Not long after stating that divorce may be morally necessary in a marriage, Pope Francis has announced a new set of procedures that would make it easier for Catholics around the world to have their marriages annulled in a move that is intended to streamline a process that has been considered as too cumbersome, complicated and expensive, according to The New York Times.
Speaking at a Vatican news conference on Tuesday, Msgr. Alejandro W. Bunge stated that in order to "ensure that a case doesn't sleep, tribunals and judges will have to sleep a little less."
The new rules are set to take full effect on Dec. 8, especially among annulment cases wherein both parties are amenable to the separation. According to the changes in the process, fast-track cases may be heard as soon as 30 days after the initial application gets filed.
A review process by a member of the clergy has also been eliminated, as well as the fees involved, which had in the past been has high as $450, reported KWWL News.
The response to the announcement has so far been positive among the Catholic community, including Father Jim Miller of the Church of Nativity.
"I think people need a second chance, when they really mean well and want to make that kind of commitment to another person," he said.
