For those of you that frequent this website and forums, you may know me. I filed a Petition for a Canonical Investigation of Marital Validity (or Annulment) in the Arlington Tribunal almost two years ago. In the long wait, I was able to determine that the marriage is valid myself, and now I am waiting to see if the Tribunal will confirm my finding, or will require that I appeal to Rome.

To be quite honest, what started me on my own determination was a personal message I believe was sent by our Blessed Mother. She sent me six or seven independent remainders over the course of one day that I must respect the indissolubility of a valid sacramental marriage. (This came almost one year after the divorce.) The messages were not overbearing, but were unmistakable in retrospect. If you have ever seen the film "Signs" you will have some idea of the nature of my experience. I am so grateful that God decided to strengthen my faith in this way.

My question is, is that my Petition has been sitting on the Judges List for three months, which I am told is very atypical. Does anyone have any idea how I might get them to move things along? It really getting to be a little too long to wait. I know my wife, to some extent, is waiting for this decision too for guidance as to how she should live her life.

Any helpful comments would be appreciated.

Thanks,

-- Pat Delaney (patrickrdelaney@yahoo.com), July 02, 2003

Answers

Pat, I'm not familiar with your personal situation.

Please help me understand.

You petitioned for a Writ of Nullity and now believe that your marriage should be declared valid?

If you truly believe this, why not withdraw the petition and save time for both you, your wife, and the tribunal?

Are you and your wife working toward reconciliation?

As for speeding the process -- Tribunals work on a first come, first serve basis. There are variables, such as, the completeness of the petition and witness statements, timely submission of all forms, etc. But, it would be unfair to the others who are waiting to try to force things along.

May God bless you and your wife,

-- john placette (jplacette@catholic.org), July 02, 2003.

Thanks for the quick reply John.

Actually, my wife originally instituted the separation because she believed a decree of nullity would be obtained. We are both strong Catholics, but Annulments are quite common in her family so she chose this route over seeking any kind of marital counseling. She is living with my three sons waiting to hear just as I am whether the marriage is valid. So at this point, I actually want a ruling as she does not think I can objectively determine whether the marriage is valid.

Besides my interest in obtaining a ruling, I approached the Tribunal about withdrawing the Petition shortly before it was placed on the Judges List. This was after all the evidence was entered. My interest then was to file my Petition at the Roman Rota directly for a First Instance consideration there. This is possible, and Italians do it all the time.

I was told by the Arlington Tribunal that since the Petition had progressed as far as it had in Arlington, that the Judge there had discretion to retain the Petition to make a ruling and was going to exercise this. The odd thing is, they insist on doing the ruling, which is fine by me, but they just seem to be sitting on it.

I'm wondering if a call or letter to the Arlington Bishop or perhaps some Cardinal might get some action happening. Edward Cardinal Egan would be good, he's really my kind of guy, but his Archdiocese is in New York, not Arlington. By the way, I'm considering ways to get this case before the Holy Father somehow. My family has a friend at the John Paul II Institute who has a meal with him about every other month and apparently is a personal friend of sorts.

What I really want is someone to shed a little light on a confused and murky marital situation.

Any suggestions?

-- Pat Delaney (patrickrdelaney@yahoo.com), July 02, 2003.

You should have gotten your answer at first instance within 6 months.

You should write to the Judicial Vicar, cc the Bishop and let them know that you are informing the Dean of the Rota regarding this delay and ask the Dean to intervene.

This should make the losers move.

Karl

-- Karl (Parkerkajwen@hotmail.com), July 02, 2003.

Sounds good but who is the Judicial Vicar?

For what, Arlington, the States, Worldwide? Its easy to find out who is the Dean of the Rota. Its on the Vatican website.

-- Pat Delaney (patrickrdelaney@yahoo.com), July 02, 2003.

Call the tribunal, get the name and send it off or simply address the Judicial Vicar by title at the diocesan tribunal office. The JV will get the letter.

Karl

-- Karl (Parkerkajwen@hotmail.com), July 02, 2003.

Also in answer to your question, unfortunately no, we are not working toward a reconciliation. She is quite irrational on this point. Her position is that since the marriage does not exist, there is no obligation to try to reconcile. This position she adopted in 1999 at the time she required a separation. Its a by- product of the annulment mentality in her family and this country.

-- Pat Delaney (patrickrdelaney@yahoo.com), July 03, 2003.

Very sorry to hear of the hardness of her heart. Alot of that these days and the Church accepts it and runs with it instead of pushing for reconciliation and penalizing those who destroy their marriages.

Karl

-- Karl (Parkerkajwen@hotmail.com), July 03, 2003.