By: Omowale Luthuli-Allen
Maybe I shouldn’t have a comment, but this is an opinion piece. All of us have a nose and all of us have an opinion.
My first marriage lasted six years. I was in love, but our love was not to stay, for we didn’t have the right ingredients to bake the cake. Relationship coaches, marriage counselors and soothsayers were not an option, so we crashed. The last days were an example of uglification.
In the 1990’s, Rep. Joe Kennedy and his lovely wife decided to part through the instrument of holy annulment. Specialists, who can make words mean many different things, say that Annulment is different from a divorce because it is intended to leave the parties the way that they were before the “marriage,” without ongoing legal and financial entanglements such as spousal support. Interpret spousal support to be the same as cheaper to keep her, Alimony. Bad boys who fail to pay alimony and child support can end up in jail.
The civil judge and courts can decide to grant a divorce and your religious faith can decide to grant an annulment. Somewhat similar to your religious faith having the power to decide if you can break the bread and drink the cup. Speaker Pelosi’s faith has made the decision to make her persona non-grata at the Eucharist (holy communion). If Nancy sits on your row, you either want to pinch the hell out of her or go home.
Rose Rausch Kennedy achieved a civil divorce. She and her so called husband were married 12 years and had two boys. Rose believed that during the early years that they had a strong marriage until a young intern came to work at the statehouse. We know the young intern as the “Clean up woman “.
The archbishop ruled that she and Joe never had a marriage. Did he cite mental illness or drugs as the precipitating factor for dissolving the marriage, putting the marriage asunder? I don’ t think so. The Kennedy family was rich, influential and powerful. Money and power talk and the peacock prancing looks good but has no substance. The Boston Archdiocese high priest decided contrary to the civil courts, inflaming Raush-Kennedy.
Years later, the high priest in Rome overruled the local archbishop and validated the marriage. This verdict certainly made Ms. Rausch Kennedy happy. The wife said, things unraveled but that doesn’t mean you didn’t have a marriage.
Maybe mama and I were unhappy at the end, but we had good times and a wonderful child. Who has the power to say that none of this joy happened?
Is Justice merely the interest of the stronger? The power in Rome trumps the archbishop. Is there a force or power that trumps the power in Rome and the Archbishop. Are we playing this game understanding that the BIG JOKER trumps all?
Who determines if your arrow misses the mark. Who has the power to commend your soul to the inferno or the heavenly regions?
All that I can conclude with, consult with a competent divorce attorney and a spiritual counselor. Skip the witch doctor and soothsayer.
