Ecclesiastical Investigation of the Validity of Marriage (Annulment)

The first step of the annulment process is for the person petitioning the Tribunal to complete an Application for the the Ecclesiastical Investigation of the Validity of Marriage.  This application may be printed from the pdf version on this webpage or may be requested by calling the Tribunal Office at 508-791-7171.

All questions on the application must be completed in detail.  Use of additional paper to provide complete testimony is fine.  Upon completion the application must be returned to the Tribunal Office at the Diocese of Worcester, 49 Elm Street, Worcester, MA  01609.

Following receipt of the application a Petition Signature Form will be sent to the Petitioner.  Once the Petitioner has signed and returned the Petition Signature Form to the Tribunal Office the case will officially be opened.  The Petitioner's former spouse will be informed of this procedure and will be given the opportunity to present his/her testimony.  The Petitioner's testimony may be viewed by his/her former spouse, if requested, in accord with the norms of Church Law.  The Petitioner has a similar right to view his/her former spouse's testimony.  The Petitioner is asked to provide the names and current addresses of FOUR witnesses who can provide information about the parties background, courtship, wedding and the history of the marriage.  A good witness may be a parent, sibling, relative or friend.  Petitioners should inform witnesses that we shall contact them.  Both parties have the right to view the testimony of witnesses provided the witnesses sign a waier permitting them to do so.  The witnesses will be informed of this.

Both parties have the right to the services of an Advocate.  To obtain an Advocate, please contact the Tribunal Office.

This process will take at least one and a half years to complete. 

THE PETITIONER IS NOT FREE TO SET A DATE FOR A MARRIAGE WITHIN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, NOR IS THE CHURCH OBLIGED IN ANY WAY TO HONOR A WEDDING DATE SET BY THE PETITIONER UNTIL AFTER THE ANNULMENT PROCESS IS ENTIRELY COMPLETED AND THE PETITIONER HAS RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF HIS/HER FREEDOM TO MARRY.

Application for Ecclesiastical Investigation of the Validity of Marriage (pdf)