I’ve recently seen educators mischaracterize the three Augustinian goods of marriage: prolis, fidei, sacramenti. Those who are upholding the validity of their marriage in diocesan tribunals need the faithful to have clear teaching about these aspects of marriage. When aspects of a successful, fulfilling marriage are confused with the characteristics of marriage to which one must consent, anyone who is not satisfied with his marriage can suspect it is invalid.

I just sent a letter to the Archbishop of Washington DC, Cardinal W. McElroy, asking him to judge a publication by the Canon Law Society of America, The Tribunal Handbook, Judicial Procedures in Marriage Nullity Cases, Revised and Updated. See Our Letter Because the book is widely used by tribunals and those who interact with […]

Watch my conversation with a man we’ll call John, who was a plaintiff in a no-fault divorce and later petitioned for an annulment. He wanted to share his perspective now that he regrets both decisions.  When his marriage was in crisis, John says he was given advice by priests that was “watered down” Church teaching. He wished the priests had strongly urged him to stay committed to his marriage. [...]

Joe McClane, host of The Station of the Cross’ “The Catholic Take” invited me on his show on December 1. We talked about Pope Leo XIV’s closing address to an international canon law course in which the Pontiff cautioned against using “false mercy” to grant annulments.  We discussed my recent blog on Mary’s Advocates’ Pope […]

By Bai Macfarlane Pope Leo XIV warned against using false mercy in annulment processes, which should not be seen as a means aimed solely at freeing persons from a previous marriage bond. He gave the closing address on Friday to attendees at an international course promoted by the Tribunal of the Roman Rota, the Church’s […]

Bishop Vittorio Francesco Viola, who is the Secretary of the Dicastery in Rome overseeing the discipline of the sacraments, seems to hold a position that contradicts Catholic doctrine on marriage jurisdiction. … At issue is whether the Church teaches that the civil government has rightful authority to relieve a spouse of the obligation to maintain an intact home and empower a spouse to retroactively recoup the mutual help the spouse gave to the marital household.