Polygamist Convert

[BornInMarch]

I remember awhile ago reading about the famous Explorer and Abolitionist David Livingstone. In the biography I read about him, it states that he managed to convince an African Chief named Sechele I to Christianity. There were only four problems though; Sechele had five wives.
Livingstone told him he could only keep one of them if he wanted to be christian, so Sechele kept the first wife/primary and sent the secondary wives back to their own tribes. In the book I read, Livingstone disaproved of this choice because the first wife was lazy and prideful (not good Christian qualities).

Being raised in Scotland, Livingstone was Protestant: I’d like the Catholic Protocol on this topic.

What should a man do if he wishes to convert to Christianity and is already married to multiple women? Which wife should he keep? The first one he married? The first one willing to convert to Christianity alongside him? Whichever one he wants? None of them?

 

[Viki63]

an interesting question which has been asked in the past: here’s the link.

Here is one answer:
" The distillation of the practice of the Church is in the Code of Canon Law:

"Can. 1148 §1. When he receives baptism in the Catholic Church, a non-baptized man who has several non-baptized wives at the same time can retain one of them after the others have been dismissed, if it is hard for him to remain with the first one. The same is valid for a non-baptized woman who has several non-baptized husbands at the same time.

§2. In the cases mentioned in §1, marriage must be contracted in legitimate form after baptism has been received, and the prescripts about mixed marriages, if necessary, and other matters required by the law are to be observed.

§3. Keeping in mind the moral, social, and economic conditions of places and of persons, the local ordinary is to take care that the needs of the first wife and the others dismissed are sufficiently provided for according to the norms of justice, Christian charity, and natural equity."

.

 

[Tomdstone]

an interesting question which has been asked in the past: here’s the link.

Here is one answer:
" The distillation of the practice of the Church is in the Code of Canon Law:

"Can. 1148 §1. When he receives baptism in the Catholic Church, a non-baptized man who has several non-baptized wives at the same time can retain one of them after the others have been dismissed, if it is hard for him to remain with the first one. The same is valid for a non-baptized woman who has several non-baptized husbands at the same time.
.

I don’t believe that this rule is enforced for men over 60 living in some parts of Africa. I was told that a man of that age can keep his wives according to local custom.

 

[kdbueno]

A polygamist convert based on my analysis has perfect hope whence his Bishop assures the divine canoninity of the divine perspective of Magisterial truth.

 

[adamhovey1988]

I don’t believe that this rule is enforced for men over 60 living in some parts of Africa. I was told that a man of that age can keep his wives according to local custom.

Then you were told something false. Sitting Bull (a Lakota Holy Man) was never fully received into the Church (whether he was Baptized or not is a matter of debate) because he could not chose between one of his four wives.

 

[Sarcelle]

I don’t believe that this rule is enforced for men over 60 living in some parts of Africa. I was told that a man of that age can keep his wives according to local custom.

He can keep his wives, but, he will have to choose one to have marital relations with, and then live with the rest of his wives as brother and sister.

 

[chasingcars]

He can keep his wives, but, he will have to choose one to have marital relations with, and then live with the rest of his wives as brother and sister.

That would be scandalous, wouldn’t it? I think he’d have to choose one to stay with and leave the others.