Diocese of Pittsburgh eliminates fees for marriage annulments

[Geremia]

It's the first of April. Maybe that's relevant.

Let's hope not.

Isn't April Fools Day an anti-Catholic "holiday" anyways?

[Dirigible]

It's the first of April. Maybe that's relevant.

Let's hope not.

Isn't April Fools Day an anti-Catholic "holiday" anyways?

What's anti-Catholic about it?

[Geremia]

My wife visited a "Catholic"(?) "priest"(?), who had an annulment himself and even visits his allegedly mentally ill wife(?), and he actually suggested that she get an annulment, and that it could easily be granted her, even without my consent! Why didn't he suggest we go to confession? This really makes me think some people really do consider annulment sacred.

[Geremia]

It's the first of April. Maybe that's relevant.

Let's hope not.

Isn't April Fools Day an anti-Catholic "holiday" anyways?

What's anti-Catholic about it?

It's certainly something no Catholic should participate in, since it involves lying (even if they're just jocular).

One story of its origins, that it pokes fun at those who didn't go along with Pope Gregory's instituting the Gregorian calendar with Jan. 1 and not April 1 being the start of a new year, could be thought of pro-papacy, as it pokes fun at those who refuse submission to the pope.

[Poche]

Diocese of Pittsburgh eliminates fees for marriage annulments


“My staff and I have long dreamed of this move,” Bishop David Zubik said in a letter to Catholics.

By Peter Smith / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Diocese of Pittsburgh is eliminating all fees for couples seeking an annulment, Bishop David Zubik announced today.

Bishop Zubik said the decision was in response to Pope Francis’ call to make annulments easier, and free.

“My staff and I have long dreamed of this move,” Bishop Zubik said in a letter to Catholics. “Our dear Pope Francis inspired us to act now. He has called for marriage tribunals to ‘do justice freely, as we have freely been forgiven by Jesus Christ.’ My hope is that this decision will enable many people to participate fully in the sacramental life of the Church.”

An annulment process previously cost several hundred dollars, and while the diocese has waived fees in cases of financial need, the presence of the fees discouraged some from applying, according to church officials. The elimination of fees takes place immediately.

Pope Francis has called for dialogue at high-level synods on the subject of the family, including on ways to make the church more receptive to divorced and remarried persons.

“The sacraments are free,” Francis said in January. “... I want so much for every process to be free of charge!”

Annulments come after a review by a church tribunal of a couple that has received a civil divorce. While the church teaches that sacramental marriage is eternal, if it’s determined there was never a spiritual bond between the couple, their marriage can be annulled and the persons can remarry. Without an annulment, the church says remarried persons cannot receive the sacraments.

Peter Smith: petersmith@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1416 or on Twitter @PG_PeterSmith.

---

This article reminded me of a very scandalous "Catholic"(?) church website that actually lists annulment as a sacrament; here's the screenshot I took:

Even on their updated website it classifies annulment under the sacraments page: http://sacredheartmedford.org/sacraments

Was there a fee attached to the said annulment?

[Poche]

It is a good thing. Paying for annulments sounds corrupt and very open to abuse.

It was said somewhere that when he was Cardinal Bergoglio, there was a canon lawyer who promised that for an appropriate renumeration he could guarantee the decree of nullity. He was fired.

[Poche]

My wife visited a "Catholic"(?) "priest"(?), who had an annulment himself and even visits his allegedly mentally ill wife(?), and he actually suggested that she get an annulment, and that it could easily be granted her, even without my consent! Why didn't he suggest we go to confession? This really makes me think some people really do consider annulment sacred.

I think it is innapropriate for a Catholic priest to talk about how he could get someone who is already married an annulment.

[GangGreen]

One would think they'd make it cheaper to get married in church since tons of people these days skip the church ceremony.

[PrairieMom]

One would think they'd make it cheaper to get married in church since tons of people these days skip the church ceremony.

That's only because the Church won't marry them on the beach, or in a corn field, or wherever it is that people seem to like to get married these days...

If people can spend $20,000 on a party, surely they can cough up $200 to get married in the Church.

[Poche]

One would think they'd make it cheaper to get married in church since tons of people these days skip the church ceremony.

That's only because the Church won't marry them on the beach, or in a corn field, or wherever it is that people seem to like to get married these days...

If people can spend $20,000 on a party, surely they can cough up $200 to get married in the Church.

By this are you saying that the diocesan stipend for a marriage is $200.00?