The opening of the Judicial Year of the Maltese Ecclesiastical Tribunals, took place last Friday at the Archbishop’s Palace, Valletta, with the Prolusion made by Cardinal Mario Grech who served as a priest in these Tribunals.

Mons. Dr Joseph Zammit, Judicial Vicar of the Diocese of Gozo, gave the report on the work of the Ecclesiastical Tribunal of Gozo in the last year, during which he received this appointment.The report presented by Mons. Dr Joseph Zammit, is shown in full below:

“As you may know, after almost 25 years of service as an ecclesiastical judge in the dioceses of Gozo and Malta respectively, I have recently been appointed Judicial Vicar for the diocese of Gozo.

After months of insistence from former Judicial Vicar, Mgr Dr Edward Xuereb, who has served Justice with scrupulous diligence and from my bishop Mgr. Anton Teuma, I find myself today to bring forward with dedication, determination and responsibility this important mission of the Church, namely to heal the wounds of the most vulnerable with the art of Justice, through the wisdom and decades of expertise and experience of our Church.

The Maltese society has gone astray due to the current materialistic and consumeristic mentality and marriage as understood and proposed by the Catholic Church does not seem to comply a priori with the couple’s capacity for marriage and a posteriori not satisfying the couple’s expectations in marrying. The virtue of patience has become archaic. Common non-sense prevails over common sense. A family experience turns into an Athenian Greek tragedy.

Engraved in this scenario, will the Church have to reach a compromise and change the objective nature of a Catholic marriage in order to be up to standard? What would result if the roots were cut if not irremediable damage not only to the institution of marriage but to society by and large, and to the future of humanity? These issues have to be addressed today, before it is too late.

Being deceit or simulation, immaturity or incapability, the real cause that ruins the family at its core is, in my opinion, the fact that when God is put aside, man is put aside and hence the family is put aside. Namely because, the family is a family if it resembles the Trinitarian Reality in which God subsists. The problems which arise in a family are always relational. Our Tribunals have to deal, in fact, with that which ruins such a relationship.

The canonical process is comparable to a micro synodal trail where through the art of listening the parties involved feel comfortable to share their turbulent life and to entrust their bleak future to the mission of the Church, known to be ‘mater et magistra’ and ‘expert in humanity.’

In September 2015, Pope Francis issued the Motu proprio Mitis Iudex Dominus Iesus introducing new rules to streamline the process for obtaining marriage annulments, addressing complaints that the proceedings in marriage tribunals were too “cumbersome, complicated, and expensive.”

Recently the Pontiff reiterated what he already indicated in his address to the Italian Bishops’ Conference in May 2019: “The reform drive of the canonical marriage annulment process – characterised by proximity, speed, and gratuitousness of the procedures – necessarily passes through a conversion of structures and persons.”

We are confident in saying that the Holy Father’s statement reflects the ethos which we have been practising and will continue to enlighten our commitment in our Tribunals.

At present, in our Diocese of Gozo, there are 22 cases being dealt with, since during this year 13 cases have been concluded, all receiving a positive decision.

This precious work is brought forward with assiduity and perseverance by our Chancellor Ms Annunziata Grech. Several of these pending cases have been introduced recently, from the day I have been entrusted with this pastoral ministry.

Apart from myself, five part-time judges, one auditor, a defender of the bond and a deputy defender of the bond, together with a chancellor and a vice-chancellor form our Tribunal. This tribunal also seeks the help of psychologists, who are needed in most cases. In fact, almost all the cases being treated at present ask for their intervention.

Whilst thanking Mgr Anton Teuma, in whom there is perfect trust, given that his spirit is not rebuked in my presence, as Shakespeare put it, I thank also all those who make my judicial ministry possible and effective, as well as my colleagues in the Tribunals of this Archdiocese.”

Photos and video Archdiocese of Malta

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