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Francis mentions free-of-charge marriage annulments in address to Roman Rota
Vatican Insider
The Pope pointed out that some processes are too “long and weighty” for ordinary people and warned against the Church annulment process being treated like a business. He also told the story of someone he knew who sold court sentences In a meeting held with participants of a course offered by the Tribunal of the Roman Rota before the General Audience in St. Peter’s Square, Francis spoke out against business-like court processes and public scandals. He also told a story about an exchange he had with someone who sold court sentences, when he was still Archbishop of Buenos Aires. Francis repeated a proposal presented during the course of the Extraordinary Synod on the Family held this October: that is to make annulment processes free of charge. Francis advised “streamlining procedures in the interest of Justice” because some processes are “so long and so weighty” that they discourage ordinary people. The Pope reminded course participants that he created a commission to look into simplifying marriage annulments and appointed the Dean of the Roman Rota, Pio Vinto Pinto – present at today’s Audience – as its head. “I have not prepared a speech, I just wanted to greet you,” Francis said in an off-the-cuff address to the 300 participants attending a course on “Instructing a Case for the Dispensation of a Marriage ‘Super rato et non consumato’”. “In the Extraordinary Synod [on the Family], There was talk about procedures, processes, and there was a preoccupation for streamlining the procedures, in the interest of Justice,” the Pope said. “Justice: For decisions must be just, and because there must be justice for the people who are waiting.” Some processes are “so long and so weighty” that people become “discouraged” and leave." “For this reason, even before the Synod, I set up a commission to help prepare various paths in this area, a path of justice, and one of charity, because there are so many people who need a word from the Church about their marriage situation - be it a yes or a no - as long as it is just." “But it must rule and tell them, so that it is possible to go forward without this doubt, this darkness in the soul." “These course are important and I would like to thank the Deacon for everything he has done. I also wish to thank him for heading this commission, which aims to find suggestions for streamlining procedures. We must continue moving forward. Mother Church seeks out its children to deliver justice.” "We must also be very careful that procedures do not become a business. And I am not speaking of any weird things." “There have also been public scandals,” the Pope said. “I had to dismiss a person from a Tribunal some time ago, who said ‘Give me $10,000 and I’ll take care of both processes: the civil and the ecclesiastical’. Please, not this!” "During the Synod, some proposals included trials being held free of charge. We shall have to see . . . But when you attach economic interests to spiritual interests, that is not God-like. Mother Church is so generous that it can provide justice free of charge, as we have been freely justified by Jesus Christ. This is important: separate two things. Thank you for doing this course: We must study and always continue to look for the salus animarum, which is not necessarily found outside of justice but is [found] indeed with justice."
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