Esteban Rada
Colombian attorney
email: info@lawyerscolombia.com
telephone 57-311-7693976
Getting divorced is often a complex and emotionally challenging process, and for Catholic couples in Colombia, additional considerations may come into play due to religious beliefs and legal frameworks. While the Catholic Church traditionally upholds the sanctity of marriage, Colombian law provides avenues for legal dissolution of marriage under certain circumstances. This article aims to clarify the legal procedures, religious considerations, and practical implications for Catholic couples seeking divorce in Colombia.
The Religious Perspective: Catholic Teachings on Divorce
The Catholic Church maintains that marriage is a sacred union, indissoluble by nature. According to Church doctrine, a valid marriage is a lifelong commitment that cannot be dissolved through divorce. However, the Church does recognize the annulment process, which declares that a valid marriage never existed due to specific canonical reasons, such as fraud, coercion, or incapacity.
Annulment vs. Divorce:
- Annulment (nullity) is a church procedure that declares a marriage void from the outset. It is a religious process and is separate from civil divorce.
- Divorce is a civil legal process that terminates the legal relationship between spouses but does not necessarily affect the religious status unless an annulment is granted.
For Catholics in Colombia, obtaining an annulment through the Church requires a separate ecclesiastical process, often initiated after the civil divorce.
Grounds for Civil Divorce include:
- Mutual consent (most straightforward route)
- Unilateral divorce after a period of separation (generally two years of continuous separation)
- Fault-based grounds such as adultery, abuse, or abandonment
While the Catholic doctrine emphasizes the indissolubility of marriage, Colombian law provides clear pathways for civil divorce, offering relief and legal clarity to spouses wishing to separate.
This type of cases requires further consultation, please contact us
Esteban Rada
Colombian attorney
email: info@lawyerscolombia.com
telephone 57-311-7693976
