James Provost
Divorced and Remarried Catholics Perhaps the most -difficult aspect of his ministry of reconciliation is the parish priest's dealings with Catholics whose marriages have broken down. Sorne of these are involved in divorcing, others have divorced and are concerned about their status in the Church, while still others have remarried outside the Church but desire to return to full sacramental !ife.
THE MARRIAGE TRIBUNAL: AN INSTRUMENT OF RECONCILIATION
For many divorced and remarried Catholics, recognition of their present marriage in the Church is an important element in their experience of reconciliation. For them, the services of the Matrimonial Tribunal are important. The traditional image of the Tribunal is changing. It used to be considered a slow-moving and somewhat benign form of the Inquisition. The urging of Pope Pius XII to take the good of souls as its primary concern, the findings of modern behavioral sciences which have been incorporated into various Tribunal decisions, and a renewal of procedure and spirit among Tribunal personnel are gradually transforming the Matrimonial Court into an understanding step in the process of reconciliation. While this is not true of ali Tribunals in the United States today, it is becoming increasingly so. Tribunal personnel have been attending renewal seminars, meetings and workshops conducted by the Canon Law Society of America. Many of the priests who work in Tribunals also serve in pastoral ministry, 218