"The canonical proceedings for the nullity of marriage are essentially a means of ascertaining the truth about the conjugal bond. Thus, their constitutive aim is not to complicate the life of the faithful uselessly, nor far less to exacerbate their litigation, but rather to render a service to the truth (…). The trial's aim is rather to declare the truth about the validity or invalidity of an actual marriage, in other words, about a reality that establishes the institution of the family and deeply concerns the Church and civil society (…). Consequently, it can be said that in this type of trial the Church herself is the one to whom the request for the declaration is addressed" (Address of His Holiness Benedict XVI to the members of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota, Saturday, January 28, 2006).
Keeping in mind the centrality of marriage and family in the life of the Church, as well as the importance and pastoral utility of a serious search for the truth in the causes of marriage nullity, the School of Canon Law of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross has organized this Third Course of Continuing Education for those who work in ecclesiastical tribunals (judges, defenders of the bond, advocates, etc.). The course has as its goal the presentation of doctrinal and jurisprudential developments regarding marriage law and procedural law topics which are frequently presented before ecclesiastical tribunals. The novelty and complexity of some of these arguments require deeper understanding.
As with previous courses, the outline will be theoretical-practical. The most recent teachings and jurisprudence will be presented on a variety of individual topics, followed by case study discussions for the different language groups (Italian, English, and Spanish). The cases will be sent to the participants two months prior to the beginning of the course to facilitate study and to offer a point of departure for the debates which will be moderated by the professors.
The lectures will be in Italian, with simultaneous translation
available in Spanish and English.
