MIXED MARRIAGES.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXX, Issue 5, 30 January 1902, Page 3

MIXED MARRIAGES.

In our last issue we drew attention to the remarkable discovery by the Press Association agent in Sydney that an important decree regarding marriage was to have been read in all the Catholic churches of the Commonwealth on Sunday, January 11). We pointed out at the time that the decree was passed at the Australasian Synod held in Sydney in 1885, and that the solemn warning regarding the dangers of mixed marriages, given by the Catholic Hierarchy on that occasion, has been read regularly since then in all churches and chapels on the second Sunday after the Epiphany. The following is the decree in question. It is published in the proceedings of the Provincial Synod held at Wellington in 1899 (p. 107). It will be a timely reminder to those whom it concerns :—: — ' Whereas, according to the testimony of the Apostle Paul, marriage is a great pacrament, because it represents the marvellous union that exists between Christ and the Church. Priests to whom is entrusted the care of souls should see that the faithful be properly disposed to receive so great a sacrament with becoming piety, and they should endeavor to observe exactly all these things that are prescribed in the Missal and Roman Ritual. 'They should be very careful that the contracting parties understand the rudiments of the faith, and they should exhort them to make a diligent confession of their sins, and to strengthen their soulb with the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist ; they should teach them moreover how they ought to live together pioualy and in a Christian manner in the married state. ' Hence we consider deserving of reproach the conduct, not infrequent in this country, of those who, without giving any previous notice, present themselves to the priest to be married without delay. To provide against this evil we require that they inform the priest of the intended marriage, in order that they may be properly instructed in all that pertains to this Sacrament, and also that suitable inquiry may be made as to their freedom before proceeding to celebrate the marriage. ' Hence we also enjoin that the Banns be published in accordance with the teaching of the Councils of Lateran and Trent — namely, 1 eh. 24 sees, on Matrimony "before marriage is celebrated, let the names of those by whom it is to be contracted be publicly announced three time 3by their parish priest in the church during Mass, on three consecutive festival days. Having made these proclamations, if no legitimate impediment has been brought forward, the marriage may be publicly celebrated. But if at any time there is reason to fear that the marriage may be maliciously impeded if so many proclamationa were made beforehand, then let only one be made, if the Ordinary does not deem it expedient that the aforesaid proclamation be altogether omitted, which this Holy Synod leaves to his prudence and judgment. Let the parish priest have a book, which he will carefully preserve in his custody, and in which he will write down the names of the contracting parties and of the witnesses, together with the time and place where the marriage was celebrated." MIXED MARRIAGES. 'In regard to mixed marriages — that is, of Catholics with non* Catholics — it is well known that they are strictly forbidden by th c ancient law of the Church, which the Popes have always incul" cated, as the sanctity of marriage requires that both parties be qualified by faith and other dispositions of the mind to receive the grace of the Sacrament, and as many disadvantages and great evils frequently arise from marriages of this kind — namely, domestic broils — the perversion of the Catholic party, and of the offspring, or what frequently happens in this country, the infection of the children with indifferentism. ' Adhering, therefore, to the doctrine handed down by the Church on this matter, anl bearing in mind the decrees of the Supreme Pontiffs, and especia'ly what is laid down by Benedict XIV. in his " Instruction about past and future marriages in Holland and Belgium," we, with so great a Pontiff, reprobate such marriages, and wish to quote here his moat important words, which may serve as a rule to us :—": — " With regard to those marriages which are also contraoted in the same fedeial provinces of Belgium by Catholics with heretics, without observing the form laid down by the Council of Trent, his Holiness grieving especially that there are those amongst Catholics, who, shamefully led away by impure love, fear not to engage in those detestable marriages, which Holy Mother Church has ever condemned and interdicted, and highly praising the zeal of those prelates, who, by the severest spiritual penalties, endeavor to prevent Catholics from entering into a sacrilegious union with heretics, solemnly exhorts and adinonieshe3 a!l Bishops, Vicars-Apostolic, parish priestp, missionaries, and all other faithful ministers of God, and of the Church, living in those parts, that as far as they are able they will deter Catholics of either sex from engaging in these marriages, to the destruction of their own souls, and that they will endeavor to impede and effectually prevent the aforesaid marriages in every possible way." PRECAUTIONS, ' Hence we feel bound to admonish all priests firmly ta adhere to this doctrine, and that they do not cease to set forth the evils arising from marriages of this kind. Especially let them remind their people that the differenc3 of religion between a baptised and unbaptised person is an impediment invalidating Matrimony, and between baptised persons, it is an impediment hindering its lawful celebration. For the Church has always opposed marriages between Citholics and non-Catholics on account as well of the criminal participation in Divine things, as of the serious danger either of perversion of the Catholic party, or of the bad training of the offspring. Hence it happens that when there is question of mixed marriage the Church never dispenses without a grave cause, and unless a promise be made of taking those precautions by which the

danger for the Catholic party and the offspring ia removed. These precautions are (1) That there be no danger of the perversion of the Catholic by the non-Catholic party. (2) That the Catholic party acknowledge the obligation of endeavoring as far as possible to withdraw the non-Catholic party from error, and (3) That all the children of either Bex, born of these mixed marriages, must be brought up in the holiness of the Catholio religion. These precautions can never be remitted or dispensed with, aa they are founded on the Divine and natural law itself, which the Church and this Holy See anxiously strives to preserve unbroken, and against which, without doubt, they grievously sin who, in rashly contracting these mixed marriages, expose themselves and their offspring to the danger of perversion. They (the priests) shall read and explain those decrees to the people once a year during Mass, which may opportunely be done on the second Sunday after the Epiphany, DISPENSATIONS. ' Priests should remember that for the granting of a dispensation just and grave reasons, which are to be made known in writing to the ordinary of the diocese, are always required so that, having considered the circumstances of the case, he may be able to decide whether he can usa the power of dispensing granted to him by the Holy See. But if the priest, after the dispensation has been obtained, should know that the contracting parties do not intend to fulfil the conditions, viz , to preserve intaot the faith of the Catholic spouse and of the offspring of either sex, to secure the conversion of the non-Catholic, as also to observe the other conditions justly required, the marriage should not be celebrated. Parochial rectors should know that, after the celebration of mixed marriages, they are strictly bound in conscience to see that the conditions promised by the contracting parties are carefully observed and carried out. 1 The priests are further to understand that according to the decrees of che Supreme Pontiffs these marriages are to be celebrated outside the Church and without any sacrei ceremony, unless the ordinary for grave reasons permits otherwise. 1 Moreover it will not be lawful for them to assist at these marriages, should they discover that the contracting parties, either before or after being married in their presence, intend to present themselves before an heretical minister or before a State official when there is no civil law or other reasonable cause oompelling them to do so. 1 In order to deter Catholics, as far as lies in our power, from these sacrilegious unions, we declare that all who in future contract mixed marriages before a heterodox minister incur excommunication reserved to the Holy See, and those who presume to contract marriage before a State official are guilty of grievous Bin, the absolution of which is reserved to the ordinary. ' And if, what God forbid, two Catholics, setting aside the ministry of the priest and despising the authority of the Church, should dare to marry before a heterodox minister, they incur the same excommunication reserved to the Holy See ; and should the 7 make a similar attempt of contracting marriage before a State official, they incur excommunication, the absolution of which ia reserved to the Bishop.'