Cleveland diocese drops handling fees for annulment cases
June 04, 2014
The Diocese of Cleveland, Ohio, has announced that it will drop charges for the handling of annulment cases, beginning immediately.
Bishop Richard Lennon said that the decision to stop charging fees was taken “to promote the common good for the faithful of Cleveland.” The diocesan tribunal will now cover the costs of processing annulment cases.
Bishop Lennon said that he hoped the new policy would “encourage greater participation in the life of the Church” by making it easier couples to regularize their marital status.
The costs associated with obtaining an annulment in the US usually range from $200 to $1,000, according to the US bishops’ conference.
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Posted by: Minnesota Mary -
Jun. 05, 2014 1:28 PM ET USA
The range of fees - $200 to $1,000 are not out of line at all. Is this just another way of getting others to pay for the expenses of annulment investigations instead of the parties involved? Sounds like another redistribution of the wealth scheme to me.
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Posted by: diakonos -
Jun. 04, 2014 10:01 PM ET USA
I am an advocate in my diocese's tribunal. Eliminating fees is nice but most Tribunals need more funding and more people trained to assist those seeking annulments. Many of those who seek annulments are just returning to the Church and are unable to complete the process without knowledgeable help.
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Posted by: unum -
Jun. 04, 2014 7:37 PM ET USA
At least one bishop is listening to the Holy Father about a kinder gentler Church for divorced and remarried Catholics. Thank God!
