Gwen Stefani Won’t Marry Blake Shelton Unless Gavin Rossdale Changes His Mind About Annulment

Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton are ready to get married, no doubt about it. Sadly, a sticky problem could delay or even stop the couple from getting hitched.

That problem came to light when Stefani, a devout Catholic, sought to annul her marriage to former husband Rossdale, which would make her free to wed Shelton in the eyes of the church, reported Radar Online via International Business Times.

The former No Doubt singer approached the Vatican to draw up a formal petition with this in mind.

Once Gavin Rossdale grasped the gravity of what the petition meant, the rocker wasn’t having it. He became furious at the concept, allegedly challenging the Vatican’s request.

“Gavin is refusing to play ball,” a source explained in an exclusive report from Radar Online.

This refusal has turned into the biggest thorn in the side of the couple, both divorced. Gwen wants to get married in the Catholic church and Blake Shelton cares about what his fiancé wants.

Meanwhile, Stefani will likely not wed again unless her former marriage is pardoned by the church.

After 13 years, Gwen severed marital ties with Gavin in April 2016. She did so because the rocker was unfaithful, having sexual relations with Mindy Mann, the nanny to their three children, according to People.

This wasn’t the first time Rossdale cheated on Stefani. In 2010, Courtney Love made a public admission to Howard Stern that she had slept with the married man, states Cheat Sheet.

For that indiscretion, Stefani decided to forgive her husband and try to make their marriage work.

But enough was enough for Gwen. She was heartbroken but recovered once Blake came into her life and into her heart. The two admitted they are very much in love and if everything goes their way, they will become husband and wife.

Although “the [Catholic] church cannot condone a marriage after a divorce unless the marriage isn’t recognized in the first place,” divorce is not a deal breaker, advises Franciscan Media.

“Divorce is not a sin that should keep a divorced Catholic from receiving the sacraments. A divorced or separated person is not excommunicated and is still a Catholic in good standing. The only reason for excommunication after divorce is remarriage without going through the annulment process.”

That decree from a Catholic diocesan tribunal “does not mean that the marriage never took place; it is a determination that a sacramental marriage did not take place,” states the source.

Meanwhile, the children of that marriage are not considered to be illegitimate. Similarly, the couple would not be found to have lived in sin if their marriage ended in divorce.

“It means that… the marrying couple had little or no idea what Christian marriage was all about or that there were deep problems from the beginning of the marriage, either in the couple’s relationship or in their families of origin.”

Even with all these provisions in place for Catholics to move on in by getting married again after divorce, Gavin does not want to do so if doing so “makes Gwen’s life easier,” stated Radar Online‘s source.

“He thinks it’s wrong and stupid. He isn’t going to let Gwen sweep their marriage under the rug.”

Sadly, because of his position on the annulment, Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton are reportedly not moving forward with their wedding plans.

Whether they ever do depends on what happens with Gavin Rossdale, as far as the Catholic Church and Gavin’s ex-wife are concerned. Hopefully, a resolution will come in a way that allows the couple to continue judging singing talents on The Voice as a happily married couple.