Relevancia procesal del fracaso de las relaciones interpersonales en el matrimonio

Abstract

The main purpose of this paper is to offer an apt account of the breakdown in interpersonal relationships within the context of the canonical process for the declaration of marriage nullity. To this end, a comprehensive legal understanding of the nature and content of marriage «in fieri» and «in facto esse» is required, followed by an account of the declarative status of the process of nullity. A reading of recent papal teaching in this regard prompts the conclusion that the connection between marriage breakdown and the nullity process remains the same: love of truth; in other words, an inquiry into the truth concerning the issue of spousal consent as part of the annulment process. Furthermore, this view guards against misguided pastoral practices that may have been proposed by other scholars.