Pope Francis to release new marriage annulment process for Catholics

Washington

POPE Francis is to release a plan to reform the Catholic Church's procedure for marriage annulments, a Vatican spokesman said on Tuesday. The move comes ahead of a highly anticipated meeting the pope has organised in Rome in October that could result in changes in church practice and doctrine around the family.

The pope will announce two decrees during a news conference in Rome on Tuesday. The decrees are titled "Mitis Iudex Dominus Iesus" and "Mitis et Misericors Iesus", Latin meaning "The Gentle Judge, The Lord Jesus" and "The Meek and Merciful Jesus".