Mr. Molitor,

Thank you for the thoughtful reply.

Re:  "I don't really believe that a woman like the one described is still married"

OK, why?  People fall short in all kinds of ways.  Seems like you are headed toward a 'no true Scotsman' place.

Re:  Maybe the marriage never existed.  Agreed, maybe that's true, but the way to know, within reason, is to submit it to the tribunal (tribunal is not infallible, obviously).

Re:  Pauline/Petrine privileges  Yes, they are unusual exceptions.  I have written before that to me, the Church either needs to go big or go home, so to speak:  acknowledge the first marriage is still the actual marriage, the second union is adulterous, but given the power to bind and loose, the Church 'looses' that (ongoing) sin of adultery.  Not sure it is a good idea, but to me it seems to be the only one that makes sense if one is not going through the annulment process.