Defend Marriage

The pope has released a statement that tribunals should work quickly but should also defend marriage. The work of the Roman Rota is dominated by marital issues, so the pope seems to be walking a line between decreasing the backlog of cases, the vast majority being marital, and defending marriage. He released this statement as he met with the official of the Vatican tribunal in a private audience, at the start of the judicial year. The Pope asked that they adhereo adhere carefully to the terms of Dignitatis Connubii, the Vatican document released in 2005 to guide the work of marriage tribunals.

The pope also cautioned against the the tendency to be less rigorous in the search for the truth. This may seem mor pastorial, but does a disservice to the faithful

But the Pope flatly rejected the idea that the canonical process involved in annulment is merely a matter of "legal formalities." That idea, he said, implies "a supposed conflict between law and pastoral care in general." To counter that notion, Pope Benedict reminded the officials of the Roman Rota that the purpose of Church tribunals is to arrive at a "declaration of truth by an impartial third party."

Marriage, the Holy Father continued, is an indissoluble contract, "not something of which the spouses can dispose at will." Thus when a couple brings a petition for annulment, the goal of the tribunal must be to determine whether or not, in fact, a valid marriage occurred.

In assessing each case, the Pope continued, the tribunal should be guided by the search for truth. He cautioned strongly against any tendency to compromise the rigor of that search, in a misguided effort to find serve the needs of individuals. "Such attitudes may seem pastoral," the Pope admitted; "but in reality they do not respond to the good of the individuals, or that of the ecclesial community."

I think the pope is pushing in the correct direction. What awaits to be seen is whether or not the Roman Rota and catholics at large will grasp the importance of this. In our society today, with attacks coming from all sides (atheism to muslim funalmentalism),the only way that good can win out is if we catholics get our own house in order. I think that the pope sees this. I only hope that he is not too late.