Bishops Respond: Plea to Drop their Divorce Mandate

Earlier, we submitted a petition to select bishops asking them to drop their divorce mandate. Signers included priests, canon lawyers, and theology professors.  We received only three responses—two of them highlight just how inconsistent the Church’s leadership really is.  Watch my reaction:

Both Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone and Bishop Thomas John Paprocki share membership in two USCCB’s committees: “Laity, Marriage, Family Life, and Youth” and “Canonical Affairs.”

Archbishop Cordileone, in San Francisco, says his Tribunal does not require a civil divorce prior to investigating the invalidity of a marriage; “if the [annulment] petitioner has a civil divorce decree, we ask him or her to submit a copy. If the judge, however, has full proof of that irreparability without such [divorce] decree, the [tribunal] judge may accept the case.”

Bishop Paprocki, in Springfield Illinois, says something different:

According to findlaw.com, only six states allow suits for this kind of interference, and the aggrieved party would have to prove the following. I cannot even imagine a situation where this would be applicable.

Criminal conversation

• You (Plaintiff brining suit) were in a valid marriage with your spouse
• The party you are suing (diocese personnel) had sex with your spouse during your marriage

Alienation of affection

• You (Plaintiff brining suit) are in a valid marriage
• There is love and affection in the marriage
• The defendant (diocese personnel) caused or contributed to the loss of love and affection
• Your spouse’s love or affection was, in fact, lost

Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress

• The defendant (diocese personnel) acted intentionally or recklessly
• The defendant’s conduct was extreme and outrageous
• The conduct was the cause of severe emotional distress