Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV has urged judges of the Tribunal of the Roman Rota to protect the truth with care and fairness while never forgetting charity and mercy in their work.
Pope made these remarks on Monday during a meeting with officials of the Roman Rota to mark the opening of their judicial year. He told them that they are called to safeguard the truth with rigor but without rigidity, and to practice charity without leaving anyone aside.
The Roman Rota serves as the Church’s highest appeals court. It works to protect rights within the Church and to ensure unity in Church law. The tribunal also deals with cases related to marriage, including non consummated marriages, and questions about the validity of sacred ordination. Its judges are chosen by Pope from different parts of the world for their learning and experience.
Pope Leo thanked the judges for their service, calling their work a precious contribution to the Church’s mission of justice. He said their task reflects the words of Saint Paul about living the truth in love.
He explained that truth and charity are not opposing ideas but are deeply connected. Both, he said, find their harmony in God, who is both love and truth. However, he noted that judges often face difficult situations where these two values seem to be in tension.
Pope warned against two dangers. One is allowing sympathy for difficult personal situations to weaken the search for objective truth. He said this can lead to decisions based more on emotion than on solid legal grounds, especially in marriage nullity cases. The other danger is applying the law in a cold and detached way, without respect, compassion, and mercy for the people involved.
According to Pope, judicial procedures are not meant to pit people against each other but to help discover what is true and just in each case. He stressed that fairness and equal treatment are essential for the unity of the Church.
He also spoke about the shorter process for declaring a marriage null before a diocesan bishop. He said such cases must be examined very carefully, and that only a proper legal process can confirm whether a marriage is truly null or if the ordinary process is needed.
Pope Leo underlined the importance of studying and applying Church law with seriousness and faithfulness to Church teaching. He encouraged the judges to show through their work the wisdom of Christian law.
At the end of the meeting, Pope entrusted their mission to the Blessed Virgin Mary, whom he called a perfect example of truth lived in charity.