Lorene Hanley Duquin of the Diocese of the Buffalo, New York, works with an individual during the writing portion of the annulment process workshop held at St. Peter the Prince of the Apostles Church on Aug. 28 and 29. Duquin works as Director of Parish Life in Lockport, New York. Duquin has worked with the annulment process through the Office of Evangelization of the Diocese of Buffalo since 2003. "More than one half of fallen away Catholics have marriage issues. We want to reach out to the fallen away Catholics," Duquin said.

"There are so many people who desire so much to be reconciled with the Catholic church, and the church is reaching out to them," said Father Joseph A. Lopez, following the conclusion of the diocese first annulment process workshop held August 28 and 29 at St. Peter Prince of the Apostles Parish.

The workshop was held in response to the "Catholics Come Home" program and was organized through the Office of Evangelization.

Father Lopez, rector of Corpus Christi Cathedral, was part of a group of priests, deacons, and lay people who spent the weekend working with over 150 participants anxious to learn about the process of the meaning behind and the how-tos of completing the process of petitioning for a declaration of nullity.

Director of the Office of Evangelization, Father Eduardo Montemayor, and a member of the Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity, asked Father Lopez to participate due to his experience working in the Diocesan Tribunal Office which oversees and grants annulments.

Father Lopez is also a canon lawyer and a judge on the marriage tribunal.

The workshop was led by Lorene Hanley Duquin from the Diocese of Buffalo, New York.

Brought in by the Corpus Christi Diocese Department of Evangelization to facilitate, Duquin explained how she became involved with the process of annulment.

"People know that they need annulments. People feel as if they are outcasts from the church, and the Catholic church does not want them back. In reaching out to fallen away Catholics in the Diocese of Buffalo, it was discovered that more than half had left because of marriage issues."

The two-day program is broken into two sessions. The first day was spent reviewing the process.

"There are so many myths and misconceptions about receiving an annulment. I spend the first session of the two days just going over the paper work and what is involved in seeking an annulment," explained Duquin.

Some of the myths Duquin has encountered over the years are:

· Once an annulment is granted, the children automatically become illegitimate. · It is impossible to get an annulment if one of the ex-spouses refuses to cooperate. · You may not receive communion if you are divorced. · You are automatically excommunicated once your divorce decree is final. · An annulment costs $3,000.

"All of these myths are false. The children are not considered illegitimate, and you may receive an annulment with out the cooperation of your ex-spouse. You may receive communion if you are divorced but not remarried civilly. You are not excommunicated if you are divorced. Annulment costs $350 presently in the Diocese of Corpus Christi, and no one is ever denied an annulment due to inability to pay," Duquin said.

The second day of the workshop was the writing process which involves writing out the history of the marriage.

"Unlike a civil divorce which works on the premise of why the marriage ended, an annulment deals with what happened at the ‘I Do.' The Catholic Church wants to know if there was any impediment to which kept the individual from making a valid promise. By writing out the history of the marriage, it begins the healing process. But there is a lot of fear involved. I knew one woman who carried the annulment forms in her purse for three years. By having this workshop, it enables the participants to focus on the writing. There are people here who can help answer questions. We also have volunteers who will type up the paper work if a participant does not have access to a computer."

One of the volunteers overseeing the writing process was Monsignor Morgan Rowsome, pastor of St. Peter.

Msgr. Rowsome acknowledged that while the Catholic Church does everything possible to reduce marriage failures by having engaged couples go through pre-cana and engagement encounters, "marriages may fail or break down for one reason or another."

"These are not bad people, but for what ever reason the marriage did not continue. Many divorced individuals want their first marriage annulled which would enable them to enter into the sacrament of marriage."

Other volunteers assisting in the workshop were Deacon Mike Noble and his wife Eve-Lynn Noble of St. Peter and Deacon Stephen Nolte and his wife Connie Nolte of Holy Family parish in Corpus Christi.

Connie Nolte petitioned for an annulment in 1990 because she wanted to be a role model for her three young daughters.

"I was a single mother, and my children were at the age where they were beginning to receive their sacraments. I wanted to be a good Catholic role model."

Nolte received a great deal of help from her parish priest in "filling out the paperwork and paying the cost of the annulment. I was not in a position where I could easily afford to pay for the annulment."

Father Lopez was grateful for the deacons and their wives' assistance with the program.

"The deacons and their wives are a tremendous help. They understand marriage and can relate to the participants in a way the priests cannot."

Msgr. Rowsome was delighted and very happy to see the large number of people seeking and beginning the process of annulment.

"These are good people who want to come back to the Church."