Married by judge in Catholic chapel

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sa7crament

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My husband was invited to a family wedding where the couple was getting married in a Catholic Church. However, the wedding was being done by a family member who is a judge.

Is the marriage considered valid by the Catholic Church? Is there a provision in canon law allowing this situation as an exception?

Thank you. My husband was extremely concerned as to why the Church would allow a marriage of this sort and to it’s validity.
 
sa7crament said:
My husband was invited to a family wedding where the couple was getting married in a Catholic Church. However, the wedding was being done by a family member who is a judge.

Is the marriage considered valid by the Catholic Church? Is there a provision in canon law allowing this situation as an exception?

Thank you. My husband was extremely concerned as to why the Church would allow a marriage of this sort and to it’s validity.
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That is strange. You would have to ask the pastor of the church. Maybe it’s a priestless parish? The Bishop can allow a layperson to represent the Church at a Catholic wedding when necessary.
 
Br.Rich_SFO said:
That is strange. You would have to ask the pastor of the church. Maybe it’s a priestless parish? The Bishop can allow a layperson to represent the Church at a Catholic wedding when necessary.
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that is not permitted in this diocese. do you have a source for that? I cannot imagine such a contingency except in extreme conditions such as the mission fields. unless you are one of the parties and know the circumstances, best not to speculate, but I would have my doubts if it were my child getting married.
 
puzzleannie said:
that is not permitted in this diocese. do you have a source for that? I cannot imagine such a contingency except in extreme conditions such as the mission fields. unless you are one of the parties and know the circumstances, best not to speculate, but I would have my doubts if it were my child getting married.
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I said it’s a possibility when necessary depending on the circumstances:

Can. 1112~1 Where there are no priests and deacons, the diocesan Bishop can delegate lay persons to assist at marriages, if the Episcopal Conference has given its prior approval and the permission of the Holy See has been obtained.

~2 A suitable lay person is to be selected, capable of giving instruction to those who are getting married, and fitted to conduct the marriage liturgy properly.
 
No, there were priests and deacons available. However, the judge was an uncle of the bride.

That’s why it’s confusing as to why the wedding was held in a Catholic Church.

Thanks for your replies.
 
Without knowing the religious status of the parties and some additional information, there is little prospect of clarifying the situation with any level of confidence and much room for speculation.
 
In my days as a parish business manager, it was not completely unknown to hear of a historic church, a bit strapped for cash, to allow this sort of thing.

However, in my archdiocese, this would be completely out of order, as it makes the house of God open for the highest bidder. It’s probably sacreligious, and at the very least, I hope they had the presence of mind to remove the Blessed Sacrament from the tabernacle!

The pastor of that parish needs a serious smack-down from the Bishop!

There is the outside chance that it’s really an interfaith chapel on a university campus or something similar, though.

Regarding the validity of the Sacrament, however, it would depend if the local Bishop gave dispensation for the marriage to be performed out of form. Really depends on the situation, as someone else just posted.
 
we don’t know all the circumstances so it is impossible to make an informed judgement.
 
puzzleannie said:
we don’t know all the circumstances so it is impossible to make an informed judgement.
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Better wipe off a dozen threads pronto.

I am telling you, this is the vast majority of the senarios we are asked to comment on in reality.
 
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