Last year, we learned what was holding up Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton’s would-be wedding. Gwen and Blake have been together for years now, and he already behaves like a stepdad to her kids. It’s widely assumed that they are engaged, or engaged to be engaged. So what’s the hold up? Gwen, a devout Catholic, reportedly wanted her first marriage annulled. There were a lot of Catholics in the comments saying that considering her first marriage produced children, the Church probably wouldn’t even give her annulment anyway, so it was a fool’s errand. Now Gwen seems to feel similarly too:
The aisle awaits! Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton are ready to take the next step in their relationship — that is, once the coronavirus pandemic ends.
“COVID-19 has turned their world upside down, as it has with so many families,” a source reveals exclusively in the new issue of Us Weekly. “Gwen knows she is blessed and wants to have the wedding as soon as social distancing guidelines are lifted.”
Us broke the news in March 2019 that the “Hollaback Girl” singer, 50, had begun “the formal process” to have her previous marriage to Gavin Rossdale annulled by Catholic church officials because “religion has always been extremely important to her.” However, the source tells Us that the global crisis has “changed Gwen’s feelings about getting the annulment and getting married.” She had previously been “committed to getting the annulment, no matter how long it took,” according to the source, but now wants to press forward with marrying Shelton, 43.
“Gwen wants to have a ceremony and reception with their family and friends. She didn’t wait this long to get married with family watching on Zoom,” the source tells Us. “It has made her realize that waiting for the annulment at this point is just futile because it could take years for the church tribunal to issue the decision.”
I think that’s smart, to not wait for the annulment or whatever. Why wait? I’m sure there are church rules about something or other (I have no idea, I am not Catholic) and maybe it will affect some things in her life and her faith. But… she and Blake are already unmarried and living together, sleeping together and raising children together. Enough, just get married.
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Maybe she wants a church wedding. The devout description has never fit.
“she and Blake are already unmarried and living together, sleeping together and raising children together.” – that’s not a devout catholic.
Catholics are a funny breed. They have a knack for compartmentalization.
They are calling her a devout Catholic because she still goes to church. That’s the extent of her devotion.
Good on her, and the Catholic Church can die away slowly. The damage that institution has done to so many people is unspeakable. Don’t give them the power to hold up your plans, Gwen.
I was raised Catholic, not because it was someting my parents really wanted, my dad told me everything as a kid about the bad sides about them. but that’s how it is in Croatia, a country that has special Vatican agreement so Catholicsm is a part of official school system and many kids not taking those classes have problems for it. Anyway, I excommunicated myself and I can tell you it was a loooooong process. If I wasn’t so young and stuborn I would have given up. Mostly cause like you said the Church is a horrible institution and they disgust me. I can’t imagine this process. They aren’t like Scientology but they make sure to make your life hell.
That could be said about most organized religions or institutions. The Catholic Church is over 2000 years old and is 1.2 billion strong. It has only ever increased in size, so I doubt will just fade away.
it won’t but one can only hope it will collapse. religion though should stay. it’s about spirituality not about business nor should it be. and whoever finds comfort in any religion or teaching is a lucky person. but that’s all.sorry didn’t mean to attack I just don’t approve of an institution.
Rachel Maddow also identifies as a devout Catholic.
So does Mark Wahlberg.
And Martin Sheen.
As a fellow Catholic, it is not for me to judge their membership in the church.
Also, you are allowed to be a Catholic and not agree with all of its practices and dogma (thank goodness!)
There are liberal and progressive Catholics and there are conservative Catholics.
Mark has committed so many hate crimes against POC that Wikipedia created a separate section to list them out on his profile.
Pretty sure there’s a lesson about the ills of dogma in there, somewhere.
Same feeling I share. I was raised in a Brazilian household where we were members if the left wing side if LatinAmerican Catholic Church. I always laugh about the idea that The Church is this big, one thought one soul thing. It is not. For every powerful, manipulative cardinal there is a good, hard working, charitable priest living among the poor.
Moreover, the Church dies admit many is it’s past mistakes. It us more than the British Monarch who never apologised for printing from slavery and colonization. Charles made some remarks about it, but that was the extent .
Former Catholic here. You cannot receive the sacraments nor get married in the church if your marriage is not annulled. Fifteen years ago my ex went for an annulment. We had been married 25 years and 3 children. He still got the annulment. His wife to be was on her 3rd or fourth annulment. Funny thing is they didn’t get married by a priest. Having children or length of marriage or the fact that one of the spouses oppose the annulment makes no difference. And there’s the point that if you have enough money you can buy an annulment.
I like to call that the Kennedy rule.
That’s who I always think of when I hear of people trying to annul long-term marriages that produced children.
Does the church consider children illegitimate as a result of an annulment?
Short answer, no they do not.
No.
That’s what I’ve never quite understood about the slow roll of Gwen’s annulment. She and Blake can surely afford one many times over.
Thank you for reminding people who assume that having children automatically makes obtaining an annulment impossible.
You hit it exactly Swack. I was with my ex spouse 13 yrs. No children, but we knew I was sterile from My illnesses going into the marriage. So did the entire church. But guess who got an annulment due to my health and inability to have children.. year he did. His momma bought him the annulment. Money and who you know in the Catholic Church buys you annulments.
It’s been that way forever. You used to be able to purchase “Indulgences” – basically a “get out of jail free” monopoly card from god.
This is very true. It’s expensive!
As a lifelong Catholic, I’ve always known that infertility, insanity, and incest (the 3 big “I’s”) are automatic “Get out of marriage free with an annulment” cards. None apply to Gwen & Gavin so I don’t know how or why she expected an annulment to be granted.
Lately, though, some bishops have been including homosexuality, unrepentant alcoholism/drug, and domestic abuse as valid reasons, although some old-timers still fight against those reasons.
Yet another fake story about the Gwen and Blake wedding to keep these two in the news. As for an annulment, I’m not Catholic so wouldn’t judge another person’s religion. BUT, I would feel pretty awful if my parents got a religious institution to declare that my parents’ marriage was null and void. And what would that make me in the eyes of the church? Especially if I myself wanted to remain a member of that church?
As opposed to a divorce where the state says your marriage is void? Annulments don’t affect the children’s membership or standing in the church. Perhaps his kids should look to their father who was banging the nanny for years if they are upset at a divorce or annulment.
But a divorce still acknowledges that the marriage happened, it just ended badly. An annulment wipes it from the books, as if it never happened at all.
she held out for the annulment so she could marry Blake in the church and be able to receive communion after marriage. to annul you have to prove that there were circumstances that existed at the time of marriage that she was unaware of would nullify the union. maybe it’s difficult to get the statements from the witnesses, maybe the reasons are not sound. who knows. but looks like she made peace with not having it.
But I mean, if she wants an in-person wedding, won’t she still have to wait at least a year? It’s not like this decision means she can have the wedding two months from now. Unless they ignore all social distancing and mask guidelines, which I don’t think either of them are dumb enough to do. (But they could prove me wrong about their level of intelligence!)
I just cannot wrap my head around anyone wanting anything to do with the Catholic Church after literally decades of abuse of children and cover ups. I understand it’s how people were raised and family ties and traditions but how can anyone support an institution that tarnished (let alone the wealth hoarding instead of helping those in need)? I just don’t get it.
As a former Catholic, I totally agree with you @LunaSF.
You think decades of child abuse and cover-ups is bad? The Catholic Church has a 2,000-year-old history. It has done much much worse. Change is slow but it does eventually happen.
Some people can separate the organization or religion or country or people from the bad action. They don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater.
Try changing your statement and see if maybe you can wrap your head around it:
“I just cannot wrap my head around anyone wanting anything to do with the United States after literally decades of slavery.”
“I just cannot wrap my head around anyone wanting anything to do with Germany after the holocaust.”
“I just cannot wrap my head around anyone wanting anything to do with going to Sea World after seeing Blackfish.”
“I just cannot wrap my head around anyone wanting anything to do with Mormonism after learning about their stance on LGBTQ+/Blacks holding the Priesthood/Polygamy/etc.”
This can go on and on…
Ex-Catholic here and it can be very difficult to get an annulment. Yes, often you can pay to get one – for anyone it can be an expensive process. But the other considerations that affect the timing are 1) does your ex-spouse cooperate or not (this can be HUGE and prevent it from happening)? – if your ex-spouse says they agree, it goes faster and is easier – if your ex-spouse says “no” or fights it (if they disagree or just use it to cause you grief), it may never be granted – if your ex-spouse refuses to answer the paperwork either way, the church will appoint a representative to “defend” the marriage and the whole thing gets heard by a church court of sorts, just not with the parties there usually and all representatives are usually men who have never been married but have lofty and unrealistic ideas of women and marriage.
Why Catholics would want one? 1) To get married in the church and 2) So they aren’t viewed as sinners and are able to take communion (technically you should take communion if you are in a sinful situation and haven’t confessed and resolved it. Without it, the church will view the new marriage as the same as just living in sin. And, since Gwen is well known, people will know she is living in sin (versus most of us just being able to go into church and no one knowing us much).
I think Gavin said no and doesn’t want to cooperate. He was with her total 20 years and had 3 kids with her!
Totally Andrea. I agree – That is my take too! I also don’t think Gavin was big into Catholicism, so why should he care – plus he may be peeved at another man being around his kids. He puts up with it, but isn’t going to be that helpful either.
Another reason she may want annulment, too, is so that any children they have could be baptized into the church, which might not be possible without annulment/Catholic marriage.
Like many of us, you end up moving on from the Church. It’s not worth it. She should just go Episcopalian.
I don’t think this has anything at all to do with the Catholic church. Or getting married for that part. And that cover, “a baby is next”. Please they will never marry or have a child (she’s 50 for goodness sake). This is all just so much publicity for what ever they’re doing now. I hear she’s coming back to the voice or what ever show she’s on so they have to drum up interest in that. I sick of this whole fake bs relationship. It’s funny that she’s announcing it again. First it was the divorce, then the annulment, now the corona virus. What will be the next thing they are waiting on to “get hitched”.