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Culture of Life, Culture of Death; and the Family: Conference at the Catholic University of America, Dec. 2004 [1]

Bear with me if I start with some ideas which may not seem very much to the point of our topic, but which are in fact.
On Easter Day 1999, John Paul II dedicated a Letter to Artists; "to all who are passionately dedicated to the search for new epiphanies of beauty so that through their creative work as artists they may offer these as gifts to the world".
I don't know how grateful the world is for the gifts modern artists are making to it [2]; and I am not sure how much most modern artists look on their works as "epiphanies of beauty", as revelations of something marvelous to be found behind the appearances of things.

            As my title suggests, I propose to look at several aspects connected with the topic of annulments, none of which has to do directly with canonical procedures. But a prior word may not be out of place on two questions that I am at times asked. One is, if I am in favor or against annulments? Perhaps a somewhat naive question, since naturally I am in favor; very strongly so, when a proper judicial process shows that a declaration of nullity corresponds to the facts. Then one is dealing with a matter of justice, of the upholding of ecclesial rights.

            [Les biens, les valeurs du mariage sont ainsi énoncées par L'Église: la fidélité, l'indissolubilité et les enfants. La conscience qu'il s'agit de biens désirables, qu'il est naturel de vouloir, s'est assez obscurcie aujourd'hui. Mgr Burke, auditeur du Tribunal de la Rote à Rome, a eu l'ingénieuse idée de rappeler qu'il s'agit réellement de biens, de bonnes choses, qu'il est naturel de vouloir et qu'il serait anormal d'exclure.]

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[en: Un Amor siempre joven: Enseñanzas de San Josemaría Escrivá sobre la familia (Ed. A. Méndiz y J.A. Brage), Palabra, Madrid, 2003, pp. 113-125]

1. Introducción