Catholics could get marriage annulments for free – Pope

Vatican City – Pope Francis said on Wednesday in Vatican City that Catholics seeking to scrap their marriage vows should have easier and possibly free access to Vatican courts.

“There is a concern for streamlining procedures and trials for the sake of justice.

“Mother Church must deliver justice and say ‘Yes it’s true, your marriage is void or no, your marriage is valid,’’he added.

Francis stressed that there was need for all to see and be conscious when spiritual and economic interests were linked, which he described as ungodly.

He said Mother Church was so generous that it could deliver justice for free, just like all souls had been justified by Jesus Christ for free.

The Catholic Church does not allow divorce.

The only way out of a marriage while keeping with doctrine is to have it declared void by Vatican judges but the process is currently cumbersome and expensive.

Last month, deep divisions emerged at a Vatican summit known as the synod on whether the church could drop a ban on remarried divorcees taking the Holy Communion.

But most participants agreed on the need to streamline the handling of marriage annulments.