<p>
	Pope Francis has revolutionised the procedure for Catholics to get marriage annulments, making them faster and simpler and calling on bishops to provide greater help to divorced couples.</p>
<p>
	The most substantial changes to Catholic marriage annulment procedures in centuries again showed the Pontiff&#39;s desire for the church to be more merciful to Catholics who are in difficulty.</p>
<p>
	<br />
	However, the 1.2 billion-member church does not recognise divorce and last night the Pope faced calls for more to be done to help Catholics whose marriages have failed.</p>
<p>
	<br />
	In a document known as a &#39;motu proprio&#39;, Latin for &#39;by his own initiative&#39;, Pope Francis has reaffirmed traditional teaching on the &quot;indissolubility of marriage&quot;.<br />
	But he streamlined procedures that many considered cumbersome, lengthy, outdated and expensive.</p>
<p>
	<br />
	The Pope said the procedures, which can cost thousands of euro in legal fees, should be free.</p>
<p>
	<br />
	He is also giving bishops sweeping powers to judge quickly the most clear-cut cases themselves.</p>
<p>
	<br />
	An annulment, formally known as a &#39;decree of nullity&#39;, is a ruling that a marriage was not valid in the first place, according to church law.</p>
<p>
	<br />
	However, many couples and priests have complained that the current complex procedures discourage even those with legitimate grounds for an annulment from trying to obtain one.</p>
<p>
	<br />
	Pope Francis also specified that bishops should show &quot;particular pastoral concern&quot; for divorced and remarried Catholics.</p>
<p>
	<br />
	This has been interpreted as a signal that the Pope is seeking to reach out pastorally to Catholics affected by marriage breakdown.</p>
<p>
	<br />
	Dr John Murray, a moral theologian and director of the pro-marriage Iona Institute, said that what the Pope was announcing was a limited measure.</p>
<p>
	<br />
	&quot;It will probably not help Catholics who are validly married and who unfortunately are in trouble with their relationships,&quot; he said.</p>
<p>
	<br />
	Patricia Fitzsimons, of the Association of Catholics in Ireland, welcomed the reforms, but added: &quot;The changes do not go far enough. The church needs to recognise that valid marriages fail and people should be allowed remarry.&quot;</p>
<p>
	<a href="http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/marriage-annulment-to-be-easy-and-cheap-31513061.html">http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/marriage-annulment-to-be-easy-and-cheap-31513061.html</a></p>
