When Is Marriage Null? Guide to the Grounds of Matrimonial Nullity for Pastors, Counselors, Lay Faithful

from Foreword by Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke (former prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura)

"There is no doubt that Father Bianchi's book ... will be of tremen­dous benefit for those who work in the field of marriage law. ... Father Bianchi's vast experience and expertise ... are manifest in his synthetic and practical treatment of each of the grounds of the nullity of marriage."

Many marriages result in divorce, but for the baptized Christian a valid marriage remains valid until the death of one of the spouses. This teaching of the Church is based on the indissoluble nature of marriage as instituted by God.

There are, however, marriages between Christians that - contrary to appearances or intentions - did not in actuality take place. This book, written by a specialist with a gift for clarity on a complicated, sensitive issue, explains the grounds of matrimonial nullity. Intended for pastors and others who counsel divorced Catholics and Catholics in distressed marriages, it is a guide for helping to discern whether a particular case should be brought before a marriage tribunal.

All of the grounds of nullity are covered, including the viola­tion of the freedom of consent and the incapacity to assume the essential obligations of marriage. Each chapter includes a "Guide for the Counselor", which lists the kinds of evidence that will be requested by the tribunal.

REV. PAOLO BIANCHI, born in Milan, Italy, in 1954, holds a degree in Canon Law from the Pontifical Gregorian University and is judicial vicar for the ecclesiastical region of Lombardy. He is the author of many articles on matrimonial law.