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State Rep. Robert F. Matzie: Ban resale of Pennsylvania drivers’ data

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Letter to the Editor: ESPN’s dismissal of commentator Curt Schilling squelches free speech

<p>The letter to the editor titled &#8220;See divorce in new view&#8221; (April 26) contains a number of misperceptions and calls for clarification.</p><p>For example, the writer compares a failed marriage to a failed business venture. While some people in today&#8217;s society might hold this view, it implies that the Catholic belief and teaching of the indissolubility (permanence) of marriage is &#8220;out of date&#8221; or even irrelevant. With such a perspective on marriage, it&#8217;s no wonder why some people consider an annulment to be unnecessary or even unjust.</p><p>In the Catholic Church, of course, marriage is a sacrament, not simply a legal contract or business proposition. Most Catholics believe in the indissoluble nature of marriage. Their commitment to one another and in God&#8217;s help to sanctify and fortify their marriage remains firm &#8211; 30, 40, 50, yes, even 60 or more years &#8211; after the wedding day.</p><p>But the church also has recognized that, for varied reasons, there exists the possibility that a person can fail to, or not have the ability to, enter into an indissoluble marriage. For centuries, the church has relied on a process commonly referred to as an &#8220;annulment&#8221; to determine whether an indissoluble marriage exists. This process is offered in support of people who have a steadfast faith in the sacraments, such as marriage and Holy Communion.</p><p>Another fact must be stated: Many people of different economic and social statuses have been helped to preserve their faith through the process, even though there might have been a limited fee, which often was waived in view of financial hardship. As of October 2015, there is no longer a fee for an annulment proceeding in the Diocese of Scranton.</p><p>The annulment process is a valid ministry of the church that continues to enable many people to receive the grace of the sacraments, and it has been and remains available to anyone, regardless of their economic or social status.</p><p><strong>The Rev. Anthony J. Generose</strong></p><p>Judicial vicar</p><p>The Diocese of Scranton</p><style>
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Letter to the Editor: Annulment process misrepresented in prior letter, says judicial vicar