Does being a decendant of an invalid marriage mean anything?

  • Thread starter Thread starter x1980x
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
X

x1980x

Guest
Family research indicates that my ancestry includes a “secret Catholic” girl who snuck into the very non-Catholic milieu of the rest of my family and kept her Catholicism a secret all throughout the life of her marriage to one of my ancestors. The relationship was terminated by death, after which the truth was revealed. My grandfather supposedly freaked out when he found out that his mom was a Catholic.

I don’t have all the details in front of me, but it seems that the CC might see this as an invalid “defect of form” marriage, unless this person had permission to marry outside the CC (how would I investigate something like that if it took place in the early 20th century or late 19th?). If this is so, does this problem filter down to me in any way that would require me to take action or prevent me from doing anything with respect to the CC? I’ve heard that Orthodox Judaism has a concept (mamzer) of being the descendent of an illegitimate union. Neither of my immediate parents have ever been Catholic, so their marriage isn’t really in question.
 
Can. 1137 Children who are conceived or born of a valid or of a putative marriage are legitimate. invalid marriage is said to be putative if it has been celebrated
(Children) born of a valid or of a putative marriage are legitimate

intratext.com/IXT/ENG0017/_P42.HTM

“If I receive an annulment, will my children be illegitimate?
This is the number one question asked regarding annulments, and it is very worrisome to many parents. They are often deeply concerned that a declaration of nullity will affect the legitimate status of their children should an annulment be granted. This should not be a concern. At the time of the child’s birth, they were born of a legal marriage in civil law and a putative marriage in canon law (which means that everyone thought in good faith that the marriage was valid). So at the moment of the child’s birth, he or she was civilly and canonically legitimate. An annulment DOES NOT retroactively affect a child’s legitimacy.”

canonlawprofessionals.com/annulmentquestions.html
 
I don’t mean to sound in anyway unhelpful, but isn’t this a question for your own church? Or are you converting? If you are thinking of converting, your mother could be the lowliest never-married prostitute in Hong Kong and the Church wouldn’t care. It’s about the individual coming Home. (BTW, I was just giving an extreme example, I’m sure your actual mother is a lovely woman.)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top