Alaska’s three dioceses make changes to marriage nullity cases

CatholicAnchor.org
In conforming with Pope Francis’ call to reform the annulment process of marriage tribunals around the world, the three dioceses in Alaska have made procedural changes when it comes to declaring whether a sacramental marriage ever took place between a man and a woman.

The new process aims to streamline the system for granting annulments, while continuing to affirm the longstanding Catholic recognition that valid marriages are indissoluble.

Father Pat Travers serves as the judicial vicar for the Anchorage Archdiocese, Juneau Diocese and Fairbanks Diocese. In a recent letter to pastoral staff at the Anchorage Archdiocese he explained the changes, which were instituted on Dec. 8.

The Alaska dioceses are still working to train and inform staff on the changes, which include procedural processes that “will benefit all types of formal cases by shortening the process by a few months,” according to Father Travers.

In some cases an even briefer process may be used.

“Once a case is received, we will be able to determine if the briefer process will apply,” Father Travers noted.

For more information about the annulment process in the Anchorage Archdiocese, call the Tribunal Office at 297-7724.