Category Archives: Marriage

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

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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

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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

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Can the Pope Validly Marry People on an Airplane?

Q: It would seem that [during his trip to Chile] Pope Francis received and blessed a couple who actually celebrated the sacrament of Holy Matrimony on the Pope’s flight. At first glance, according to your previous articles about canonical validity … Continue reading

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How Did My Ex Remarry in the Church, Since We Never Got an Annulment?

Q: My ex-husband and I are both Catholics.  We got married in my parish church.  We later were divorced but never got an annulment. Recently he got remarried in a civil ceremony.  They went on their honeymoon to [a major … Continue reading

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