Posted on 03/12/2016 9:04:01 PM PST by ebb tide
On Saturday Pope Francis told participants in course on the streamlined annulment process that the main goal of the new norms is pastoral, and seeks to reach out to families suffering from a broken marriage.
“These measures have an eminently pastoral goal: to show the Church’s concern for those faithful who are waiting for a quick verification on their marital status,” the Pope said March 12.
He noted that many faithful suffer due to the end of their marriages, and couples are frequently “oppressed by doubt” as to whether or not their marriage was valid or in valid.
It is out of both charity and mercy, as well as lived experience, that the Church decided to create the new, streamlined annulment process, which aims to grow closer to persons with a failed marriage, and to meet “their legitimate desire for justice,” he said.
Francis stressed the new procedures were created with a pastoral intention, and that for divorced couples living in a second union, the “most important” concern of the Church is that they don’t feel ostracized, but continue to participate in the ecclesial community.
Pope Francis spoke to participants in a formation course for the Tribunal of the Roman Rota, the Holy’s See’s main court, dedicated the new marriage annulment process. Held in Rome, the course ran from March 7-12, and was closed by an audience with the Pope.
In his speech, Francis noted that many divorced couples seeking an annulment found the process overly complicated, and many encountered difficultly in accessing the appropriate ecclesial judicial structures.
Because of this, he said, he decided to streamline the process, putting into place a new set of norms aimed at simplifying the procedures so couples aren’t left waiting for an answer, often harassed by doubt.
The changes were published Aug. 15, 2015, in two motu proprio - or letters issued by the Pope “on his own initiative.” The documents were entitled “Mitis Iudex Dominus Iesus” (The Lord Jesus, a meek judge), which deals with modifications in the Latin Rite's Code of Canon Law, and “Mitis et misericors Iesus” (Jesus, meek and merciful), which outlines changes for Eastern Churches who, although in full communion with Rome, have historically had a different process.
In a nutshell, the new rules, which went into effect Dec. 8, 2015, drop the automatic appeal previously required after a decision on nullity had been reached, and place a stronger emphasis on local bishops, allowing them to make their own judgements on obvious cases of marriage nullity.
In his speech to the course participants, Pope Francis said it’s important that the new rules are “received and deepened in,” particularly by those managing the ecclesial tribunals, in order to create “a service that is more just and charitable for families.”
Those who have experienced a failed marriage and are awaiting a ruling on the sacrament’s validity must be helped to move forward in the process “as smoothly as possible,” he said.
He encouraged the course participants “to treasure what you have learned,” always keeping in mind the “salus animarum (salvation of souls), which is the supreme law of the Church,” as they continue their work.
In addition to caring for the wounds of couples in a failed marriage, Francis also emphasized the need to recognize families who continue to persevere in the sacrament, despite difficult conditions.
“These witnesses of marital fidelity must be encouraged and pointed to as examples to imitate,” he said, noting that many men and women bear heavy burdens so as not to destroy the family.
“To be faithful in sickness and in health, in difficulties and in the good times: this is fidelity,” he said, and thanked the participants for their commitment to working for justice.
He urged them not to view their mission as a mere profession, “or worse, as a power, but as a service of souls, especially those which are most wounded.”
False mercy at the expense of Truth and Justice.
“You could have saved us all a lot of trouble.”
Henry VIII
“Marriage Time Machine For Rent!”
I wonder what he’d have thought about the medical certainty that we could share with him that he was the one responsible for conceiving only daughters?
Its actually not that bad of a change, because there’s still a process of appeal if either the respondent or petitioner dispute the decision.
But he and Catherine had a son who died as an infant, and he had at least one bastard son, the Duke of Earl, died as a small child from ‘sweating sickness’ and of course his sickly legitimate son Edward who died young.
He had son genes, just not very good ones apparently. I think it was from getting speared repeatedly whilst jousting.
Some time ago I observed that we Americans make fun of red necks for supposedly acting the way that royals were once well known for. Or, to put it another way, if you think a family reunion is a good place to look for a bride ... you might be a king.
Gotta figure that occasionally had an effect despite the often markedly superior diet royals had.
Yeah, Hank was a regular ‘Idiocracy’ billygoat. It’s good to be King.
PS My father is a retired Presby minister. Just to see his reaction, I asked him what he thought about the fact that he owed his calling to Henry VIII’s supercharged libido.
And his singleminded quest for a Mini-me.
He married us anyway.
There’s a reason there are more “the Lame”s than “the Great”s.
Pps Father-in-law. Posting drunk, sorry
Nuthin spells lovin like marryin’ yer French first cousin.
Poor Mary was betrothed to, what, four boys/men,call related by blood or marriage?
Sorry about hijacking your thread.
New annulment process: Fast and Furious.
Dogma, doctrine, discipline, canon law.....all the things which Francis appears to hate.......they're all "eminently pastoral", aren't they? They exist for a reason; to guide us along the road to salvation.
If that isn't "eminently pastoral", what is?
Excellent point, marshmallow. I’m stealing that.
"No recourse is allowed before the Roman Rota for a Nova Causae Propositio (N.C.P.), after one of the parties has contracted a new canonical marriage, unless the injustice of the decision is manifestly established."
In other words, if the petitioner wins an annulment, he can rush into a new "marriage", even within the diocese that granted the annulment, and thus void any further attempts by respondent for further appeals.
Francis is a very slick card player. Don't let him fool you.
No hijacking at all. Henry VIII is a perfect example of how popes responded when they were Catholics.
Perhaps you don't know anything about the process. But this means that there actually still is a process for seeking redress from the Roman Rota for cases of manifest injustice. And that would still be the case after the respondent had been given time, and free counsel, to make an appeal to a second instance court to the nearest Archdiocese and had his or her appeal rejected. So by this time there has been a tribunal from two separate diocese involved. If there was a manifest injustice involved it would have been cleared up in an appeal to the nearest metropolitan tribunal. If it is still manifestly unjust in its process which must be open and known between the two parties, then there can be a cause for appeal.
This protects petitioners from harassment and the rota from those making multiple fraudulent appeals. This prevents acts of malice on either the respondent or petitioner side. Don't believe me? Look up civil divorce cases. To allow a person to make appeal after appeal gives people with malicious intent too much power.
Given the increased requirement that the respondent has access to legal counsel which is free, and must be contacted by the diocese, and have a chance to be fully informed from its very beginning, I hardly see how there is some kind of injustice against truth going on.
You defeated whatever argument you thought you had when you said, “Look up civil divorce cases”.
Why are you comparing Francischurch annulment cases to civil divorce cases?
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