Pope Leo XIV warns against \u2018false mercy\u2019 in marriage annulment proceedings In a firm call to avoid \u201cfalse mercy\u201d in marriage annulment proceedings, Pope Leo XIV reminded that compassion cannot disregard the truth. During a Friday audience with participants in the legal-pastoral training course of the Roman Rota, the Holy See\u2019s court of appeals, the Holy Father read a lengthy speech in which he recalled the importance of the reform of marriage annulment processes initiated by Pope Francis 10 years ago. The pontiff emphasized that theology, law, and pastoral care must be understood in a harmonious way, not as separate or opposing areas, and pointed out that annulment proceedings are not merely technical procedures to obtain the \u201cfree status of persons\u201d but rather an ecclesial service based on the search for truth and on family pastoral care. Judicial processes at the service of truth In this context, Pope Leo stressed that ecclesial judicial processes must be \u201cat the service of the truth\u201d and also reiterated that \u201cthe mystery of the conjugal covenant\u201d must be kept in mind. \u201cA fundamental aspect of pastoral service operates in judicial authority: the diaconia [ministry] of truth. Every faithful person, every family, every community needs truth about their ecclesial situation in order to walk well the path of faith and charity. The truth about personal and community rights is situated in this context: the juridical truth declared in ecclesiastical processes is an aspect of existential truth within the Church,\u201d he stated. Consequently, the Holy Father pointed out that \u201cthe sacred authority is participation in the authority of Christ, and its service to truth is a way of knowing and embracing the ultimate truth, which is Christ himself.\u201d A manifestation of justice and mercy He then recalled that in God\u2019s judgment on salvation, \u201chis forgiveness of the repentant sinner is always at work, but human judgment on the nullity of marriage cannot however be manipulated by false mercy.\u201d \u201cAny activity contrary to the service of the process of truth must certainly be deemed unjust. However, it is precisely in the proper exercise of judicial authority that true mercy must be practiced,\u201d he emphasized. In this regard, Pope Leo XIV insisted that the process of matrimonial nullity can be seen as \u201ca contribution by legal practitioners to satisfy the need for justice that is so deeply rooted in the conscience of the faithful, and thus to accomplish a just work motivated by true mercy.\u201d \u201cThe aim of the reform,\u201d he added, \u201cwhich is to make the process more accessible and expeditious, but never at the expense of truth, thus appears as a manifestation of justice and mercy.\u201d The pontiff also emphasized the urgency of ensuring realism in annulment cases and appealed to the responsibility of the judges of the Roman Rota. He thus encouraged them to view the institution of the judicial process \u201cas an instrument of justice\u201d in which there is \u201can impartial judge\u201d and the aim is to seek \u201ca great benefit for all concerned and for the Church herself.\u201d He stressed the importance of making \u201cefforts to promote reconciliation between spouses are very important, including, where possible, through the validation of the marriage.\u201d \u201cBehind the procedural technicalities, with the faithful application of the current legislation, the ecclesiological presuppositions of the matrimonial process are therefore at stake: the search for truth and the \u2018salus animarum\u2019 itself [the salvation of souls],\u201d he noted. Synergy between justice and pastoral care Pope Leo recalled in this regard that, in recent years, there has been \u201ca growing awareness of the inclusion of the Church\u2019s judicial activity in the field of marriage within the overall pastoral care of the family.\u201d \u201cThis pastoral care,\u201d he pointed out, \u201ccannot ignore or underestimate the work of ecclesiastical tribunals, and the latter must not forget that their specific contribution to justice is a piece in the task of promoting the good of families, with particular reference to those in difficulty.\u201d Thus, he emphasized that \u201cthe synergy between pastoral attention to critical situations and the judicial sphere has found significant expression in the implementation of preliminary investigations aimed at ascertaining the existence of grounds for initiating a case of nullity.\u201d This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA\u2019s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channel today EWTN Vatican on WhatsApp Tyler Arnold Would you like to receive the latest updates on the Pope and the Vatican Receive articles and updates from our EWTN Newsletter. More news related to this article The Catholic Church and Spirituality in Mongolia: A Glimpse into a Minority Faith Pope Francis invites Catholics to renew consecration to Immaculate Heart of Mary on March 25 Pope Francis explains why Catholics make the sign of the cross Pope Francis in new interview: \u2018Church has to change\u2019 in favor of human dignity Italian bishop celebrates Mass for LGBT pilgrimage in Rome\u2019s Church of the Ges\u00f9 A pontiff and his people: Pope Leo XIV welcomes the world in his first 100 days<\/p>\n