Marriage, Mexico, Early 70's

[Featherstone]

What was required by canon law in the early 1970’s as to a non-Catholic man marring a Catholic girl in Mexico? Could it have taken place all in one day and still be sanctioned by the Church? Was the civil approval (signed),and or blood test still required back then, and could they have been obtained in that same day? The non-Catholic was also a U.S. citizen. I am not sure about the girl. However, both were in the U.S. fell in love at work, ran off to Mexico and were married by a Mexican priest in a Catholic Church. The man had never been baptized in any religious group at that time. I need to know what the least amount of time to meet both civil and Canon prerequisite might have taken in Mex. and if such shake-n-bake style weddings would have been acknowledged by The Church in that time period. Also if and when/ was the Church stripped of it civil powers in Mexico with respect to marriage.
Thank You

 

[laszlo]

What was required by canon law in the early 1970’s as to a non-Catholic man marring a Catholic girl in Mexico? Could it have taken place all in one day and still be sanctioned by the Church? Was the civil approval (signed),and or blood test still required back then, and could they have been obtained in that same day? The non-Catholic was also a U.S. citizen. I am not sure about the girl. However, both were in the U.S. fell in love at work, ran off to Mexico and were married by a Mexican priest in a Catholic Church. The man had never been baptized in any religious group at that time. I need to know what the least amount of time to meet both civil and Canon prerequisite might have taken in Mex. and if such shake-n-bake style weddings would have been acknowledged by The Church in that time period. Also if and when/ was the Church stripped of it civil powers in Mexico with respect to marriage.
Thank You

Marriage between a Catholic and non Catholic required dispensation and signed contract (reversalis) that the children will be raised as Catholic. The question is more complicated if the non Catholic party is non baptized.

Marriage required three ‘publications’ (read their names in the mass in three Sundays) but this was usually omitted in case of mixed marriages (between Catholic and non Catholic)

At least one party was required to have domicile at the parish where they married, or to have written permit for marriage from the territorial pastor of the Catholic party.

Blood test or civil license was not required by the Canon Law (blood test neither by the civil law in 1970)

This means that

• the non Catholic party was baptized
• they went to marry to the village where the girl lived before coming to the US
• they signed the required papers

then the marriage is licit and valid. Missing condition do not make it necessarily invalid.

The validity should be properly judged by the diocese of the domicile of one party. Ask the local pastor to start the process.