Patrick Conley sat down with Fr. Ramil Fajardo, a priest from the Archdiocese of Chicago, Tribunal Judge, and liturgy expert, to tackle one of the heaviest and most misunderstood topics out there: divorce. It’s raw, real, and full of truth with a capital "T."

 

Check out the full hour of discussion!

 

📊 The Reality Check: Marriage is Hard, Divorce Hurts

 

Did you know 40% of first-time marriages end in divorce? And the aftermath? Pain. Brokenness. Scars that don’t always heal quickly. But as Catholics, we’re called to dig deeper than surface-level stats.  What’s the Church’s view on divorce? And for those who’ve been through it, how can we begin to heal? 🩹

 

Father Ramil said it plainly: divorce is devastating for everyone involved. But he emphasized that the Church doesn’t approach divorce with judgment. Instead, we meet people where they’re at: in the mess, in the heartache, with Christ’s compassion and hope. 🙏

 

💒 The Catholic View: Marriage is for keeps, but let’s clarify...

 

Here’s the deal, straight from Canon Law:

 

Marriage is a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, designed for unity, indissolubility, and the procreation/education of children.

 

For baptized Christians, it’s not a contract, it’s a sacrament! Christ literally shows up in your marriage. 🤍

 

BUT (and this is key): Not all marriages are valid. The Church doesn’t recognize a marriage that was flawed from the start (e.g., lack of free will, maturity, or understanding). That’s where annulments, or declarations of nullity, come into play; they determine if a marriage was never valid sacramentally. Annulments don’t “erase” a marriage but affirm it wasn’t the true sacramental union God intended. 🕊️

 

💔 Divorce ≠ the End of Your Story

 

Father Ramil nailed a critical point: divorce doesn’t mean you’re a failure, and it doesn’t mean God has abandoned you. The Church knows that healing takes time. Sometimes, people never fully recover from the pain. But our job as Catholics isn’t to fix people with quick answers or judgmental comments like, “Well, you just didn’t try hard enough.” (Seriously, don’t be that person 🙄.) Instead, we’re called to listen and walk with people in their pain.

 

As Fr. Ramil said, “Our starting point is always compassion.” Healing doesn’t mean “just get over it”: it’s about letting Christ into the wound. And for anyone wondering, the Church is here for you, even in the darkest valleys.

 

🎙️ A Call to Action: Healing is a Team Effort

 

The conversation took a powerful turn when a caller, Linda, shared her story. After 36 years of marriage, her husband had an affair and sought an annulment. The healing process for her? Leaning on God every single day, refusing to let bitterness take root, and eventually joining the Catholic Church. ✝️ Her advice? Parishes need to step up and create ministries for divorced people, offering prayer partners and small communities for support.

 

Father Ramil’s response? Amen. The Church can always do more to accompany people in their pain. Healing isn’t just the priest’s job or the bishop’s responsibility; it’s our job as the Body of Christ.

 

❤️ Final Takeaway: God’s Plan for Marriage = Healing & Holiness

 

The Catholic Church’s view on divorce is about truth, healing, and Christ’s love. Marriage is meant to reflect God’s unbreakable love for His Church, but we live in a broken world, and sometimes things don’t go as planned. The good news? God never abandons us. He’s always ready to heal, restore, and guide us toward Him, even through the pain of divorce.

 

✨ A Prayer for the Wounded:

 

If you or someone you know is dealing with the effects of divorce, cling to this truth: Jesus is with you. He weeps with you. And He is your healer. 💖 Pray for strength, for clarity, and for trust in God’s plan, even when it feels impossible.

 

Let’s be a Church that walks alongside the hurting, showing compassion instead of judgment. Because at the end of the day? We’re all in need of grace.

 

📣 Your turn: What’s one way your parish could better support those healing from divorce? 

 

 

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free, and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Patrick Conley sat down with&nbsp;Fr. Ramil Fajardo, a priest from the Archdiocese of Chicago, Tribunal Judge, and liturgy expert, to tackle one of the heaviest and most misunderstood topics out there:&nbsp;divorce. It&rsquo;s raw, real, and full of truth with a capital "T."
&nbsp;
Check out the <a href="https://relevantradio.com/2025/01/divorce-the-inner-life-january-14-2025/">full hour of discussion</a>!
&nbsp;
📊 The Reality Check: Marriage is Hard, Divorce Hurts
&nbsp;
Did you know 40% of first-time marriages end in divorce? And the aftermath? Pain. Brokenness. Scars that don&rsquo;t always heal quickly. But as Catholics, we&rsquo;re called to dig deeper than surface-level stats.&nbsp; What&rsquo;s the Church&rsquo;s view on divorce? And for those who&rsquo;ve been through it, how can we begin to heal? 🩹
&nbsp;
Father Ramil said it plainly: divorce is devastating for everyone involved. But he emphasized that the Church doesn&rsquo;t approach divorce with judgment. Instead, we meet people where they&rsquo;re at: in the mess, in the heartache, with Christ&rsquo;s compassion and hope. 🙏
&nbsp;
💒 The Catholic View: Marriage is for keeps, but let&rsquo;s clarify...
&nbsp;
Here&rsquo;s the deal, straight from Canon Law:
&nbsp;
Marriage is a&nbsp;lifelong covenant between one man and one woman, designed for unity, indissolubility, and the procreation/education of children.
&nbsp;
For baptized Christians, it&rsquo;s&nbsp;not a contract, it&rsquo;s a sacrament! Christ literally shows up in your marriage. 🤍
&nbsp;
BUT (and this is key): Not all marriages are valid. The Church doesn&rsquo;t recognize a marriage that was flawed from the start (e.g., lack of free will, maturity, or understanding). That&rsquo;s where annulments, or declarations of nullity, come into play; they determine if a marriage was never valid sacramentally. Annulments don&rsquo;t &ldquo;erase&rdquo; a marriage but affirm it wasn&rsquo;t the true sacramental union God intended. 🕊️
&nbsp;
💔 Divorce &ne; the End of Your Story
&nbsp;
Father Ramil nailed a critical point: divorce doesn&rsquo;t mean you&rsquo;re a failure, and it doesn&rsquo;t mean God has abandoned you. The Church knows that healing takes time. Sometimes, people never fully recover from the pain. But our job as Catholics isn&rsquo;t to fix people with quick answers or judgmental comments like, &ldquo;Well, you just didn&rsquo;t try hard enough.&rdquo; (Seriously, don&rsquo;t be that person 🙄.) Instead, we&rsquo;re called to listen and walk with people in their pain.
&nbsp;
As Fr. Ramil said, &ldquo;Our starting point is always compassion.&rdquo; Healing doesn&rsquo;t mean &ldquo;just get over it&rdquo;: it&rsquo;s about letting Christ into the wound. And for anyone wondering, the&nbsp;Church is here for you, even in the darkest valleys.
&nbsp;
🎙️ A Call to Action: Healing is a Team Effort
&nbsp;
The conversation took a powerful turn when a caller, Linda, shared her story. After 36 years of marriage, her husband had an affair and sought an annulment. The healing process for her? Leaning on God every single day, refusing to let bitterness take root, and eventually joining the Catholic Church. ✝️ Her advice? Parishes need to step up and create ministries for divorced people, offering prayer partners and small communities for support.
&nbsp;
Father Ramil&rsquo;s response? Amen. The Church can always do more to accompany people in their pain. Healing isn&rsquo;t just the priest&rsquo;s job or the bishop&rsquo;s responsibility; it&rsquo;s&nbsp;our job as the Body of Christ.
&nbsp;
❤️ Final Takeaway: God&rsquo;s Plan for Marriage = Healing &amp; Holiness
&nbsp;
The Catholic Church&rsquo;s view on divorce is about truth, healing, and Christ&rsquo;s love. Marriage is meant to reflect God&rsquo;s unbreakable love for His Church, but we live in a broken world, and sometimes things don&rsquo;t go as planned. The good news? God never abandons us. He&rsquo;s always ready to heal, restore, and guide us toward Him, even through the pain of divorce.
&nbsp;
✨ A Prayer for the Wounded:
&nbsp;
If you or someone you know is dealing with the effects of divorce, cling to this truth: Jesus is with you. He weeps with you. And He is your healer. 💖 Pray for strength, for clarity, and for trust in God&rsquo;s plan, even when it feels impossible.
&nbsp;
Let&rsquo;s be a Church that walks alongside the hurting, showing compassion instead of judgment. Because at the end of the day? We&rsquo;re all in need of grace.
&nbsp;
📣 Your turn: What&rsquo;s one way your parish could better support those healing from divorce?&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
The&nbsp;best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It&rsquo;s free, and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out <a href="https://relevantradio.com/listen/get-the-app/">here</a>.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.

Life can get busy, and it's easy to miss out on the captivating moments from your favorite Relevant Radio shows. But now, we've got you covered! "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" brings you the crème de la crème of Relevant Radio's programming. We carefully curate and compile the most engaging and relevant content from the past week, just for you! Get ready to catch up on faith, culture, current events, and personal growth, all in one convenient and easily accessible podcast. It's like having a front-row seat to the most compelling moments from Relevant Radio's diverse range of shows. So, whether you're an active Relevant Radio listener or new to our programming, "The Best of the Week - Relevant Radio Podcast" is your passport to a world of knowledge, growth, and inspiration.

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