(Repost:) Is Confession Still an Easter Duty?

Posted on April 17, 2014 by canonlawmadeeasy

(This was written some time ago, but since it has been incredibly popular in the past few weeks of Lent, it seems worthwhile to bring it to readers’ attention once again.  A new column will appear next week.  A blessed Easter to all!)

Q: When I was a kid, everyone was required during Lent to make his “Easter Duty.” Every parishioner received a card from the parish. When we went to confession before Easter, we handed the card to the priest. By Easter he had a huge stack of cards, showing which parishioners had made their Easter Duty and who hadn’t. But nowadays, people hardly ever go to confession like they used to, and nobody ever talks about Easter Duty. Has this requirement been abolished like so many other things? –Janet Continue reading →

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Catholic Priests Who Become Non-Catholic Ministers

Posted on April 3, 2014 by canonlawmadeeasy

Q: Recently, a Catholic priest in our area left to become “pastor” of an Episcopal church.  If we assume for a moment that the Episcopal liturgy contains the valid words of Institution, and if we assume that valid matter was used, does he confect the Eucharist? –Patrick

A: Sad to say, the case cited by Patrick is far from unique. In certain countries with a sizeable Episcopal community, one far too frequently encounters priests who have left the Catholic Church to join the Church of England—often in order to get married while still remaining in some sort of ministry—and who now function as clergy in an Episcopal/Anglican parish. Since these men were, presumably, validly ordained as Catholic priests, does the Catholic Church regard their non-Catholic ministry as valid? Continue reading →

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Canon Law and Fraudulent Marriages

Posted on March 20, 2014 by canonlawmadeeasy

Q:  My fiancée and I attended a marriage-prep class in our diocese, and one of the speakers said something we didn’t fully understand.  First he urged us to be open and honest with each other about our past lives, not hiding anything from one another, which made basic sense to us.  But then he mentioned that we need to do this because otherwise our marriage could be null because of fraud.

We’ve known each other since childhood anyway, so it’s a moot point for us.  Later on, though, we were wondering if telling your future spouse every single little thing about you is really necessary for a valid Catholic marriage?  What happens if you honestly forget to mention something?  –Scott Continue reading →

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Can We Have Both a Priest and a Non-Catholic Minister at our Wedding?

Posted on March 6, 2014 by canonlawmadeeasy

Q1: I’m Catholic and my fiancé is from a devout Lutheran family.  They weren’t too pleased when I told them our wedding has to take place in a Catholic church….  Is it permissible for us under canon law to have a wedding ceremony in my parish church, and have his Lutheran minister “co-marry” us there, alongside the Catholic priest?  I asked my pastor and he said no, but I couldn’t tell if he refused because that’s actually the law, or if he just didn’t like the idea.  –Christina

Q2: My Jewish girlfriend and I want to get married, and both of our families are insisting that the ceremony be conducted in their own place of worship.  I understand that since I’m a Catholic, I have to follow canonical form and so the wedding ceremony must be Catholic.  But my future in-laws, not surprisingly, don’t see it that way.  I’m wondering if there’s any reason why we couldn’t have a Catholic marriage ceremony first, and then at a later date go through the Jewish ceremony as well?  I’m assuming that canonically we can, because we really would be married validly in the Church first… –Ian Continue reading →

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Can a Catholic Ever Elope?

Posted on February 20, 2014 by canonlawmadeeasy

Q:  What does canon law say about Catholics eloping?  I understand the issue from the perspective of the  sacramental theology of the Church, but was wondering if canon law had anything to say about it, if a Catholic really wants to elope. –David

A:  When we speak of “elopement” today, we usually envision a young couple running away in the middle of the night to be married in secret, and without the consent of their parents—usually by a justice of the peace in a civil wedding ceremony.  Is it ever possible for a Catholic couple (or a couple including only one Catholic) to marry under such circumstances?  There are actually several different components of the question that merit a closer look from a canonical standpoint. Continue reading →

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