Introduction In a previous post, I explained the role of the Defender of the Bond in marriage annulment proceedings. However, the Defender of the Bond is just one role of several others in the Ecclesiastical Tribunal. Another major role is that of the Ecclesiastical Judge. The term ‘judge’ may conjure Read more
Understanding the Ecclesiastical Interdict Introduction In Malta, the word ‘interdett’ (interdict) rarely feels like a neutral, official term. For many Maltese, it evokes memories of the political and religious conflicts of the 1960s. It might remind people of remaining seated during Holy Communion, having religious marriages being considered clandestine, or Read more
Introduction I finally mustered the courage to share with my fellow Maltese brothers and sisters that I have been conducting my doctoral research on the penalty of interdict in the Roman Catholic Church. I was brought up in 1990s Malta, and I have heard stories and seen things happen with Read more
Introduction Given my recent appointment as a Defender of the Bond, many people have asked me about the specifics of the role. So, I will briefly explain it here. Most of you have heard of marriage annulments in the Catholic Church. Perhaps a few of you know the nitty-gritty details Read more
Introduction In this post, I discuss the question I am often asked as a canon lawyer: What is the point of seeking a declaration of nullity of a Catholic marriage from the Ecclesiastical Tribunal? The answer to this question is multifold, but I will try to keep it simple by Read more
Canon law is the rules and regulations of a Church. It contains procedures, rights and obligations of the Church’s members and other laws that support the Church’s structure. This post, gives particular attention to the canon law of the Catholic Church. The canon law of the Catholic Church binds all Read more
Introduction I was always taught that the Bible is adaptable to any time; yes, even to our times. As Christians, it is up to us to read the Bible and to apply it to our circumstances, not for us to be exempted from our responsibilities, but for us to be Read more
Introduction In 2015, Pope Francis issued Mitis Iudex Dominus Iesus (MIDI) in motu proprio. There were several reforms that came with MIDI which updated the CIC1983 particularly the part concerning matrimonial procedural canon law. In this blog post I intend to choose three of these reforms and discuss them briefly. Read more
Introduction Reported cases of sexual abuse by Catholic priests or other Catholic Church representatives have been coming into light in the past few years and months. This is a deep and saddening wound for the Catholic Church, and for the rest of the Catholics, both clerics and lay persons. I Read more
“…he was crucified, died and was buried; he descended into hell.” This is what Catholics confess at Mass during the Creed. What does this really mean? When one thinks of the paschal mystery, one often has in mind Good Friday and Easter Sunday. But what exactly goes on, on Saturday, Read more