Marriage Tribunal

The Tribunal is the judicial branch of the diocese's implementation of Canon Law.

The Tribunal offers ministry to persons who apply requesting a determination by the Church whether their marriage is a valid and binding union. The office is staffed by specially trained priests and lay persons who study the petitioner's request and determine whether the couple had a valid and binding union.

 

In order to protect your privacy, electronic correspondence and/or submission of documents is not available at this time.

 

Marriage Tribunal Staff

Very Rev. David L. Rasner, J.C.L
Father Rasner is Judicial Vicar and Presiding Judge of the Court of First Instance. Father Rasner is responsible for the overall operation of the Tribunal.

Rev. Timothy M. Alkire, J.C.L
Defender of the Bond, Court of First Instance
Father Alkire is defender of the Bond for the Court of First Instance. As Defender, Father holds the position of upholding the bond of marriage (validity) in all cases.

Rev. Samuel J. Kalu, J.C.L
Associate Judge, Court of First Instance
Father Kalu is Associate Judge in the Court of First Instance and oversees the Documentary Process for Informal Cases.

Rev. Joachim Culotta, O.P., J.C.D
Defender of the Bond, Court of First Instance
Father Culotta is Defender of the Bond for the Court of First Instance. As Defender, Father holds the position of upholding the bond of marriage (validity) in all cases.

Rev. Stephen J. Duquaine
Associate Judge, Court of First Instance; Judge Instructor on Informal Cases
Father Duquaine is Associate Judge in the Court of First Instance and oversee the Documentary Process for Informal Cases.

Deacon Marty Stout
Auditor, Court of First Instance

Linda O'Gara
Office Manager; Advocate
As advocate in formal annulment cases, Linda acts on the petitioner's behalf in supporting the petitioner's contention against the validity of a marriage. As Office Manager, she oversees the day-to-day operation of the Tribunal and the processing of each formal case; she coordinates the efforts, schedules, events, and overall works of the Tribunal Office.

Alma Nunez
Advocate and Coordinator for Informal Cases
Alma is corrdinator for informal cases and deals directly with parties in accumulating documentary evidence.  She acts as advocate for contesting respondents in formal annulment  cases, assisting a respondent in establish his or her contention against the claim of nullity of a marriage.  Alma also serves as an Advocate in Spanish language formal cases.


Niall Hickey
Secretary and Notary
As notary, Niall's signature establishes the authenticity of acts. He is also transcriptionist of testimonies gathered for investigation of the possible invalidity of marriage.
 

Annulment Information

This is addressed to divorced Catholics, to those who have remarried after divorce, and to their families who love and support them. This information also will assist Church members, both professional and volunteer, who serve in ministerial roles.

Our purpose is threefold:
 

• To state clearly the Catholic Church's teaching on marriage and divorce;
• To describe the pastoral assistance the Church provides to both its married and divorced members;
• To offer information about the status of divorced Catholics, their potential for remarriage in the Church, and some details about the annulment process.

The Church's teaching

Being Catholic and divorced is a painful thing. A person has not only lost a partner and marriage but may also experience feelings of rejection, guilt, and failure.

The sanctity and permanence of marriage has been a constant teaching of the Catholic Church throughout the centuries. When Jesus spoke of marriage and divorce, He reminded His listeners that the Creator had determined from the beginning that marriage is a commitment made between the partners until death. Jesus' words are the foundation of this teaching. Asked if divorce is permissible, He shocked His listeners with His response: "Whatever God hath joined together, let no man put asunder." Jesus called His disciples to commit themselves to following this truth.

In Catholic belief, every valid marriage, whether celebrated in the Catholic Church or not, establishes a spiritual bond which cannot be broken by the couple. All other links or bonds (such as civil obligations, affection, etc.) may end with divorce, but the spiritual bond remains. Thus, when a couple marries validly, we say that this union is "indissoluble."