The Judicial Tribunal of the Roman Rota Inaugurated

January 26, 2013: The judicial function does not go beyond the commitment of evangelization of the Church, but it is a living part of her saving mission, said Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican’s Secretary of State, at the Inaugural liturgy of the Judicial Tribunal of the Roman Rota on Saturday.
Traditionally, the solemn inauguration of the judicial Tribunal start every year with the celebration of the Eucharist and prayer to the Holy Spirit, to renew the passion for the truth, illuminating their special service of justice.

Secularisation has greatly influenced the current mentality. We cannot hide the difficulties that such a cultural climate opposed to the evangelizing action of the Church. It can happen that the provision of such obstacles brakes the necessary apostolic zeal in the various areas in which the work is carried out of the Church, including that of justice.

Within the Church, in fact, there are several ministries that contribute to this universal mission. The pastoral aspect of the function of ecclesiastical judge finds its solid foundation in ecclesiology of Vatican II, according to which the visible aspects of the Church are inseparably united to the spiritual, forming a single, complex reality, comparable to the mystery of the Incarnate Word. The legal and the pastoral dimensions are so closely united in the Church. First there is their harmony deriving from a common purpose: the salvation of souls. But most of all juridical-canonical activity by its pastoral nature, is a special participation in the mission of Christ the Shepherd.

Dear Judges, he said, to you is given the exhortation of St. Paul to have the courage to pursue peace with your delicate and important ministry of the Church, relying on the "power of God", especially when the performance of your legal work is not for everybody understood or can also lead to "suffer for the Gospel". Only with peace in your heart you can reach that peace of mind is essential to make judgments according to equity and truth.

Following the Mass, the members met the Pope in audience. The Pontiff in his address focused on the relationship between ‘faith and marriage’, crisis in marriage today, and the indissoluble bond of marriage. He also reflected on the ccontemporary culture, marked by a strong subjectivism and moral relativism and religious places the individual and family in the face of pressing challenges.

Faith in God, sustained by God's grace, is very important element for living the mutual devotion and marital fidelity, observed the Pope. Citing Tertullian, the Pontiff said that Christian couples "are truly two in one flesh and where the flesh is one, one is the spirit.

Pope Benedict concluded saying “I invoke the help of God be upon you and all those in the Church working for the preservation of truth and justice with respect to the sacred bond of marriage, and for that reason, the Christian family.”