The Catholic Church is now considering altering the annulment process for divorced members, with Pope Francis condemning the difficulties that Catholics experience when going through the procedure.

Pope Francis on Wednesday disclosed that he sacked an official who attempted to earn a lot of money from the annulment of a Catholic Church member. During a Vatican course made for officials assisting in annulments, the pope cautioned the participants not to turn the process into a business, Zee News relayed.

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The pope recalled his time as a bishop in Buenos Aires, when he learned that some Catholics had to travel a long distance and miss work just to attend church tribunals. He then conveyed his dismay when he found out that a church tribunal official asked for US$10,000 in exchange for settling an annulment.

That unnamed official, who is thought to be a lawyer, was later on booted from his post.

"One must be careful that the procedures don't become a business," Pope Francis told his audience at the Vatican course.

Based on the Vatican's teachings, marriage is a sacred process and the Church does not allow divorce. So, Catholics who want to separate from their spouses have to file for an annulment. This process invalidates the marriage, rendering the union moot, the report explained.

The Catholic Church annuls a marriage when one spouse is unfaithful or is psychologically incapable of comprehending the permanent nature of the holy matrimony. The procedure allows Catholics to get married once again in the church.

Upon the request of some during the recent bishop synod on family issues, Pope Francis said he was mulling over abolishing the fees for annulments.

Normally, those filing for annulments need to pay the diocese hundreds of dollars to cover administrative costs. However, some dioceses including one in northern Indiana began decreasing the fees last month.

Because the procedure takes so long and is so tasking, some petitioners ultimately become "discouraged," the pope said. So, he announced that he will work on streamlining the process.

Under the present regulations of the Catholic Church, divorced Catholics who did not undergo annulments are not allowed to receive Communion. This is because the Vatican sees them as sinful adulterers.

Now new pontiff has shown himself to be a more merciful leader of the Catholic Church, many divorced Catholics are hoping that they will soon be allowed to receive Communion.

TagsPope Francis, Vatican, annulment, Catholic, annulment fee, annulment process