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26 John Street,
No. 2133:
RAW OP
rums
Perth
PERTH, THURSDAY, MAY 10, 1979
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Annulment; t
situation in
this State A marriage tribunal was not a divorce court, and was committed to true Christian marriage, Father Kevin Henry of the Perth Matrimonial Tribunal said this week. "We are concerned with the presence of a true Chris-
that there had been 60 ap- that there had been no true proaches to the office be- Christian marriage from tween its establishment in the outset of the union. June last year and DecemOn the other hand, marber. riage tribunals did not There had been 45 ap- usually accept a case unless proaches so far this year. there had been civil divorce, indicating that a marriage THREE GRANTED relationship has already Since June there had been broken down, and because three judgments granting of other legal and techannulments and another nical reasons. four were coming up for Father Henry explained judgment, Father Henry that there was need for said. Of the 105 people who time in obtaining witnesses, made an approach to the hearing their testimony and tribunal, a quarter would preparing a case that could not have followed up the be presented for judgment. contact. The principal misunder"Either it was too much standing of the Church's of an ordeal to face, or they position on marriage is have failed to do certain over psychic incapacity as things and supply inform- a ground for annulment. ation requested," Father Sits:h a view calls into Henry explained. question ,he.ther at the time
tian marriage but if this is not the case then it is not fair if a married person never has a right for their case to be heard," he said. He was commenting on a "Sunday Times" article citing an increase of cases appearing before Catholic marrisoe tribunals around
Australia. INACCURATE The "Sunday Times" arwas reprinted from the Sydney "Sunday Tele-
ticle
graph". From
Sydney,
Father
Geoff Robinson who was interviewed in the article, said that the printed version was quite different from that which the paper's reporter read back to him over the phone and to which he gave his approval. For example, the 350 annulments quoted for the New South Wales Tribunal were over 10 years, not one year and half would have been for the usual technical reasons and not because widened rounds for
annulment,
Father
son said.
of marl iage
person had maturity or under-
jubilee celebration co-incided with Vocations Sunday and priests, Religious and laity renewed their commitment to their vocation. Dean FOLEY, ordained 25 years ago, greets couples married in 1954: Barbara and Peter FISHER, married at St Joseph's, Oakham, England on October 9, and Angelina and Carmine CICCHINI, married at Osborne Pork on July 17 the same year. (SEE ALSO PAGE 81 ish
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TRIBUNAL'S POLICY enough A person might approach standing of married obligathe tribunal because he or tions to he able to give conshe had discussed the mat-
At Saint Mary's Cathedral last week, a par
sent.
ter with Centrecare counFormerly the Church sellors or a priest, or because he or she had read considered a minimum dearticles in the Catholic sirable age and the ability to achieve sexual union as Press. Others enquired simply the basic requirements for Robinwondering if there was the marriage. Nowadays, with
Fewer Catholic church weddings
-
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (NC/ A 17 per cent decline in Catholic marriage ceremonies about in Louisville archdiocese is attributed to stiffer psychological processes, it is marriage guidelines introduced last year. possible to say that a youthincreased knowledge
Father Henry, who con- possibility of an annulment ducts initial interviews with in their case. clients at the Perth Tribunal An annulment was not a office in Hay Street, said divorce because it set out ful person, for example, may not have been sufficiently mature at the time of marriage to give full consent in the Christian and GMH Catholic meaning of the sacrament.
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In a report on the guideWhile the guidelines relines, which require a four - quire all couples marrying month notification and par- in the Church to take part ticipation by couples in an in an approved marriage approved marriage prepara- preparation programme, spetion programme, the Family cial counselling is required Ministries Office said: in some cases. "Archdiocesan officials The major reasons for reA practical result is that noted that they cannot esferring ,couples to special in many dioceses persons tinder 18 will not be al- tablish a direct cause and counselling are: Either partlowed to enter marriage un- effect relationship between ner is under 18, a pregnancy less they have been screened the introdoefihn of the com- is involved or there is a mon policy Jon marriage) lack of readiness for marby a marriage counsellor. and the decliAe of marr- riage. Alternatively, longer per_ iages. iods of notification are be"Yet they know of no COUNSELLING ing demanded by celebrants other factor.,...ts account for Seventy-four couples participated in required counso that discussions and in- the declitie.' terviews can take place to selling sessions in 1978 and a delay of the marriage was see if both parties have a The Pitiiity Ministries Of- recommended by the counsufficient understanding of the marriage they are un- fice report noted that "the sellor in 31 per cent of the statistics were greeted as in- cases. dertaking. dication of the effectiveness The report said: Short of the drastic al"The guidelines were initernative of absolutely re- of the guidelines in discouraging ill-advised marriag- tiated in response to the fusing certain marriages. es." widespread breakdown of this is about as much as Father Boland the office marriages.. can he done pastorally to director added, however, -Sulu the decision to forestall litter claims thy' that it was not known whe- marry is a very serious one the marriage consent wa, ther some couples ac the common policy seeks to defective. postponed their mirriacte or insure adequate pastoral pre. (TRIBUNAL DIRECTOR'S whether th-v married out- partition for those wishing VIEWS, PAGE 4) side the Church. to marry in the Church."
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