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Author Archives: Cathy Caridi
Who Decides What Constitutes a Valid Sacrament?
Q: Canon law makes marriage illicit, not invalid. In your article “Are SSPX Sacraments Valid,” you quoted Canon 1108.1 that if the marriage isn’t celebrated in front of the bishop, pastor, or his designee, then “the marriage is invalid.” But Canon Law, … Continue reading
Becoming (Or at Least Marrying) an Eastern Catholic
Q1: I find the topic of Eastern Catholic Churches very interesting. So I was wondering, is it possible for a Roman Catholic to become, say, Greek Catholic or Coptic Catholic, and if so, how does that work? –Angelo Q2: My … Continue reading
Posted in Canonical Issues Involving Non-Catholics, Marriage, Other Canonical Questions, Sacraments
Tagged canon law, Catholic, Church sui iuris, eastern rite, marriage
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Can a Priest Refuse to Hear Your Confession if He Knows You?
Q1: I’d like to know if a priest can hear the confession of a Catholic who is married, but not in the Catholic Church? If not, why not? –Joseph Q2: I am an active parish volunteer at my local parish. … Continue reading
Posted in Confession, Parish Life, Sacraments
Tagged absolution, canon law, Catholic, confession, parish, volunteer
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Why Can’t These Priests Ever Celebrate a Valid Catholic Wedding?
Q1: Can a laicized Catholic priest ever validly marry a Catholic couple? —Courtney Q2: My best friend is going to marry a divorced Catholic man, and she asked me to be a bridesmaid… her pastor said that her fiancé would … Continue reading
Posted in Holy Orders, Marriage, Sacraments
Tagged canon law, Catholic, marriage, priest, validity
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Mass Intentions and Stipends (Part II)
Q1: I know that concelebrating priests may each have their own intentions for the one concelebrated Mass. But can each of them receive a separate stipend for the one concelebrated Mass? So for instance, my pastor and I concelebrate. He … Continue reading