New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-06-25

or TO him through the rector OF the parish in
which they live The Archbishop hands IT over
10 the delegate Judge who then consults the
defender Together they examine the case, Sc
cure sworn statements and all necessary pa
pers The delegate leaves stone unturned
to substantiate every statement and fact set
forth in the affidavit Of the plaintiff The care
and caution and deliberatiOn with which each
case is taken up and tried would be a revea-
ton freQuenters of the civil courts. where M
teen divorces are not nfrequently granted in
as many minutes. Occasionally witnesses are
examined before the court and the plaintiff is
present during the proceedings.
The immense difficulty OF securing annul-
ment OF the marriage contract may be under
stood from the fact that, despite convincing ev-
dence. final decision is not given until the de-
cree Of one court has been sustained by that
Of a second court of equal standing For in
stance. if case is tried in Brooklyn and the
court refuses a decree. the plaintiff. or the de-
fender If he is dissatisfied. may take 1t to the
next highest court which is New-Iork. If the
latter sustains the former the decree may be
granted without recourse to the Supreme Court
AT Rome. The plaintiff or defender. if still dis
satisfied may appeal to the Congregation OF the
Holy Office 10 which the Pope refers excep-
always open to the Interested parties. matri-
monial case can never be prescribed. 1t can he
rcopened at any time. even after the lapse OF
twenty or thirty years If evidence develops in
the interval to throw doubt upon the ecclesias-
ticaI decision As "A rule il takes months 10 an
null the simplest
In the METROPOLITAN court a case opened six
years ago and is still pending The metropo-
tan court refused TO annul the marriage. II
was then taken to Philadelphia. which being an
archdiocese, is court of equal standing. The
latter granted the decree Where there is dis
agreement between two courts Of equal standing,
the Congregation Of the Holy Office, which is
made up OF cardinals. must decide, and their
decision must be. ratified by the Pope. In this
instance five cardinals voted against annul-
ment while six favored it. The Pope evidently
deeming the canonical wisdom OF the five weight
Ter than that Of the six still withhods his sig
nature. and in all probability the decree Will
never be granted. All DEGREES Of the metro
potan court must bear the signature of the
Archbishop.
"Applications for release from matrimonial
entanglements asserts the deegate-judge OF
the metropolitan court are increasing. The
plaintiffs are largely women. The majority
men and women, are Protestants and Jews. 1t
is rare that Catholic couples appeal for separa-
ton"
A CASE OF DECEPTION
A recent instance of deception came before
the court divorced Cattle woman-di-
vorced in the civil court-without revealing the
fact to the officiating priest or the Catholic hus
band allowed herself TO be married to the lat
ter. when the Catholic husband discovered
the deception-that she was a divorced woman
he left her. AS the Church holds the second
marriage void. the second husband-the Catho-
lic-may marry again. while the woman can
never marry so long her first husband lives
The Church holds that despite the fact that the
woman was married outside the Church and
divorced by civil court she 10 stll the lawful