You only get once chance... unless you become a widower. So, if you marry someone who divorces you later, that's it. Put up with it.

"His disciples say unto him: If the case of a man with his wife be so, it is not expedient to marry." Matthew 19:10

Yes divorce should be outlawed.. that has always been the teaching of the Church.

If you don't want to become a victim.. don't marry, or choose very wisely.
 

the key factor is making sure that one's spouse is truly a devout Catholic before getting married.  The conscience of a truly virtuous Catholic would not let him or her even consider a divorce, and that is more binding that any sort of civil authority.  The problem is that most people do not make this their primary deal-breaker when considering marriage.

This is the main point here -- all too many Trads fail to make "they're not a solid, devout Catholic" a complete deal-breaker.

The Catholic Church normally forbids mixed-marriages, requiring a dispensation to marry a non-Catholic, and you still don't get the Nuptial Blessing even if you get that dispensation.

But how many people take that seriously? Or, how many take that rule in the right spirit? I feel sorry for anyone who looks at the Catholic Church like a mean old fuddy-duddy, a spoil sport, someone out to piss on our parade. On the contrary -- the Church is the Bride of Christ, looking out ONLY for OUR OWN best interests. We should trust Her judgment rather than groan at her rules and restrictions. The same goes for God and His Ten Commandments, but I digress...

Unless your sweetheart shows every sign of being a devout Catholic, you shouldn't even consider marrying them. It's true that strictly speaking there are no guarantees. But that doesn't mean you can't increase your chances.

My favorite philosophy: "winners make their own luck". You have to do everything you can. Don't make stupid moves and then blame God, "luck" or "the way it goes" for your misfortunes.

Yes, strictly speaking a person could fall from grace. And yes, strictly speaking any person COULD convert. But that doesn't mean it's "anything goes" and "anyone's guess" on which marriages will last and which will fail.

You want MORAL CERTAINTY that your prospective spouse is a good Catholic, and intends to stay Catholic for life. We can't get scientific certainty, but moral certainty is sufficient to make a prudential judgment, which is what the decision to marry is.

But as with any prudential judgment, the more information you have the better. That is what DATING is for -- not for "getting away with as much as you can", not for titillating the senses, not for "fun", but to really get to know a person so you can make a good judgment on whether or not they are good marriage material.

It's not that difficult, and certainly not impossible, to get to know someone well in a few months. Just have deep conversations, meet their friends and especially family members, and keep your eyes open. If you are used to loving the truth and embracing it, you will find it as always. But if you're used to deceit, especially lying to your own self, then beware!

- Matthew

The point of getting married is to raise children for Heaven, and help each other there.

If you don't marry a devout Catholic. . . Then you're marrying someone helping you and them to Hell instead.

You don't seem to get the point.

I must second what AMDGJMJ and Matthew said. 

Single Catholics need to be cautious to not lower the standards of finding a potential spouse because it can mean heaven or hell for their soul and that of the other party. 

My own mistake has been in the past to not been honest with myself and too hasty. I have been better about it, for God's will matters more. 

Divorce should be unthinkable. You have rhese situations of "annulments?" as well where it is assumed one party can just pair off with another even if the "annulment?" or divorce has not gone through yet. Many people lack self-control and most importantly do not put God first in their life. We are not animals who can just pair off with just any other creature. This ties into the false doctrine of evolution and something related to that I think I learned from Matthew on the forum awhile back.

There was a recent situation where I had to admonish someone about not trying to have someone meet another party in spite their marital statuses. It was also related to the current challenge coming from Francis' error too. 

This advice reminds me of the advice of some priests that no man should ever consider dating unless he is rich enough to own his own house and support a large family without the wife working. Sure it would be better if these conditions are met, but in the real world if this advice was followed, almost nobody would ever get married.

I have never been married and probably never will be.

"Romance" has caused me nothing but misery