Fully grasping the Church’s teaching about marriage is complicated business. Understanding Catholic annulments can be even more so. Add to this rich, but complex teaching, the pain of divorce and often continuing timidity about entering a second marriage and many Catholics simply opt out of Church weddings the second time around. Here we offer sixteen frequently asked questions about Catholic annulments and brief responses by pastor and canon law expert Fr. Kevin E. McKenna to help take away some of the mystery. 1. What is an annulment? An annulment, formally called “a declaration of nullity,” is an official declaration by the Roman Catholic Church that a marriage did not meet the requirements for validity. Validity means that the desired outcome (in this case, marriage) has actually taken place as recognized by the Church. Although to all outward appearances, a wedding was properly celebrated (the vows were recited before the priest…