Multiple Marriage Ceremonies

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Superstar905

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and maybe it’s just me, but check this out.

My sis is getting married, and in her marriage preperation classes her friend who is also Catholic, is marrying a guy who’s Muslim but has agreed to raise the children Catholic.

Now, each couple had a minute to tell everyone of their story (I guess kind of an introduction thing), and her friend, told everyone that she is having three wedding ceremonies! One in the Catholic Church, another in a Muslim Mosque, and a third Civil ceremony in a beautiful park.

My sister has found out, that the Priest knows all this and is ok with it. Is it me, or is this absolutely WRONG?

Doesn’t remarriage in a non-Christian ceremony constitute a Mortal Sin?
 
Canon 1127 §3 It is forbidden to have, either before or after the canonical celebration in accordance with §1, another religious celebration of the same marriage for the purpose of giving or renewing matrimonial consent. Likewise, there is not to be a religious celebration in which the catholic assistant and a non-catholic minister, each performing his own rite, ask for the consent of the parties.
 
Catholic2003 said:
Canon 1127 §3 It is forbidden to have, either before or after the canonical celebration in accordance with §1, another religious celebration of the same marriage for the purpose of giving or renewing matrimonial consent. Likewise, there is not to be a religious celebration in which the catholic assistant and a non-catholic minister, each performing his own rite, ask for the consent of the parties.
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Thank you, now, is it possible that the local Bishop may have granted a dispensation in this case?

This seems so strange, that this is being allowed to happen!
 
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Superstar905:
Thank you, now, is it possible that the local Bishop may have granted a dispensation in this case?

This seems so strange, that this is being allowed to happen!
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That would be extremely unlikely. Having multiple ceremonies blurs the exchange of marital consent, which is essential to a valid marriage.

However, not infrequently, the bishop will grant a dispensation to have a single non-Catholic ceremony, e.g., just the Muslim one, or just the civil ceremony.
 
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Catholic2003:
That would be extremely unlikely. Having multiple ceremonies blurs the exchange of marital consent, which is essential to a valid marriage.

However, not infrequently, the bishop will grant a dispensation to have a single non-Catholic ceremony, e.g., just the Muslim one, or just the civil ceremony.
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So then, since the Priest is ok with this, is he potentially in grave error, and could be subject to censure by the Bishop if he were to find out?
 
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Superstar905:
So then, since the Priest is ok with this, is he potentially in grave error, and could be subject to censure by the Bishop if he were to find out?
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Good questions. I don’t really know the answers.

The priest should definitely not be “okay” with this. I don’t know if this means that he should stop the Catholic ceremony, or if he should just privately counsel the couple against their plans.
 
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Catholic2003:
Good questions. I don’t really know the answers.

The priest should definitely not be “okay” with this. I don’t know if this means that he should stop the Catholic ceremony, or if he should just privately counsel the couple against their plans.
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Maybe one of the priests on this forum can weigh in on this…
 
Catholic2003 said:
Canon 1127 §3 It is forbidden to have, either before or after the canonical celebration in accordance with §1, another religious celebration of the same marriage for the purpose of giving or renewing matrimonial consent. Likewise, there is not to be a religious celebration in which the catholic assistant and a non-catholic minister, each performing his own rite, ask for the consent of the parties.
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This doesn’t seem to speak against the civil ceremony.

It would seem to speak against the Muslim ceremony in the event the ceremony requires consent to be given. That is, if canon law recognizes Muslim as “religious” celebration.

Alan
 
Would it be acceptable to have one ceremony - either the Muslim or civil one - and then have the marriage blessed by the Catholic priest?

Maybe that could be offered as an alternative if the man involved is looking for recognition of his faith.

Or even better have the Catholic ceremony and have it blessed after by the Imam, if they do that sort of thing I don’t know, but I wonder why they are bothering with a civil ceremony at all to be honest.
 
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MonkeyTape:
… but I wonder why they are bothering with a civil ceremony at all to be honest.
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That does seem kind of pointless… unless they live in a nation that doesn’t recognize religious weddings as civilly binding. But it sounds more like they just wanted a ceremony in a park.

I’m curious about the order of these ceremonies. Only one of them can be legally binding from a secular standpoint.
 
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MonkeyTape:
Or even better have the Catholic ceremony and have it blessed after by the Imam, if they do that sort of thing I don’t know, but I wonder why they are bothering with a civil ceremony at all to be honest.
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A civil ceremony does seem a bit silly as the priest can legally marry them as well.
 
Andreas Hofer:
A civil ceremony does seem a bit silly as the priest can legally marry them as well.
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The reason is, they also want a wedding ceremony outside! They want it in a Catholic Church, and they want it in a Muslim Mosque.

I am just surprised, that the Muslim ceremony especially, is being allowed after the Catholic Ceremony. I almost feel like I should e-mail the priest, but then again, it’s none of my business.
 
I would be surprised if the Bishop or chancery office was not aware of this as they would have to get a dispensation for her to marry a Muslim to start with.
 
The essence of this is what leads me to believe that the young lady is somewhat lacking in catechesis from the get go; it would appear that the priest is not well trained in Canon Law, and it provides one more example of why there are so many marriages ending up before a tribunal. I can understand wanting to honor the religious beliefs of the husband and yet be married by the priest; but the desire to have the outdoor civil ceremony is what brings me to the conclusion that she may not have any real foundation in what Marriage really is: a covenant relationship between husband and wife, part of which is designed to assist them in their ultimate goal, to wit: everlasting life. It sounds as if she is caught up in the ceremony aspect of wedding, and has not progressed to what the ceremony is really about. It is not just a cultural event, as in “cutural Catholic”. Church is really something more than “bred, fed, wed and dead”.
 
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otm:
The essence of this is what leads me to believe that the young lady is somewhat lacking in catechesis from the get go; it would appear that the priest is not well trained in Canon Law, and it provides one more example of why there are so many marriages ending up before a tribunal. I can understand wanting to honor the religious beliefs of the husband and yet be married by the priest; but the desire to have the outdoor civil ceremony is what brings me to the conclusion that she may not have any real foundation in what Marriage really is: a covenant relationship between husband and wife, part of which is designed to assist them in their ultimate goal, to wit: everlasting life. It sounds as if she is caught up in the ceremony aspect of wedding, and has not progressed to what the ceremony is really about. It is not just a cultural event, as in “cutural Catholic”. Church is really something more than “bred, fed, wed and dead”.
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Quite possibly so. It is something that is really bothering me. How could the local bishop approve of a second ceremony in a Muslim Mosque? Especially because it involves an ALREADY married Catholic person (given she is first getting married in a Catholic Church).

The Church has changed much with it’s view on marrying non-Catholics. This however, to me, seems to go overboard, if in fact the bishop has allowed this.
 
Maybe they think by getting all kinds of marriages that one of them will “stick.” 😛

Alan
 
Is it known that the bishop is aware of the other ceremonies? It seems possible that the priest did not inform the bishop about the other ceremonies.
 
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Catholic2003:
Is it known that the bishop is aware of the other ceremonies? It seems possible that the priest did not inform the bishop about the other ceremonies.
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Hmmm, I don’t know to be honest. I suppose thats possible.
 
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