Pauline Privilege

[utah_rose]

Can you tell me anything about the Pauline Privilege ? I know this was extremely rare before Vatican ll but wonder if it still being used today. It was my understanding that this was a dissolution of a marriage between a baptized and unbaptized person, and that the Pope himself had to do this. Would appreciate any info on this.

 

[Corki]

A Pauline Privilege is the dissolution of a purely natural (not sacramental) marriage which had been contracted between two non-Christians, one of whom has since become a Christian.

Yes, they are still granted today. The Pope has delegated the authority to do so to the local Bishops. The idea is that when two unbaptized people marry, the marriage is valid but not Sacramental. If one becomes Catholic and the marriage breaks down because of this, the marriage can be disolved under the Privalege. This allows the new Christian party to contract a valid, Sacramental marriage.

Here’s a good article on this.

catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=7272

 

[Spencerian]

Can you tell me anything about the Pauline Privilege ? I know this was extremely rare before Vatican ll but wonder if it still being used today. It was my understanding that this was a dissolution of a marriage between a baptized and unbaptized person, and that the Pope himself had to do this. Would appreciate any info on this.

Hi.

I’ve been through this process.

The Pauline Privilege (along with a similar process called the Petrine Privilege) are special dispensations for marriage done “in favor of the faith”–that is, a process for those who were not Christian prior to a previous marriage who want to marry a Catholic after themselves have become Catholic.

While the Church has no authority to dissolve a sacramental marriage (one between two baptized persons), the Church can declare (per St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 7:12) that one who wants to excuse themselves from a spouse (who does not want to become a Christian) in order for themselves to become a Christian, and thus marry another Christian, may do so.

The key to the Pauline Privilege is that this is not an annulment in the normal sense. The Pauline Privilege simply gives favor in the dissolution of a *natural *marriage (no baptized in the party) in favor of one who has entered the faith to join with another in the faith. That is, both husband and wife of the first marriage must have never been baptized. There are other conditions that must be met from a standpoint of avoiding scandal, but that’s the heart of it.

The Petrine process is similar but more complicated as one of the two members have been baptized. Such decrees are rarer and must have the Holy See’s approval. The Pauline process can be done at the diocesan level.

The process can be quick. I sent in my case to my diocese in late November of 2008. I received a reply four months later, on Good Friday of 2009. It was a very good day for more than one blessed reason for me.

 

[markomalley]

Can you tell me anything about the Pauline Privilege ? I know this was extremely rare before Vatican ll but wonder if it still being used today. It was my understanding that this was a dissolution of a marriage between a baptized and unbaptized person, and that the Pope himself had to do this. Would appreciate any info on this.

Take a look at Canon 1143 and 1147 for the specifics of the Pauline privilege.

If you are really interested in this, you can look up the excellent writeup in the New Commentary on the Code of Canon Law, published under the auspices of the Canon Law Society of America. That should give you all the information you would likely ever need on the subject (unless, of course, you are a canon lawyer).

 

[Joe_Kelley]

…
The Petrine process is similar but more complicated as one of the two members have been baptized. Such decrees are rarer and must have the Holy See’s approval. The Pauline process can be done at the diocesan level…

A few years back, when I was involved in RCIA, they were promising approval in about three months * if everything was in order. Do have all the i’s dotted and t’s crossed. They are rather sticky on details. But otherwise they went quite smoothly.*

 

[thistle]

Hi.

I’ve been through this process.

The Pauline Privilege (along with a similar process called the Petrine Privilege) are special dispensations for marriage done “in favor of the faith”–that is, a process for those who were not Christian prior to a previous marriage who want to marry a Catholic after themselves have become Catholic.

While the Church has no authority to dissolve a sacramental marriage (one between two baptized persons), the Church can declare (per St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 7:12) that one who wants to excuse themselves from a spouse (who does not want to become a Christian) in order for themselves to become a Christian, and thus marry another Christian, may do so.

The key to the Pauline Privilege is that this is not an annulment in the normal sense. The Pauline Privilege simply gives favor in the dissolution of a *natural *marriage (no baptized in the party) in favor of one who has entered the faith to join with another in the faith. That is, both husband and wife of the first marriage must have never been baptized. There are other conditions that must be met from a standpoint of avoiding scandal, but that’s the heart of it.

The Petrine process is similar but more complicated as one of the two members have been baptized. Such decrees are rarer and must have the Holy See’s approval. The Pauline process can be done at the diocesan level.

The process can be quick. I sent in my case to my diocese in late November of 2008. I received a reply four months later, on Good Friday of 2009. It was a very good day for more than one blessed reason for me.

I would assume, though, that you had have a civil divorce first.

 

[Spencerian]

I would assume, though, that you had have a civil divorce first.

Yes. That is a required part of the process. If I recall, in addition to the diocesan petition, I submitted the court paperwork that showed that the civil element of the marriage had been dissolved.

It should be noted that the “favor” in the “favor of the faith” part of these privileges wasn’t for the formerly married party. The favor is given to the person that the petitioner wishes to marry. The privilege doesn’t grant a global “OK” to marrying again. It only grants the petitioner’s intended to marry the formerly married. In other words, my wife received the favor of the Church to marry me because of my conversion.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I had one case where a woman wished to become Catholic. Her unbaptized husband, who was not becoming Catholic, had previously been married to an unbaptized woman. A Petrine was granted to dissolve that previous marriage; so that the current one could be validated and the current wife become Catholic.

 

[agnella]

Hi,

do you know how long you should wait for the privilege for faith? I heard that if there are no complications and if it’s rather straightforward, you can expect it even after 3-4 months.
I am actually waiting for one…it’s agonising

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Hi,

do you know how long you should wait for the privilege for faith? I heard that if there are no complications and if it’s rather straightforward, you can expect it even after 3-4 months.
I am actually waiting for one…it’s agonising

I think 3 or 4 months is probably a good guess.

With my prayers for your success - Joe K.

 

[agnella]

Thank you John for your reply! You are the second person saying that it’s possible to have in in 4 months so BEFORE 6 months.

I had one case where a woman wished to become Catholic. Her unbaptized husband, who was not becoming Catholic, had previously been married to an unbaptized woman. A Petrine was granted to dissolve that previous marriage; so that the current one could be validated and the current wife become Catholic.

In my case I am a practising Catholic, and this privilege is ‘for my faith’. I don’t want to live in a sin. My husband is unbaptised and was previously civilly married to an unbaptised person.
Do you know the reasons when it can be denied?
I was not a reason of their divorce. They have never even left together. It was a very short relation, they were both young and planning their future together but after the religious ceremony (they are both hindu) planned in few months after a civil one which eventually never took place because they split up and she left the country.
We are both from different countries and we live in another country so no one knows our situation here (apart from family of course),no scandal. There were no children before or now.
I am hoping, dreaming and praying that the answer will be positive because I don’t want to live in sin