Catholic Public Officials Conducting Marriages

[toname]

I know that Elected Public officials can conduct civil marriages. But what are the church’s rules about a catholic elected official conducting such marriages? Does it not contradict the church’s teaching of the sacredness of the sacrament?

How should a catholic public official handle such requests for marriage outside of the church? Can he turn down such requests?

 

[passus]

All Catholics are bound to Catholic marital law as defined in the Code of Canon Law. If neither of the two people who are to be married is Catholic, then you may officiate a civil marriage between them assuming no other hindrances to the legitimacy of the ceremony such as prior marriages or close blood relationships.

I should also note that you may not present yourself as any kind of minister in order to officiate a civil marriage. Getting “ordained” Online would constitute an illicit practice.

 

[Cluny]

An Orthodox bishop was once asked a similar question about an Orthodox magistrate having to perform a civil marriage for two Orthodox Christians.

He replied that that magistrate should perform the duty demanded of him by civil law, but he should also advise the couple as a fellow Orthodox believer that this ceremony is meaningless for Church purposes.

 

[Andreas_Hofer]

The only answer I have seen (though I’ve never really looked) is that Catholic public officials are not morally able to participate in the civil “marriages” of Catholics outside the Church. The reasoning given is that they would be participating in the lie and sacrilege of the ceremony. What I interestingly did not see covered in that response (which was probably in the AAA forum) was the situation of participating in civil “remarriages,” which would presumably apply the same reasoning and affect an even larger number of cases. When tracking this marriage situation of the US, however, it is important to remember that in some countries, with the consent and even active cooperation of the Church, one is required to have a civil marriage before an ecclesiastical wedding, so that probably gums up the grease of the above argumentation (without necessarily refuting it).

 

[OutinChgoburbs]

Why not ask at Ask An Apologist instead of looking for opinion in the threads? Surely you will get a better answer from experts.

 

[toname]

Why not ask at Ask An Apologist instead of looking for opinion in the threads? Surely you will get a better answer from experts.

Thanks for the advice… I will post there… I was not sure where to best place to ask the question. I thought since my question relates to the sacraments. I thought I’d post it here.

 

[toname]

Thanks to all who replied and gave their oppinions. I will post his question again on the AAA forum. God Bless!