Current Josephite Marriage

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Austin_researcher

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I’m researching the contemporary use of Josephite marriage. My parents were in such an arrangement, stipulated and approved by the church, in the 1960s. I would be interested in learning more about contemporary situations and those who have found benefit from the practice.
 
I am interested in the reason behind your parent’s decision. As for more contemporary examples, I had heard one time, but I cannot vouch for it’s certainty, that the late Warren Carroll (founder of Christendom College) and his wife were in a Josephite marriage, that they decided upon after learning that they could not have any (more?) children. I would suspect most couple’s who do so today, do it under similiar circumstances, but also when both (not just one) are at an advanced stage in their spiritual lives and under direct guidance from spiritual directors. In my opinion, those should be the criteria ( in addition to both being called Tonite, not meaning to implies it is always a part of being at an advanced spiritual stage).

And of course some couple’s due to purely medical reasons.
 
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My father had a previous marriage. He married my mother in a civil union and they had four kids. He converted after a serious heart attack, and his requests for an annulment of the first marriage were denied. The church determined that the only way he and my mother could receive the sacraments was by adhering to a “Curia Matrimonialis” issued by the matrimonial tribunal of their diocese, signed by the bishop’s representative and others. I have the four-page document. In it, they swear to “live in the manner of brother and sister.”
 
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The reason was that the church did not recognize their marriage. My father had been married before. In order to be permitted to receive the sacraments, they had to enter into a Josephite arrangement, after 15 years of marriage and four children. See my reply to the previous comment for additional detail.
 
Thank you for the explanation. What a difficult situation for your parents. Their perseverance is admirable.

I’m not sure that’s what Catholics typically think of as a “Josephite marriage”. “Josephite marriage” typically is used to refer to people who for some reason make a free choice to marry in the Church and not have relations with each other, usually because they are devoted to some spiritual purpose (like operating some kind of a charity or promoting a devotion together) and under the guidance of a spiritual director who okays (sometimes even encourages) this arrangement.

I know there used to be someone else on the forum who posted that they were in the same situation where they could not get an annulment and thus had to live with their partner as brother and sister, but I don’t think that person is posting any more.

In these cases where living like brother and sister is needed because the Church won’t grant an annulment, I would presume that if something happened where the spouses were suddenly free to marry in the Church, such as the former spouse passed away, then the couple would marry in the Church or do whatever was needed to get their civil marriage recognized, and would stop living like brother and sister.
 
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Austin_researcher said:
ng to a “Curia Matrimonialis” issued by the matrimonial tribunal of their diocese, signed by the bishop’s representative and others. I have the four-page document. In it, they swear to “live in the manner of brother and sister.”
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Yes respectfully, that’s not a Josephite marriage. At least not as its defined in canon law. They were asked to live as “brother and sister”, and its admirable that they had the discipline to do so. A Josephite marriage, strictly speaking, is a valid, sacramental marriage in which the couple chooses, before contracting marriage, to perpetually abstain from sexual relations. Our Lady and St. Joseph are, of course, the model of such a marriage.
 
That is plenty of explanation, thanks. I hope my example help your original question
 
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Very admiral of your parents to live that way and follow God!
 
I’m interested in the contemporary use and purposes of Josephite marriage. I would like to learn more about the practice and/or contact individuals in such an arrangement who would like to discuss their experience.
 
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