Name: Father Nicholas Akindele, JCL
Job title: Adjutant Judicial Vicar
Contact information: akindelen@diodav.org
What do you find most rewarding about your position? What I find rewarding is the fact that many who have not been in communion with the Church have the opportunity to come back to the sacraments. The joy of couples being able to live a holy family life is of immense value. I also get to assist in doing paperwork for dispensation from some impediments to the licit celebration of weddings. This ministry helps in actualizing joyful and holy marriages. This is important for children to witness.
What do you find most challenging about your position? “What I find challenging sometimes is the difficulties that couples go through in understanding the ministry of annulment in the Church. There are so many falsehoods in this regard. We have tried to face it by our engagements with parishes and deaneries in Q&A sessions. The lack of timely preparation of relevant documents for marriage preparations could also be challenging.
What question do people most often ask you? In most cases, questions go through our Tribunal secretary or auditor. Such questions range from, “Who can be a witness at a wedding?” to “Can a brother or sister act as a godparent for baptism?” Sometimes people want to know whether their marriage is valid since they did not obtain a dispensation from canonical form or mixed religion.
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