Sorry I haven't posted much. Been judging lots of annulments as well as finishing up the edits on two books coming out next month. Anyway, the Interim, which is Canada's national pro-life newspaper, just posted my editorial from the June edition. It describes some of my experiences as a Canadian with the pro-life movement in America. Here's a sample:
I still recall when Sonya and I brought Jasmine home from the maternity ward. Governor Casey greeted us on the street, congratulated us on becoming new parents and asked to hold Jasmine for a few moments. Although I don't usually trust politicians with babies, how could one refuse this old warhorse of the right-to-life movement? His eyes marvelled with the mystery of human life.
Out of curiosity, are all the annulments you grant, due to sacramentally invalid marriages?
What else would there be? That's what an annulment is: a declaration that the marriage was invalid.
Puzzled, the answer is "kinda". Basically, as a layman, I can only act as a collegiate judge -- meaning that I cast a vote with two other judges (both of whom are clergy). Now all the affirmatives I grant is because I am morally certain the marriage is invalid. As for sacramentality, this would depend on the baptismal status of the parties. Basically, a sacramental marriage is one between two baptized parties. Not all marriages we judge are between two baptized parties.