DETROIT — Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron has named Msgr. Ronald T. Browne as judicial vicar for the Metropolitan Tribunal, the body that assists the archbishop in overseeing and processing canon law inquiries, especially requests for marriage nullity.

Msgr. Browne succeeds retiring Auxiliary Bishop Francis R. Reiss, who has served as vicar for the Tribunal since 2009. The Tribunal handles approximately 500 formal annulment requests each year in addition to about 500 other cases of various types involving the application of canon law.

“The bishop of the diocese is the chief judge; however, he has what is called the judicial vicar — one who acts vicariously for him — as one who runs the tribunal and is the chief judge,” Msgr. Browne said.

Msgr. Browne, 59, a Detroit priest and canon lawyer who studied at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome, has served the Archdiocese of Detroit in various capacities, including previously as judicial vicar under Cardinal Adam J. Maida from 1999-2001. Since 2013, he has served as director of the Tribunal, overseeing its staff and administration, whereas Msgr. Browne described the new role as adding more canonical responsibilities such as appointing other judges and helping decide cases.

Msgr. Browne returned to the archdiocese in 2013 after serving four years as moderator of the curia for the Diocese of Marquette.

Ordained a priest in 1991, Msgr. Browne has also ministered in several parishes, including at Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish, Grosse Pointe Woods; National Shrine of the Little Flower, Royal Oak; Our Lady of Sorrows, Farmington; and St. Gerald, Farmington, where he was pastor from 2004-09.

This fall, Msgr. Browne was appointed secretary of the 2016 archdiocesan synod on evangelization.

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For information regarding obtaining an annulment, contact the Metropolitan Tribunal at (313) 237-5865 or visit www.aod.org/annulment.