even the Church—can break that bond once validly contracted and consummated. This doctrine was clearly defined by Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospel and reaffirmed infallibly by the Council of Trent and numerous popes. By contrast, the post-Vatican II counterfeit Church has introduced a radically altered approach to marriage and annulments. It treats annulments not as rare declarations of invalidity but as pastoral tools to allow remarriage—effectively functioning as “Catholic divorce.” This contradicts divine law and undermines the very sacrament of Matrimony.
Traditionally, the Church recognized that a valid marriage is absolutely indissoluble. An annulment was never a “Catholic divorce,” but a solemn declaration that no true marriage had ever existed in the first place due to a defect in consent, form, or impediment. These cases were rare, rigorously judged, and handled by a careful judicial process. After Vatican II, however, the counterfeit religion promoted annulments as a widespread pastoral solution to marital breakdowns. This change, which accompanied the humanist shift in Vatican II theology, reflects a departure from the Church’s divine mission of defending the sanctity of marriage.
1. The Traditional Teaching on Indissolubility
Our Lord explicitly taught:
“What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder.”
And again:
“Whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another, committeth adultery.”
This doctrine was upheld in all ages by the Magisterium. The Council of Trent solemnly declared:
“If anyone says that the Church has erred in teaching that marriage cannot be dissolved… let him be anathema.”
Pope Pius XI taught in 1930:
“Christ Himself, raising the marriage of His faithful to the dignity of a true sacrament, made it a sign and source of that peculiar internal grace by which He strengthens and perfects the love of husband and wife... and most admirably sanctifies their union.”
“This inviolability [of marriage] is such that the bond of marriage, once lawfully contracted, is perpetual and indissoluble... [and] cannot be dissolved by any civil authority.”
The process for declaring a marriage null (annulment) was handled by ecclesiastical courts with multiple checks: a formal judicial process, two conforming decisions, and final confirmation from the Holy See. Emotional or psychological factors were not sufficient cause unless they truly impaired free consent in a grave and provable way.
2. The Vatican II Revolution in Annulments
After Vatican II, the counterfeit Church introduced new grounds and procedures that radically lowered the bar for annulments:
Psychological immaturity or “lack of due discretion”
“Grave lack of discretion of judgment” (Canon 1095, 1983 Code)
Inability to assume the essential obligations of marriage
Subjective interpretation of intent or emotional readiness
These vague, subjective criteria opened the floodgates. By the late 20th century, annulments skyrocketed. In the United States alone, annulments increased from fewer than 400 per year in 1968 to over 60,000 annually by the 1990s.
Pope John Paul II’s 1983 Code of Canon Law institutionalized this change. Though he spoke of indissolubility, his reforms allowed emotional and psychological conditions to invalidate marriages. Pope Francis further accelerated this trend with his 2015 Mitis Iudex Dominus Iesus, eliminating the need for a second confirming decision and allowing a bishop to fast-track cases with little investigation. He even listed criteria presumed to indicate invalidity: short courtship, abortion, infidelity, lack of faith, etc.—turning virtually any failed marriage into an annulment candidate.
These reforms reflect the humanist and naturalist ethos of the Vatican II sect: a focus on personal experience over divine law, emotions over sacramental grace, and pastoral accommodation over moral truth.
3. Theological Implications: De Facto Catholic Divorce
While Vatican II's false church insists that annulments are not "Catholic divorce," the numbers and practice prove otherwise. Marriage is no longer treated as a sacred, irrevocable bond but as a flexible agreement contingent on personal well-being. This inversion has dire theological consequences:
It denies the sanctifying grace of the sacrament
It implies that God's grace is insufficient to sustain difficult marriages
It undermines Christ’s teaching and apostolic tradition
It misleads the faithful into adultery under the guise of a second “marriage”
Our Lord warned that even if a man remarries with the approval of religious leaders, he is committing adultery:
“Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery.”
The traditional Church never claimed authority to dissolve a valid marriage. The counterfeit post-Vatican II sect, by contrast, has taken unto itself a power God never granted, under the guise of “nullity.”
4. Apostolic Tradition and the Martyrs for Marriage
From the earliest centuries, Christians witnessed to the indissolubility of marriage even unto martyrdom. St. John the Baptist was beheaded for condemning the unlawful union of Herod and Herodias. St. Thomas More died rather than acknowledge Henry VIII’s false “marriage.” The early Church excommunicated those who remarried while their spouse was still living, even after separation.
The Catechism of St. Pius X taught clearly:
“The bond of Christian marriage cannot be dissolved by any human authority because it is a sacrament instituted by Jesus Christ.”
No psychological condition or difficulty in living together was considered a valid excuse for breaking this bond. Instead, couples were exhorted to carry their cross and rely on sacramental grace.
5. The Church’s True Teaching Safeguards the Family and Souls
The Church’s upholding of indissolubility safeguards not only the integrity of the family but the salvation of souls. By contrast, the post-Vatican II annulment culture destroys both. Children are confused. Adults fall into sin. And society is further corrupted.
Pope Leo XIII warned:
“If marriage is treated as dissoluble, the family becomes a union of convenience, and society crumbles.”
The Vatican II religion's betrayal of this teaching proves once again that it is not the Catholic Church. It lacks the authority, fidelity, and moral clarity of the Bride of Christ. No true pope would ever sanction such widespread abuse. The post-conciliar annulment regime is a counterfeit process, flowing from a counterfeit church, endangering countless souls through false compassion.
| Category | Traditional Catholic Teaching | Post-Vatican II Counterfeit Teaching | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nature of Marriage | Indissoluble sacramental bond instituted by God | Seen as revocable if psychological conditions unmet | Undermines Christ’s explicit teaching on permanence |
| Grounds for Annulment | Rare, strictly defined, and objectively provable | Broad, subjective criteria (e.g., “lack of discretion”) | Annulments become de facto Catholic divorce |
| Annulment Process | Formal, judicial, double decision, Vatican oversight | Fast-tracked, bishop-led, little evidence required | Destroys legal and sacramental safeguards |
| Pastoral Focus | Uphold truth, call to fidelity, reliance on grace | Emphasizes emotional well-being and new unions | Replaces supernatural end with humanism |
| Spiritual Effect | Sanctification of spouses and family unity | Scandal, confusion, and normalization of adultery | Grave harm to faith and moral order |
Summary:
The post-Vatican II religion—a counterfeit Catholic Church—has radically undermined the traditional doctrine of the indissolubility of marriage by redefining the grounds and process for annulments. While the true Catholic Church has always taught that marriage, once validly contracted, is a perpetual and exclusive bond, the Vatican II sect now grants thousands of annulments annually based on ambiguous psychological or emotional conditions, effectively promoting Catholic divorce in disguise.
Our Lord’s words are unmistakable: “What therefore God hath joined together, let no man put asunder” (Matt. 19:6). The Council of Trent infallibly declared that marriage is a sacrament instituted by Christ, and that it cannot be dissolved by any human power. The purpose of marriage is the mutual sanctification of the spouses and the procreation and education of children, united in a permanent bond that reflects the love between Christ and His Church.
By contrast, since Vatican II, annulments have skyrocketed—not due to increased fraud but because of a complete shift in theology and pastoral practice. Pseudo-popes like John Paul II and Francis introduced changes that allow annulments for vague reasons like “lack of discretion,” “emotional immaturity,” or “psychological incapacity,” none of which were traditionally accepted as grounds for nullity. Francis’ 2015 Mitis Iudex reforms made annulments faster and easier, removing key judicial safeguards such as the requirement for two concordant decisions and allowing the local bishop to decide cases personally—often without serious investigation.
This is not a mere procedural change. It reflects a modernist anthropology that places emotions and personal fulfillment above objective truth, duty, and the sacramental nature of marriage. In practice, this means that people in invalid unions are confirmed in adultery, and the true nature of Catholic marriage is obscured. The faithful are scandalized, families are broken, and souls are endangered.
The traditional Catholic Church has always recognized that in rare cases, a putative marriage might be declared null—but only after rigorous evidence and theological certainty, always with Rome’s oversight. The counterfeit Church’s new system lacks both fidelity and formality, opting instead for emotional validation and humanist concerns.
This betrayal is part of a larger pattern. The counterfeit Vatican II religion seeks to adapt the Church to the modern world rather than convert the world to Christ. It has discarded sacred tradition, redefined sacraments, undermined the priesthood, and now corrupts marriage. Its annulment practice has become a mockery of the sacrament, contributing to the same cultural decay that the Church once opposed with courage and clarity.
True Catholics must reject these post-conciliar annulment practices and hold fast to the timeless doctrine of the indissolubility of marriage. The Sacrament of Matrimony, like all sacraments instituted by Christ, cannot be altered to suit modern tastes or trends. What God has joined together remains sacred—regardless of what the counterfeit church claims.