Curia: PN mayor’s comments ‘defamatory’, refuses to revisit Tribunals’ efficiency
Curia says mayor's comments that annulments are 'matter of money and contacts' were defamatory.
The Catholic Church has taken umbrage at comments by the Nationalist mayor of Lija, Ian Castaldi Paris, who denounced the procedures for marriage annulments inside the Church’s tribunals as “a matter of money and contacts”.
Castaldi Paris’s comments were made to sister newspaper Illum last week, echoing claims by retired Judge Philip Sciberras that the Church was concerned the introduction of divorce would rob of it of a vital stream of revenue. The Curia says it actually loses money on the ecclesiastical tribunals.
In comments to Illum, a spokesperson for the Curia said Castaldi Paris’s declaration was “serious and defamatory on the officials and employees of the Tribunal, not having any specific information in his hands.”
The Curia also said it was not considering revisiting the way its tribunals work – notoriously having cases for marriage annulments taking up to eight years – and whether it could shorten the duration of such cases.
“The operation of the Tribunal, like any other Church Tribunal, is examined regularly by the Segnatura Apostolica supreme tribunal, as well as by the Archbishop who is responsible for the tribunals,” a spokesperson said.
The same spokesperson said “no specific accusations” or complaints of alleged favouritism or kickbacks made against the tribunal were ever received. “If so, they would be investigated thoroughly.”
The Curia would not comment on how many people have received more than one annulment. “Since the number is itself not large and the people in such cases could be easily identified, it is not prudent [to release this information].”
Castaldi Paris, who is also the PN’s president of its councillors’ college, praised the position of Labour leader Joseph Muscat not to take a party position on divorce given that there are MPs who do not support its introduction. “I would have done the same. I agree with Joseph Muscat for saying so and for granting a free vote.”
Castaldi Paris said that despite his personal stand against divorce, he concedes that those passing through difficult situations have a right to a new beginning. He also criticised the Church directly: “From what I hear, obtaining an annulment from the Church is more an issue of money and contacts than anything else.”