Vatican lawyers rake in cash as 'widow wars' go beyond the grave

[emad]

The Independent
By John Phillips in Rome
18 January 2005


Roman Catholic Italy is witnessing a boom in demand for posthumous marriage annulments with many unions hitting the rocks as soon as one of the partners is lowered into the ground.

The surge in annulments, which is proving lucrative for ecclesiastical lawyers at the Holy Rota court in Rome, is largely down to applications by widowers who want to annul their first marriage to a dead wife so that they can favour children of a second marriage in their wills. Conversely, children of a first marriage who want to annul their dead father's second marriage so as not to lose an inheritance are also flooding the court.

As recently as 1982 Rome's opposition to divorce meant that only 287 requests for annulments were examined by the Holy Rota.By 2002, however, the bishops and cardinals presided over 1,280 cases, issuing verdicts on 135 of those of which 73 were granted, the Italian newspaper, La Stampa, said.

Under Canon law, annulments may only be granted if it is proved that a marriage was not valid when contracted, with 98 per cent of annulments based on psychiatric evidence that one or both partners were too "immature" to appreciate the seriousness of their vows, according to statistics released by the Holy See yesterday. The Pope has repeatedly admonished the Rota judges against granting annulments too easily and is expected to reiterate his conservative stance when he opens the Holy Rota's judicial year next week.

http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/story.jsp?story=601950

[yellowcanine]

1. This just proves how corrupt the "annulment" racket has become.

The RC church used to at least have a consistent policy on divorce - although misguided, in my opinion. Now anybody who is willing to pay can get an annulment if they persist long enough and fork over enough cash. And the RC church wonders why they are losing respect?

[pschoeb]

2. Why do Italy's inheritance laws even have these bizarre rules

One would assume if you made a will you could favor anyone you want including leaving all your estate to a non relative. What's the deal?