To Whom It May Concern: The recent decision to consider Tom Craven’s request for the annulment of his marriage with my grandmother, Ann Craven, has me ill at ease. To the best of my knowledge, a Declaration of Nullity deems that a marriage never existed. As one of the eighteen decedents alive today, a direct result from the marriage between Tom and Ann Craven, I find the idea of granting Tom’s request, ludicrous and undermining to my faith. In the remainder of this letter I will express my opposition, and concern for the implications the tribunal would assert, with a ruling in favor of an annulment. The church’s right to declare a marriage null stems from the chance that a marriage was decreed to be sacramental, though certain elements that constitute a sacramental union were not present at the time of the marriage. The union Ann and Tom shared for more than twenty years contained the elements of a sacramental union at the time of marriage and for years afterwards. The length of their marriage, sizeable estate, and seven children are evidence enough to the original intent of unity, indissolubility, willing consent to give and accept each other, and their commitment to fulfill the nature of marriage completely through the procreation and education of offspring. Yet, to be unquestionably apparent, I must give mention to the countless memories that have been passed along from the recollection of my aunts and uncles. Memories of the first home they lived in, nearby in Newport, of vacations filled with laughter and love, and of holidays celebrated, surrounded by two families brought together by the union of one couple, rejoicing in the name of the Lord. The reality of their union is incontrovertible; just as Tom Craven’s blatant disregard to canon law, and ultimately the Catholic faith, is nearly palpable. Psychic incapacity has been cited as the basis to receive a Declaration of Nullity. There is no evidence to prove that Tom Craven meets or has ever met any of the three conditions established by canon law, reinforced by Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict, for use of psychic incapacity as proof for invalidity. According to the Code of Canon Law 1095: The following are incapable of contracting marriage:
1. Those who lack sufficient use of reason;
2. Those who suffer from a grave defect of discretion of judgment concerning the essential matrimonial right and duties mutually to be handed over and accepted;
3. Those who are not able to assume the essential obligations of marriage for causes of a psychic nature. Tom Craven was successfully practicing medicine for the majority of their marriage, his intellect and ability to facilitate reason was not in question. As for the second condition, even if Tom could prove he was immature at the time of their marriage, there is no way this could meet the qualification of a grave defect. Tom had successfully completed his undergraduate degree, was accepted and attending one of the most prestigious medical schools in the country, and took the time to court Ann. It would seem unwise, foolhardy even, to consider one of such intellect lacking the judgment necessary to understand matrimonial rights and duties. The third condition implies some type of mental disorder that would prevent a true sacramental marriage to commence- also non-applicable. Tom’s claim to psychic incapacity is an impeccable example of the concerns Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict expressed to Rota judges. Pope John Paul II cited cases as such to be “the scandal of seeing the value of Christian marriage destroyed in practice by the exaggerated and almost automatic multiplication of declarations of nullity” leading all of us who observe these travesties to wonder why we should waste time with marriage when so many are a potential façade. Many witnessed the joyful eras of my grandparent’s marriage but I was very young when they divorced, and so have few well-defined memories. However, one impression reaching into my earliest childhood memoir is the faith my grandmother places in God. I have never seen her go a day without reading her prayers, and before the nature of her ailment prevented her from driving, she went to church five, six, and seven days a week. Her will to overcome the hardships presented along the journey here on Earth is awe-inspiring. Her witness to the safe-haven that is faith in God has been an inspiration to me, but now that inspiration has been dimmed. The implications resulting from anyone annulling a marriage that was so definitive brings forth doubt in the interpretations being asserted, from The Holy Bible, by our religious leaders. The need for annulment availability is obvious; if two people were mistakenly declared to be in sacramental union, the wrong should be righted in order to uphold the sanctity of marriage. However, in the case of Tom and Ann Craven, the validity of their union is undeniable. This leads me to fear the Church is turning away from Christian values to please earthly desires of people who are worried less about their eternal soul than their worldly appearance. Considering material wealth has no value once we leave this life behind, I can only pray for a resolution that is righteous and primarily enlightening to all those swayed by greed. All of the previous is meant to be delivered with the utmost respect and its intent is to shed light upon the situation at hand and help reach a verdict that is just. Thank you for your time and considerations. If you have any questions or further concerns please contact me using the information listed below.

Sincerely,