(February 10, 2011) Pope Benedict XVI is studying the possibility of slightly modifying
the responsibilities of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments so
that very technical marriage annulment cases would be handled by a church court.
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman, and Director of Vatican Radio
told reporters Wednesday (February 9) that "it is true" that Vatican officials were
studying a document that would “transfer technical-juridical competency -- for example
that of the dispensation of a marriage that is valid but not consummated -- from the
Congregation for Divine Worship to the tribunal of the Sacred Rota." A well-respected
Italian journalist, Andrea Tornielli, wrote on his blog February 9 that Pope Benedict
had decided to "reorganize the competencies of the Congregation for Divine Worship,
entrusting it with the task of promoting a liturgy that is more faithful to the original
intentions of the Second Vatican Council with less space for arbitrary changes and
with the recovery of a dimension of greater sacredness." However, Father Lombardi
said the proposed change aims only at giving the Roman Rota responsibility for technical
administrative procedures such as those involved in releasing a couple from the obligations
of marriage when they have not consummated their bond. "There are no grounds or reasons
to see in this an intention to promote a 'restrictive' control by the congregation
over promoting the liturgical renewal desired by the Second Vatican Council," the
Jesuit Priest said.