Letter to the Presidents of the Bishops’ Conferences and to the Heads of the Churches sui iuris of Eastern Rite regarding some changes to specific aspects of the protocol for marriage cases in favorem fidei (24 October 2023)

DICASTERY FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH

Letter
to the Presidents of the Bishops’ Conferences
and to the Heads of the Churches sui iuris of Eastern Rite
regarding some changes to specific aspects of the protocol
for marriage cases in favorem fidei

Vatican City, 24 October 2023

Prot. N. 280/23M

Your Eminence/Excellency,
Your Beatitude,

With this letter, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith wishes to communicate some changes to specific aspects of the protocol for marriage cases in favorem fidei that will come into effect at the beginning of 2024. In order to inform the relevant authorities of the particular churches who deal with such marriage cases, the Dicastery asks that you please forward this letter to all of the Diocesan Bishops/Eparchs in your area of competence.

1. As a partial amendment to art. 25 § 1 of the Norms of 2001, in marriage cases in favorem fidei, it will henceforth be sufficient to submit a single authenticated copy of the file.

On the cover page of this volume of the Acts, please indicate the name of the Diocese/ Eparchy as well as the (postal and electronic) contact details of the competent Tribunal and/or Instructor.

2. Attached to this letter, you will find the renewed version of the Summarium, which is to be included in the Acts, in accord with art. 25 § 1 Normae. Like several other documents concerning favor fidei cases, this form is also accessible, in various languages, through the website of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith: www.doctrinafidei.va > Ufficio Matrimoniale.

3. In a number of recent favor fidei cases, the future spouses desired to contract their marriage before a priest of the Society of St. Pius X.

In order to ensure the valid celebration of the future marriage in such instances, the Acts of the favor fidei case should contain a written statement of the Ordinary of the place of the desired marriage, attesting to his willingness to grant the necessary delegation to a specific priest of the Society, in accord with the indications of the letter of the Pontifical Commission «Ecclesia Dei» of 27 March 2017, Prot. N. 61/2010, AAS 107 (2017) 426-427.

4. Since the last increase in the Roman fees for marriage cases before this Dicastery occurred in 2015, a new adjustment of the contribution charged to the Dioceses/Eparchies has now become necessary due to the current economic situation. As usual, the fee that is valid from the beginning of 2024 will be indicated on the reverse side of the relevant Rescripts.

In this regard, please note that where, due to their respective economic situations, neither the Petitioner nor the Diocese/Eparchy is able to provide the usual contribution to the maintenance of the service of this Dicastery, a reduction or even a complete remission («in forma pauperum») of the standard contribution can be requested at the time of the submission of the Acts. However, such a request, together with an explanation of the circumstances motivating the request, must appear in the Acts of the case and should be referred to in the Summarium.

5. Regarding the transmission of the Roman fees, the diocesan/eparchial Authorities are kindly asked not to send cash by mail. Rather, fees are to be transmitted through a bank transfer (and preferably not through a check).

For this purpose, enclosed please find the bank details for payments regarding marriage cases in favorem fidei handled by this Dicastery. When making such payments, please always indicate the names of the parties in the case as well as the protocol number used by this Dicastery, so that the fee can be immediately associated with the relevant case. Please note also that, for the aforementioned reason, a bank transfer cannot be made prior to having received at least the electronic acknowledgement of receipt, issued by this Dicastery, which indicates the protocol number assigned to the case in question.

For any questions, the Marriage Office of this Dicastery is available also informally: infavoremfidei@cfaith.va.

With gratitude for your assistance, I would like to take this occasion to convey my cordial regards and prayerful best wishes,

In Christ,

Msgr. Armando Matteo
Secretary for the Doctrinal Section