About Us
We provide advice and support to all who are interested, not just Catholics; other denominations are most welcome as well as those of both progressive and traditional viewpoints.
Respondents who contact SOS:RoA&RS reside in most U.S. states and many countries.
SOS: RoA&RS is an incorporated, non-profit organization and therefore donations are tax-deductible.
We do not charge for our services, but donations are always welcome to support our work. Your support is important and appreciated!
We have several volunteer roles for those who wish to assist us with our efforts.
Information on our advisors
If for some reason you are contacting both of us, we would appreciate it if you let us know.
Jan founded SOS in 1997 inspired by Sheila Rauch Kennedy, when Sheila's book Shattered Faith: A Woman's Struggle to Stop the Catholic Church From Annulling Her Marriage was first published.
Jan is the primary SOS advisor to Catholic Respondents.
Prior to founding SOS, Jan had completed the paperwork for the 'First Court' phase of annulment in 1996. Two articles about her experiences with annulment personnel in the local archdiocese, "Boston-area Woman Confronts the Annulment Process" and "Annulment Divides Divorced Catholics" are referenced on our SOS "Resources" page.
Jan's Appeal to the Roman Rota was written and mailed in 1998, with Sheila's guidance.
That Appeal was at the Roman Rota for ten years, when in 2003 the Rotal judges finally decided that her appeal was successful, and soon communicated that fact to the Boston tribunal. But- the Boston tribunal NEVER told Jan that her appeal was successful.
Three years later, in 2006, Jan phoned the Advocate in this case to ask why after thirteen years she had not heard any word from Rome; only then did she learn that her appeal was successful. From Jan's perspective, this is just another clear example of the disrespect with which U.S. tribunals treat Respondents.
Jan is a "cradle Catholic" who has earned a Ph.D. and a Masters in Counseling Psychology, plus a Masters of Divinity. She and her 'ex' remain on good terms and celebrate holidays with their three daughters and young grandchildren. Jan's professional life includes being a college professor of psychology and a counselor with a pastoral counseling agency.
During the clergy sex abuse scandal, Jan was very active in support work with survivors of that abuse in the Boston archdiocese; she is a founding member of Voice of the Faithful.
Jan adds: "My work with S.O.S. has allowed me the privilege of getting to know so many wonderful Respondents; early on this transformed my own annulment experience from that of crisis to one of care and empowerment within the community of Respondents".
Carole Bishop
In 1995 Carole Bishop was served with annulment papers and spent the next four years fighting against the tribunal system. Almost too late, she "discovered" the Code of Canon Law and the SOS organization, and when she lost her case, she vowed to help others "fight fire with fire."
In the year 2000 she wrote the first edition of the "Respondent's Guide to Catholic Annulments."
The third edition, published in May 2007, was greatly improved due to the experiences of the many respondents she has helped in the interim.
Today, she is the primary SOS Advisor to non-catholic respondents and is also considered SOS's "Canon Law expert."
As a retired Army Colonel in Military Intelligence, Carole's educational background includes a Master of Arts in History and the Army's Command and General Staff College. She lives in Pennsylvania, has responsibility for her aging parents, and in her spare time belongs to several other organizations, clubs, and veterans groups and enjoys Duplicate Bridge and Country Line Dancing.
SOS was incorporated in 1999 when our Board of Directors was formed. Board members meet four days each year, updating the website, discussing reform issues, and honing support and advising skills for our SOS work.
SOS is a 501C3 nonprofit organization; contributions are tax-deductible.
If you are interested in helping or working with SOS, please let us know via our "Contact Us". |
SOS offers Respondents:
1. Advice/support via email +
2. Information for dealing with:
- the tribunal for the first time
- the ongoing process of annulment
- moving forward with an Appeal to the Rota
- reopening a disappointing annulment decision which you thought was 'finalized' (see "Res Judicata' on our "Resources" page).
3. Factual information not easily obtained from the tribunals.
4. Support by larger organizations, e.g. COR, which provide connections to such needs as canon lawyers who are not biased against Respondents; many of our respondents have reported from their experience that most tribunals are pro-petitioner.
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