Subject: VISnews 110204
Organization: VIS - Ufficio Stampa della Santa Sede
From: Vatican Information Service - Eng - txt
VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
TWENTY FIRST YEAR - N. 24
ENGLISH
FRIDAY, 4 FEBRUARY 2011
SUMMARY:
- Plenary of Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura
- Third Phase of Anglican-Catholic Dialogue to Begin in May
- Audiences
___________________________________________________________
PLENARY OF SUPREME TRIBUNAL OF THE APOSTOLIC SIGNATURA
VATICAN CITY, 4 FEB 2011 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican, Benedict XI
received participants in the plenary assembly of the Supreme Tribunal of the
Apostolic Signatura. As the Pope pointed out in his remarks, this is the
first time he has received members of the institution since the promulgation
of its "Lex propria", which he signed in 2008 and thanks to which it can
periodically celebrate a plenary "Congregatio" for "the promotion of the
correct administration of justice in the Church.
"The function of this tribunal is not, in fact limited to exercising
supreme judicial authority", Benedict XVI added, "but it also has an
executive role in overseeing the correct administration of justice within
the ecclesial body. ... This activity must be co-ordinated and patient,
aimed above all at supplying the faithful with a correct, prompt and
efficient administration of justice, as I myself requested, regarding cases
of nullification of marriage, in the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation
'Sacramentum caritatis'".
The Holy Father went on then to explain how, in that Apostolic
Exhortation, he had also "referred to the Instruction 'Dignitas connubii',
which gives moderators and ministers of the tribunal, in the form of a
handbook, the norms they need to ensure that causes for nullification of
marriage are dealt with and resolved in the quickest and surest way. The
activities of the Apostolic Signatura aim to ensure that ecclesiastical
tribunals are present on the ground and that their ministry is adapted to
the just requirements of speed and simplicity, which the faithful have a
right to expect in the handling of their cases".
"Supervision over the correct administration of justice would, however, be
incomplete if it did not also include the function of ensuring correct
jurisprudence", said the Pope. "Thus, I also encourage you as you reflect
over these days on the correct jurisprudence to propose to local tribunals
concerning 'error iuris' as a reason for the nullification of marriage".
The Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura "also operates in another
delicate area of the administration of justice, one entrusted to it by
Servant of God Paul VI. The Signatura, in fact, deals with controversies
which arise from an act of ecclesiastical administrative power, referred to
it by legitimate appeal against singular administrative acts issued or
approved by the dicasteries of the Roman Curia. This is a vitally important
service: predisposing instruments of justice (from the peaceful resolution
of controversies to their being judicially processed and decided) means
offering a place for dialogue and for the restoration of communion in the
Church".
The Holy Father went on: "Although it is true that injustice must be met,
above all, with the spiritual weapons of prayer, charity, forgiveness and
penance, in certain cases we cannot exclude the need for it to be met with
legal instruments. These are, first and foremost, places for dialogue which
can sometimes lead to harmony and reconciliation".
In other cases, "when it is impossible to resolve the controversy
peacefully, the development of the administrative adversarial trial will
lead to a judicial verdict on the controversy. Here too the activity of the
Supreme Tribunal seeks the restoration of ecclesial communion; that is, the
restoration of an objective order in conformity with the good of the
Church".
"Justice - which the Church pursues through the administrative adversarial
trial - may be considered as the beginning, the minimum requirement and
charitable anticipation, indispensable yet at the same time insufficient if
compared to the charity from which the Church lives. Nonetheless the People
of God during their pilgrim journey on earth will never achieve their
identity as a community of love if they do not remain attentive to the
requirements of justice".
AC/ VIS
20110204 (620)
THIRD PHASE OF ANGLICAN-CATHOLIC DIALOGUE TO BEGIN IN MAY
VATICAN CITY, 4 FEB 2011 (VIS) - Official dialogue between the Catholic
Church and the Anglican Communion, which began forty years ago, has
concluded its first two phases, according to a communique released by the
Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
The dialogue is undertaken by the Anglican-Roman Catholic International
Commission (ARCIC), sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Promoting
Christian Unity, and the Department for Unity, Faith and Order of the
Anglican Communion.
The co-chairmen and co-secretaries of this new third phase of the
Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission have drawn up a plan for
their first meeting, which will be held by the monastery of Bose in northern
Italy, from 17 to 27 May. The new phase of ARCIC's work was mandated by Pope
Benedict XVI and the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, at their
meeting in Rome in November 2009.
The co-chairmen of the commission - which is made up of ten Anglican and
eight Catholic members - are Archbishop Bernard Longley of Birmingham,
England (Roman Catholic), and Archbishop David Moxon of the New Zealand
dioceses (Anglican).
"The task of this third phase of ARCIC will be to consider fundamental
questions regarding the 'Church as Communion - Local and Universal', and
'How in communion the Local and Universal Church comes to discern right
ethical teaching'. These interrelated topics emerged from the Common
Declaration of the Pope and the Archbishop of Canterbury", the communique
says.
The text concludes by explaining that "the international membership of
this new phase of ARCIC represents a wide range of cultural settings, and
brings to the commission a variety of theological disciplines".
CON-UC/ VIS 20110204
(280)
AUDIENCES
VATICAN CITY, 4 FEB 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father today received in separate
audiences:
- Cardinal George Pell, archbishop of Sydney, Australia.
- Bishop Felix Genn of Munster, Germany.
- Bishop Lucas Van Looy S.D.B. of Ghent, Belgium.
This evening he is scheduled to receive in audience Cardinal William
Joseph Levada, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
AP/ VIS
20110204 (70)
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