Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-03-21

or DIVINE Law, and Are Positively
Forbidden by the Ecclesiastical
Law-Danger to Faith, Piety and
Domestic Peace.
At st. Joseph's Cathedral last night
Rev. Father O. H. Moye delivered a
sermon upon Mixed Marriages" The
congregation completely filled the
church, and there were an unusually
large number Of young persons pres
ent. Father Moye dwelt upon the rule
OF the church forbidding the union of a
Catholic with a non-Catholic, and gave
many eason therefor.
He defined mixed marriages and said
that although valid, If entered upon
without the consent of the Roman Pom
tiff, they are Illicit. The position of
the church is that they are not approx
ed by the natural or divine law, and
by the ecclesiastical law are altogether
forbidden. Where there is a just
aus a legitimate exception may be
made.
In mixed marriages, the speaker said,
there is danger of ~perversion and con-
sequent loss Of soul. Non-Catholic
sects profess to lead a more comfort
able life; fasting. abstinence, confess
sion and not a few other obligations
which make the life of a Christian a
life of ~self-denial, are rejected. Be-
sides, it is exceedingly difficult to re-
| sist the constant endearments and
threats that are brought to bear upon
a Catholic who strives to he faithful
to religion and duty.
Mixed marriages are forbidden by
Divine law. God forbade the Hebrews
to marry with infdels. The same rea-
soning holds in relation to the marriage
of Catholics with non-Catholics. Father
Moye quoted from the canons of ecu
menical and particular councils, as we'll
as the second Plenary Council, of Balti-
more, to show the attitude Of the
church.
Elm the Christian family where faith
| er, mother and children have the same
faith there is a peace, a union, a bond
that can never be found in a mixed
marriage, however noble the natural
qualities possessed by both parties.
How can there be a close union of
hearts and minds when there is a diff
ference in the knowledge, the worship
and the love of God? With unity of
faith there is a sacred obligation of
fidelity, union and d~evotedness. In
mixed marriages that holy obligation
is not held with a divine reverence;
for there disunion and the dan
ger of divorce that must ever be pres
ent on the part of those who profess
that marriage can be dissolved.
There is danger of the wife losing
| her faith. A holy wife may make a
husband holy; but how often, unfor-
tunately, is it proved that we are mor
easily inclined to evil than to good, and
married people initiate each others
vices more readily than their virtues.
A young woman has been brought up
as a good Catholic, lived an innocent
and fervent life, faithful at mass and
the sacraments weekly, given to prayer,
meditation and s%elf-denial. If she mar
ries a man totally different, who lives
not in the fear of God, then indeed will
we have an unhappy marriage. He
will not give his wife time for prayer
and religious duties. He will prevent
her, directly or indirectly, from going
to church often, and make her live a
| life of worldliness. What a tempta-
| ton to such a soul? Does she not re-
quire a miracle of grace to keep her in
nocence, piety and love for God under
such circumstances?
"Shali we ask them, does the Church
of Christ d~isapprove of mixed mar
riages? Shall we ask why? Shall we
ask it with the thought Of union of
heart and mind and faith that should
exist? Shall we ask why. when we see
| brothers of the religion of the fathers,
| sisters of the religion OF mothers, go
| ing apart in their young lives? Sis
| tiers praying that their brothers may
| not be shut out from eternal life?
When we see little ones growing up
perplexed-not knowing whom to be-
| iieve. father or mother-not knowing
to whose church to go? Never can
they kneel down in the same bench
to pray with the same faith as both
mother and father. Shall We ask why,
when we see parents giving up religion
for the sake of peace and the sake
Of that same peace. allowing the child
| to grow up without knowing its God?
In the words of the Ecclesiastics. One
| building up and n destroying, what
| does it amount to but labor? One
praying and the other cursing; whose
voice win God hear?'"