Warning on/ annulment cases
PERTH, WA: JANUARY 29 — FEBRUARY 4, 1981 NUMBER 2224 PRICE: 30 cents TELEPHONE: (09) 328 1388
V ATICAN CITY (NC) — Pope John Paul II last week told Vatican tribunal officials that there had been an "alarming increase" in marriage c ases in church courts and warned "easy and hasty" a gainst a nnulments.
In a speech opening the judicial year for the R oman Rota, the church's central court of a ppeals for marriage cases, he said that concern expressed at the recent World Synod of Bishops "over the alarming increase of marriage cases in church courts will certainly be valued" in the current process of revising c hurch law.
He called for greater pastoral efforts in marriage preparation and warned that "The preparation for matrimony itself would be negatively influenced by decrees or sentences of matrimonial nullity if these He said the celebration of matrimony already "has should be obtained too easily." Pope John Paul warned that easy church annulments lost among many young people the consideration due could compound the problems marriage stability it." The Pope emphasised that lower church courts must already faced from widespread civil divorce. If annulments "were to multiply as easy and hasty carefully follow the jurisprudence (application of law to pronouncements," he said, this would contribute to specific cases) developed by the Roman Rota. The Pope asked the diocesan and regional courts to creating an "existential and psychological perspective" in which getting married is considered "less serious and follow the directives of the Holy See, the constant jurisprudence of the Rota, and the faithful application of the demanding"than it should. norms, without having recourse to presumed or probable innovations or to interpretations that did not correspond objectively to the canonical norm and are not IP supported by any qualified jurisprudence. The Pope emphasised church teaching on the absolute indissolubility of marriage and indirectly repudiated arguments that, for pastoral reasons, the church ought to recognise irretrievably broken marriages. Linking marriage and family as the core of society he A new Catholic venture, the Christian Community for said that every safeguarding of the legitimate family is the Social Apostolate, assumed formal status from always in favour of the individual person. "One-sided concern for the individual can turn into Archbishop Goody last Friday when he signed docudamage for that same human person, besides harming ments establishing the community. matrimony and the family, which are goods both of the Pictured watching Archbishop Goody as he signs the document of person and of society." formal institution are Christian Community for Social Apostolate their "Nature and grace show us, even if in different ways Cooke, Marie Rafferty, Mary-Jo eY and degrees, a divine plan for matrimony and the fam- members, left to right: Sisters Patrice guardian of the constitution. O'Brien, Mary and Moynihan Anne Duffy, and, safeguarded to, attended be always a ily, which must according to the specific tasks of each church activity , The group is the first of its kind to be associated with particular apostolic favoured, so that it be received by human society as formally established in the archdiocese works in and close to Perth which and one other Catholic community is still include: widely as possible," he said. • Family counselling, and a residential "The church, therefore, also with its law and the in the experimental stage. exercise of its judicial power, can and must safeguard The Christian Community for the Social centre for adolescents in Forrest Street the values of matrimony and the family, to promote Apostolate has been an experimental which also provides special schooling up group since 1972 and members will now to the achievement certificate and tertiary man and strengthen his dignity." The Pope's stern words to the Roman Rota appear to take private vows of poverty, chastity and admittance. be echoing concern voiced in Rome during the Sep- o bedience under archdiocesan • A residence for homeless youth and new crisis centre in Monmouth Street tember Synod of Bishops about the increasing number supervision. There are five members who will take where children can be tended while parof annulments. Veiled comments appeared to be directed towards the vows and a further three in training who ents deal with their particular difficulties. United States where in 1978 the US Catholic courts will be eligible for vows in two years. Two • The Institute of Human Development issued 43,000 of the estimated 55,000 plus decisions applicants for the community will com- at Yokine which provides family counselmence training in February at the Com- ling and a family support scheme and given in the Church totally. Cardinal Felici made an attack on "one country" munity's centre in Howlett Street which is which also provides professional training for people in such areas as communicawhere there had been a 5000 per cent increase in annul- also a house of formation. Members promise to live as a commun- tion skills and personnel management. ments in ten years. On a certain continent, he continued "The usual ity and are committed to a daily pro- • Jarrandale Village with 10 fullyheadings of nullity in the law of the church have been gramme of meditation, shared prayer and equipped two-bedroom chalets, conference centre and discussion areas that are forsaken in practice, and just one ground of nullity is scripture reading. used for life preparation courses for coma of superior formal no to There is incapacity the immaturity, psychological recognised, assume or fulfill the obligations of matrimony, particu- munity although one member is desig- secondary students and as holiday larly as regards communion of life and interpersonal nated as guardian of the constitution. accommodation for needy families and Decisions are taken by community con- single parents, residential weekends and relations," said the Cardinal. marriage enrichment courses for married U S Church Courts often use psychological immatur- sensus. Members will live in houses that are couples. ity as a reason in annulment cases.
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