Pope Francis is cutting red tape at the Vatican, radically streamlining the process for annulling marriages, necessary if a Catholic wants to remarry in the church.
The new law Francis issued Tuesday will allow bishops to make fast-track decisions in cases where both spouses request an annulment.
Buffalo Bishop Richard Malone says the Pope's message is not a liberalization of church theology. He says the Pope's major theme is how can the Church most effectively and graciously accompany people in the different circumstances of their lives.
"People who are in difficult marriages, people who are in good marriages but are struggling with the economy, all those kinds of things, people, families where we have folks with same sex attraction, the Pope is saying, not that we're going to change any teaching, but how can we be more present, and compassionate, and loving as we walk the journey with those folks," Malone said Tuesday morning.
The annulment decision is one that will be made by individual bishops on a case by case basis.
