The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-05-18
Why Mixed Marriages are Discouraged.

long been accused OF "leadinS the way TO
Pale stine, and never to heaven"
Why Mixed Marriages are Discouraged.
From the London Catholic Opinnn.I
They never can let US alone. The lead
ing journals are just now greatly exercised
over the Catholic rule about mixed maria
ges. We ought to take it as n great COM
pliment that the Protestant public is so
anxious to marry us. One good will come
of it-that the law of the Church has now
been so promulgated to all whom it may
ever concern, that no Catholic can allow
his or her affections to become engaged to
one of the opposite creed, without full
knowledge of the obligation under which
Catholics lie in this matter.
+ The Daily Telegraph and Spectator write
fairly, as they generally do-the Times, as
is its wont, with a bumptious biSotry wor-
thy of Marylcbone poor law guardian.
These, and all the journals, deplore the
strictness of the rules which make Maria
ges with Catholics grave difficulty. But
this is really to state the case inaccurately.
The Church as rule deprecates mixed
marriages, but she only wishes to make
mixed marriages impossible where the Pro-
testant party believes the Catholic religion
to be souf- destroying heresy, in which he
could not conscientiousiy allow his chill
dren to be educated. Yet in such IL case,
why should he wish to marry u Catholic at
all unless with desire of turning her
from her errors 7 But this is not motive
in which PrOtestants would expect Catho-
lies to sympathize.
When the Protestant is favorably dispos
ed to the Catholic religion, believing it to
teach substantially the truth of revelation,
he can have no conscientious scruples
about the children being brought up Cath
olcs and still less about the other require
ments. There is very little difficulty ever
found on the part CT the Catholic authori-
ties about granting Il dispensation, for good
reasons shown, in favor of such marriage.
But our Protestant cont empon1ories are for
ever writing as if these aud all such CUES
tons were not between Catholics and Pro-
testants, but between Catholics and their
priests. This is more offensive insiuu
ton, and is felt as such by the Catholic
laity. We are Catholics by conviction, be-
cause we believe in Jesus Christ, and be-
lieve that He instituted the Catholic
Church, commanded men to "hear the
Church." aud therefore made the church
infallible in her teaching, in faith and morals.
When any question of faith or moral duty
arises, we are not compelled by our Priest,
under spiritual threats, TO submit. In most
cases we know we'll enough what our duty ia,
independent of priest OF Bishop telling Us
our duty and if any priest forgot his duty
and encouraged us to do what we know is
forbidden to Catholics, we should be the
first to despise him. The idea of educated
Catholics in England, Ireland and America,
most of whom are we'll instructed in their
| religion, being priest-ridden, is absurd,
worn out, piatudinarian nonsense.
Every Catholic knows that he cannot-
that the law of God forbds him, for 10 him
the law of the Church is the law of Cod
contract q marriage with Protestant, IN
less under dispensation, and that there
must be some solid reason for the dispensa-
tion secondly, he knows that paper
must be signed, legally binding, i'll which
the Protestant spouse agrees that the chill
dren shall all be brought up Catholics
thirdly, that no hindrauce shall be put in
tho way of the Catholic practising his OF
her religion; lastly, that the marriage
shall be performed in the Catholic Church
only. Any practice contrary to the above
has never been permitted by the Church.
because it would be against the unchanged
| BILE principles of morals.
| 1t is true that some years ago, when
marriage before a Catholic priest was not
| legal, the parties were permitted to go be-
| fore q Protestant clergymen-AS far as the
Catholic was concerned simply as civil
ceremony-and as the only mode in which
marriage, legally binding, could be con-
tracted. This reason has long ceased to
exist, ever since marriage by Catholic
Priest in presence of Registrar has been
legal form of marriage. The Church,
therefore, has from that time ceased to per
nit Catholics to contract marriage before o
Protestant minister, since to do 30 tnov
that it would be a religious and not o civil
act) would be to violate universal law
which all know, and which therefore needs
no fresh PRONUNCIATION. For all Catholics
know this law, which forbids them abso-
lutely to take part in any religious services
other thar their own. AS the federation
of the contrary practice for so long had led
some to imagine that it was still lawful
] the Catholic authorities have of late years
made the matter clear by an express an
nouncement, issued frat in pastoral by
the Vicar Apostolic, In 1885, that no mixed
marriage could be authorized, unless with
.ha dfsfinnt understanding that tharc