Reform in action : the application of Mitis Iudex Dominus Iesus at the Archdiocese of Malta

Abstract

In 2015, Pope Francis introduced significant reforms to the Catholic Church’s marriage nullity process through Mitis Iudex Dominus Iesus (MIDI), aiming to simplify procedures, reduce costs, and improve accessibility while maintaining the Church’s commitment to the indissolubility of marriage. Key innovations included the elimination of the requirement for two conforming judgments and the introduction of a briefer process for clear-cut cases. In the Archdiocese of Malta, these reforms significantly reduced case resolution times, with approximately 6% of cases processed through the briefer process between 2016 and 2023. This article provides an overview of MIDI’s objectives and key reforms, focusing on their practical implementation within the Archdiocese of Malta during this period.