The Irish standard., 1906-07-28


would prove hurtful must be indicated
to the proper authority, that the judg-
ment in favor of a dispensation may
have Justification.
Theologians divide the reasons TO,
dispensation into two classes, honor
able and dishonorable. The forme.
proceed from natural or accidental Sit
uations and are free from any deiama-
ton or stigma Of disgrace. The latter
arise from crime or sinfulness.
Honorable reasons for dispensation
may be cited principally as follows:
l. The smallness of the locality. A
locality of this kind would be a place
of about two hundred souls. Now, a
| woman in such a locality could ask
for dispensation to marry cousin, if
she could not find outside her rela-
| tives a husband who would suit her in
worldly goods, i'll station of life, or in
age, for the church does not pretend
to constrain her children to marry in
ideas. and their birth. AS marriage
ought to be free, it is not enough that
one or two persons from which to
choose Il husband be Aound, there ought
I to be more that she may nave IL choice
i'll order to secure her happiness ac-
cording To God and the inclination of
| !,
place does not allow this freedom, the
church looks on the situation as jusr.-
flying I; lispensution. 1t might be said,
she could find Il suitable choice in
some neighboring locality, but the
church is not so severe that she is
compelled to go away from her family
and place of birth to seek a husband.
| =. Lack of dowry. Suppose a young
person who has no worldly means in
keeping With birth and education, and
a rich relative asks her hand in mar
riage. The church will often grant
Il diSpensation rather than compel the
dowerless one to live in celibacy, or 10
| lIftII! one WHO llldy dLtefWdfuS re-
proach one for ones poverty, OF receive
Il counter reproach for low extraction.
;. The needs of a widow with chill
dren To support. y widow with Il
family often has Il hard fate. If {;
relative comes along and offers to mar
ry her and provide for her and the
children, the discipline of the church
admits the situation as IL canonical
reason for granting a dispensation.
4. The ending of a feud, OF an i'm
pnrt;lnt lawsuit. Peace is one of the
greatest of worldly blessings and to
procure it the church is not unwilling
to relax the rigors of her laws.
5. The advanced age OF IL daughter.
y" woman looks with complaisance
on life as an old maid. She wants a
hardslips aud dangers of the world,
or among strangers. OF course, a maid
is considered old in one part of the
world earlier than in another. Canon
law was elaborated mostly among peo-
pies whose girls matured early, and
regards therefore. the age of twenty
four as already advanced. Though
American IDEAS are more generous. still
the church is disposed to grant
Il dispensation to marry u relative, but
not nearer than third degree consan-
guinity. But this reason does no,
serve in the case of widows.
s. Danger of seduction from tho
faith. If girl be in place Inhabited
by SO great a number of non Catholics
| that she cannot marry at all unless she
marry Il heritic Or a relative. the
church will grant Il dispensation to
marry the latter in accordance with
the example of the most pious patri-
archs of old, who sought marriages for
their children among their relations
rather than among strangers. who. as
in the case of Solomon. would turn
away their hearts from God and per.
iaps pervert their faith.
The diShonoring causes are: L. Sin
full conabtation. Where such Il life
is entered upon because an impede
ment prevents marriage. the church
will dispense rather than have them
i live in sin. brand their offspring with
| illegitinacy, stir up hatreds and spread
| scandal. But where sin is committed
with the design of forcing dispen-
SatiOn. the Council of Trent declares
that no grace be shown. and if for
! reasons aside the church grants them
IA dispensation. it puts a vigorous PEN
!, ance upon those who are poor and such
IL stiff money fine upon the rich that
| they will have every reason to letesi
their wicked. criminal intent. TO con-
ceal this circumstance of IL bad in
tention would make Il dispensation.
even if granted. entirely null and void
.. Suspicious familiarity. If the per-
sons are under IL suspicion of unch;S-
tity. and in case they are not allowed
to marry. the brand of shame would
rest upon the woman. and in conse-
uuence no man would ask her hand in
wcdlock. the church would consider the.
application and grant the dispensation
especially if the woman be poor.
I g. 4 maria se already attenntp1 II