Are they Really Catholic? Part II

Posted on October 18, 2007 by canonlawmadeeasy

Q: Not far from my home is a church with a sign in front identifying it as a “Roman Catholic Church” with “traditional Roman rites.”  But the bulletin from our Catholic parish never refers to any activities going on at this church, although it usually lists events at other parishes. Also, I just found out recently that this church is not even listed in the diocesan handbook as one of the parishes of our diocese. What’s going on?  Is it possible to have a Roman Catholic parish church in our diocese, but that’s not part of our diocese?  Is it okay for us to attend this church on Sundays?  –Michael Continue reading →

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Do Lapsed Catholics Marry Validly Outside the Church?

Posted on October 5, 2007 by canonlawmadeeasy

Q: I was raised Catholic, but in my 20’s I fell in love with a Baptist woman and started attending her church with her on Sundays. Eventually we got married in the Baptist church. Later our marriage fell apart and we divorced, and I returned to the Catholic Church.

Now I’m dating a great Catholic woman and we want to get married. Her mother is opposed, because she says there’s no way we can marry in the Catholic Church. Since the Church doesn’t recognize divorce, she insists that I’m still married to my first wife. But I say that we can, because I wasn’t a practicing Catholic at the time of my first marriage, so I was never married in the eyes of the Church anyway. Who’s right? What can I do?  –Ray Continue reading →

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Are They Really Catholic? Part I

Posted on September 20, 2007 by canonlawmadeeasy

Q1: Every day I drive past a church that’s called a “Greek Melkite Catholic Church.”  What does this mean? Are these people really Catholics? Why aren’t they Roman Catholics?  –Carol Continue reading →

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Are Women Required to Cover Their Heads in Church?

Posted on September 6, 2007 by canonlawmadeeasy

Q: In a Catholic magazine I frequently see advertisements for chapel veils. The ad always says, “canon 1262 is still in force.” I guess that this canon says that women must wear chapel veils. Is this true? Are all women still required to wear chapel veils in Church? If we are, how come nobody ever mentions this? I’m sure many women would wear them if they knew they were supposed to.  –Marianne Continue reading →

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Can a Catholic Ever Get Married in a Non-Catholic Church?

Posted on August 23, 2007 by canonlawmadeeasy

Q: At a social event, I met a woman who is Catholic, but newly married to a Methodist. We started talking about wedding-planning, and she mentioned that her own wedding took place just a couple of months ago in a Methodist church. So I assumed that she’s out of the Church. But subsequently I saw her receiving Holy Communion at Mass at my parish! Don’t Catholics have to get married in a Catholic church? So isn’t she in a state of sin because she’s not really married? Why should she be allowed to receive Communion then? Should somebody tell our pastor about this?  –Beth Continue reading →

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