Tribunal & Canonical Affairs - The Roman Catholic Church in Hawaii

The Diocesan Tribunal

and Office for Canonical Affairs

St. Stephen Diocesan Center
6301 Pali Highway
Kāne'ohe, HI 96744

Office Hours: 9:00 a.m.-Noon, 1:00-4:00 p.m. Monday-Friday

Phone – from O'ahu: (808) 203-6766
or toll free: (877) 263-8855, ext. 766

Most Reverend Clarence (Larry) Silva
Bishop of Honolulu

Reverend Marvin J. Samiano, JCL
Judicial Vicar and Director of Canonical Affairs
E-Mail Fr. Marvin

Reverend Steve Nguyen, JCL
Judge
E-Mail Fr. Steve

Reverend Mark J. Gantley, JCL
Defender of the Bond and Promoter of Justice

Anne Kirby, JCL
Defender of the Bond

Reverend Herman Leong, JCL

Defender of the Bond

Mary L. Duddy
Moderator of the Tribunal Chancery
E-Mail Mary

Lori J. Gress
Controller and Notary
E-Mail Lori

The Diocesan Tribunal is the court of the Diocese of Honolulu. It handles petitions for declarations of marital nullity (commonly called “annulments”) and other judicial cases that come before the bishop for adjudication.

The Office for Canonical Affairs promotes a greater understanding of the law of the Church and helps assure that the provisions of canon law are implemented correctly and equitably. It provides canonical advice, education and assistance to the bishop, diocesan and parish staff, other Catholic institutions and associations, and the faithful of the diocese.

To petition for a declaration of nullity based on a Defect of Consent (an "annulment"), click here. This file has the preliminary investigation form, petition, and witness list for a formal cause seeking a declaration of marital nullity. You can fill in the form on the computer, print it out, and bring it to your parish priest or deacon in the Diocese of Honolulu whom you would like to serve as your procurator-advocate. The priest or deacon completes the last page.

Have you been asked to serve as a witness for a Honolulu diocese marriage nullity cause? You can type the form on the computer, print, sign, and mail to Tribunal. Click here for witness form.

To petition for a declaration that a marriage was not binding due to a Lack of Canonical of Form, click here. This petition is only for a marriage involving one or two Catholics, if not before a priest or deacon and two witnesses, and if no dispensation from canonical form is granted by the bishop. This applies only to Catholics. Also, it does not require the regular declaration of nullity procedure. Only documents proving that the marriage took place outside the Church without a dispensation and without ever being validated are necessary.

Marriage services provided by the Office for Canonical Affairs:

Grants marriage dispensations and permissions

Grants ecclesiastical approval for inter-diocesan marriages

Processes requests for visiting priests and deacons to assist at marriages

Processes Pauline privilege cases

Grants radical sanations

The following are the documents and forms included in the Diocese of Honolulu Marriage Manual (click for link to full manual):

List of Tabs

1. Marriage Preparation Norms

2. Prenuptial Investigation | Freedom to Marry Affidavit for Groom | Affidavit for Bride

3. Dispensations and Permissions

4. How to Handle Prior Marriages

5. Lack of Canonical Form

6. Defect of Consent (Formal)

7. Pauline Privilege

Other forms and documents:

RCIA Pre-Initiation Inventory

Affidavit in Lieu of Baptismal Certificate
For use when it is impossible to provide a baptismal certificate

Sacramental Register Instruction

Notes regarding our forms:

Most web browsers do not allow fillable PDF forms to be saved, so when using one of the fillable forms, be sure to print the form out immediately after typing in your answers.