Pope to Release New Annulment Procedures Tuesday

ABCNews.go.com ^ | September 7,2015 | Nicole Winfield

[Biggirl]

Pope Francis on Tuesday will release new streamlined procedures for annulling marriages after he — and thousands of Catholics before him — complained that the church's current system is cumbersome, costly and often unfair.

[Biggirl]

Doing this ahead of his visit to the USA latter in the month?

[Gay State Conservative]

I wonder if he'll take a page or two out of Henry VIII’s playbook.

[chajin]

As Obi-Wan almost said, may divorce be with you

[Biggirl]

Self-correction: “later” in the month?

[MichaelCorleone]

Does the Pontiff plan on bringing any souls to Christ? Any interest in saving the lost?

I know it’s been hectic with all those Earth Science classes he’s been taking, and trying to earn that Economics degree is critical. Oh yes, and geography - must not only tell the USA how to run their economy but where, or even if, America should have her borders.

When all that is taken care of maybe he’ll realize it’s time to get back to the Church’s real purpose.

[Lurker]

Step 1. Change your name to Kennedy.

[kinsman redeemer]

Pontifecal Pronouncement.

[shibumi]

Ooooh! A Puntifical Entendre!

[piusv]

But I thought this was one of the topics of the Sin-od. He’s making decisions prior? Interesting. Very interesting.

[kinsman redeemer]

Maybe his zucchetto is too tight.

[shibumi]

Needs a popeller.

[shibumi]

Look at #9.

Someone else is Puntificating.

[Da Coyote]

“As Obi-Wan almost said, may divorce be with you”

Now that there was funny!

[piusv]

Francis has previously quoted his predecessor as Buenos Aires archbishop as saying half of the marriages that are celebrated are essentially invalid because people enter into them not realizing that matrimony is a life-long commitment.

What a joke.

[firebrand]

I believe he thinks that’s what he’s doing. But it’s sort of like giving someone a watered-down degree. It could even hurt the Catholic church if these people are not really repentant. (Thinking of the abortion statement, too.)

[JesusIsLord]

The hypocrisy of the Roman Catholic (RC) church is palatable. Their so-called "annulment" process is simply another way to lord over their flock with religious mumbo-jumbo. The following example is based on the personal experience of a close friend. My friend was legally married, had children, was divorced by their spouse and then subsequently the spouse, with wallet in hand, had the marriage "annulled" by the RC church. RC annulment allows the annulled party back into the good graces of the RC church, which among other things allows the recipient communion. BTW - the RC church withholds communion from "divorced" people. Again, what hypocrisy! By annulling the marriage of my friend, the RC church was saying the legal marriage was null and void, thus making bastards of the children and making their parents fornicators. RC "annulment" brings to mind another practice of the RC church, namely the selling of "indulgences". You can look that one up.

[piusv]

Exactly. All Francis is doing is making it easier for Catholics to sin (on both accoutns).

[Biggirl]

I was told for years that the annulment of the marriage does not make any children “bastards”.

[firebrand]

The Catholic church has no concept of illegitimacy. That’s a secular legal term.

If the father is unknown, or “unknown,” the baptism certificate says “pater ignominiam,” father’s name unknown, if I have the Latin right—this is where our word “ignominious” comes from.

[piusv]

Annulments have skyrocketed post Vatican II. I heard there were 90 worldwide in 1939. In the US alone, there were about 55,000 in 2013 decreased from around 80,000 in the 1980's.

Clearly, annulments need to be streamlined. /s