The Basics of Being Married in the Catholic Church
By Rev. Raymond L. Harris, Jr.
(Article: Page 2 of 4)
| Print Version | Discuss Online

View Featured Article Index

Become a Friend of the National Black Catholic Congress Pastoral Letter: "What We Have Seen and Heard" Celebrates 25th Anniversary Fundraising as Ministry: Vision, Invitation and Conversion The Experience of God's Presence The Basics of Being Married in the Catholic Church Building a Bridge over Troubled Waters Reading as a Subversive Act: Libraries as the Guide to Liberation Son, They Have No Wine! Reflections on the Importance of Devotion to Mary Tenth National Black Catholic Congress Appreciative Inquiry: Become a Positive Force for Change Catholic Campus Ministry Fundamentals of Appreciative Inquiry (Part I) Fundamentals of Appreciative Inquiry (Part II) His Greatest Gift Joannes Paulus II, Magnus Lent to Easter: Preparation for Celebration Mary - Mother, Woman, Disciple Research That Matters Silent No More: A Major Crisis in the African-American Community The Best Kept Secret The Food Crisis in Niger The Passion of Mel Gibson's "Passion" To Marry or Not To Marry - That is the question!

View Featured Article Index

What is the "canonical form" of marriage?

A Catholic is bound to have his or her marriage recognized by the Catholic Church. This is not an arbitrary requirement. As the result of many years of pastoral experience, the Church has put together a framework to protect the rights and promote the responsibilities of the parties to a marriage.

A Catholic is required to be married according to "canonical form." Most Catholics of African descent in this country are members of the Latin Church sui iuris (i.e., a Church in its own right). A Catholic should be married in the presence of the Catholic pastor of the parish in which the liturgy is celebrated (or his delegate, either a priest or deacon) and at least two witnesses. Usually, a Catholic is married in his or her parish. If a Catholic wants to be married in another parish, then he or she should obtain the permission of the pastor.

There are twenty-one Eastern Churches sui iuris that are in communion with the Pope. The blessing of a bishop or priest is required for the validity of the marriage in these Churches. Space is not available to expand on this matter.

When should the couple contact the parish?

Before meeting with the reception hall or caterer, the couple must meet with a member of the parish clergy first. They should always check the parish bulletin regarding the diocesan and parish requirements. It is usually necessary to contact parish clergy from several months to a year before the desired wedding date. This ensures that the couple will have suitable time for their immediate preparation to enter this lifelong commitment.

Prior to setting the wedding date, the parish priest or deacon needs to know if the parties to the prospective marriage are lawfully able to marry. He needs to know whether or not the couple intends to mutually establish an unconditional covenant with each other that will last for life. He needs to know if they entering this marriage with . . .

• the freedom to marry (i.e., they are not bound to another person in a previous marriage or by any impediments).
• a free will (i.e., no person or circumstance is forcing them to marry against their will).
• the intention of living together in a mutually exclusive relationship of lifelong fidelity. This also includes: (1) not placing any conditions to their marriage consent; and (2) not hiding anything from their intended spouse that might affect their willingness to marry.
• the intention of mutually contributing to a fruitful relationship (i.e., sharing life together in its many facets, including receiving children lovingly as a gift of God and raising them in the practice of the Faith).

If the answer is negative in any category, then the situation will have to be clarified and/or corrected before setting the wedding date. There are several typical scenarios to consider from this point.

What if I have been married before?

If one of the parties to a marriage has a previous marriage bond, then it must be investigated to establish if the party is free to marry now. This includes any previous marriage, whether it was celebrated in a Catholic Church or not.

The person may have to go through the so-called, "annulment process." A wedding date cannot be set until the process has concluded and a decree of nullity has been granted.

The "annulment process" is conducted by a diocesan tribunal that is competent to conduct the investigation. Did a sacramental or natural marital bond exist between the parties at the moment of the exchange of consent? It does not make a judgment about any other aspects of what the parties viewed as a marriage. For example, if a decree of nullity is granted, any children of the parties are not viewed as being "illegitimate."

I want to underscore that this principle also applies to a non-Catholic party to a prospective marriage. It does not matter whether he or she was married to another non-Catholic party in a non-Catholic ceremony. Remember my earlier comment about understanding the permanence of the marital bond as part of the "natural law," which applies to every human being regardless of his or her religious affiliation.

to top of page

We believe in Privacy! We will never sell your email address. Period!