CATHOLIC MARRIAGES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2815, 26 February 1908, Page 38

CATHOLIC MARRIAGES.

\ PASTORAL LETTER

WELLINGTON. February 24-. li. all thi.> Catholic chifches in the ur-ch- ' diooec-e yerterday a pastoiil Jotter by Aichbishop Redwood on the recont detree of ihe sacrod eoni> '•edition or council on bcthothal and marriage 'md tho papal encyclical on modernist, errors was read. i Regarding marriage, his G>-ace said: "It ' is very important that the Catholic public, parents, 'jfiiaidians. and particu'arlv Cutho ie I marriageable youths, should have clear and full knowledge of the new law regarding 1 marriages 'ately i=su-pd by the holy soe. Lot them therefore know: — (1) That after Easter next any marriage between Cathoiics j ii absolutely n«ii and void — viz.. no marriatre at all — unk-st> it is contracted in the presence of a duly qualified priest and two , witnesses. Hitherto m this country when i a. Catholic in defiance of the law of the I Church presumed to get m-uried, either in I a Protestant church or in a registry office. i the marriage, though grievously sinful and sacrilegious, was held by the Church as valid and binding and the parties to be truly man and wife. After next Easter such marriages in Protestant churches and registry offices will bo for I Catholics not only sinful but invalid, and persons who contract them will have merely gone through an empty ceremony and will be no more man and wife than they were before. And this law binds all Catholics, even apostate and exeommunij cated Catholics, but, or the other hand, it, does not affect those who are not. and have never been. Catholics. Consequently Protestants and non-Catholics generally are outside its scope, and marriages of such in their churches or conventicle* or registry offico^ are recognised by the Catholic Church, all things else permitting, as real and true marriages.