The Irish standard., 1908-02-15
One of the Most Serious Difficulties to Con-
tend With is the Question of
Mixed Marriages.
Every Prenuptial Contract Will Be Consid-
cred Void Unless it is Written and
Dolly Attested.

After Easter. The presence of tWol
ish priest ot the place where the mar
riagc is contracted, or "a prizes, dcl"gat
cd by cithnr of these, is necessary f"r
tho validity or marriage. says Rcv. J.
y. McNicholas, y. r.. in ll" r:,'"l"sias-
tiral Review.
The only point to offer difficulty is
parish priest. Tor IL clear understand
ing of tho question wo must keep in
mind the distinction that is made be-
tween the territorial paroc1,us and the
parochus i'm ordinc ad matrinoniun.
according to the present decree. The
latter class only concerns us, and in it
are included, first, our irrcmovablc rec
tors; secondly, regularly appointed
pastors "ad nutuln ordinarii''; thirdly.
pastors pro tenn, in any parish: fourth
ly, pastors of missions. that is, pastors
who have Il mission or missions at
tached to their churches. arc consid-
rereds"'parochi' ini ordi,,c ~ad ,matritron-
jum'' for said missions; ffthly, in tho
missionary districts Of the United
States. where there arc no parishes,
any priests or missionaries assigned
by Bishops 4" care as best they can
for The scattered nocks. are to be con-
sidtred as having The right Of parish
priests in witnessing marriages. The
aforesaid priests can delegate other
priests for their q. a., the dcegating
priestsD parishes and districts.
The prescriptions of the decree
should be kept in mind.
!. (a) Every ordinary can vaIidy
marry all parties in all churches or To-
calities nf his diocese. irrespective of
the country or place from which the
parties come. CD The ordinary can
delegate any Bishop or priest to do the
same.
II. m) Every parish priest or CIV
cry priest who is "aprochus i'm ordne
ad matrirnoniuln." can vaIidly marry
all parties from any part Of tho world
who come to him in his parish church
nr within the limits of his parish or his
iurStliction. CD Tho aforesaid priests
can validly delegate any priest to do
tho same. (c) Tho number Of "parochi
III ordnc ad ,natrimonium' in a. diocese
depends on the Bishop and pastors.
(D A. priest must have actually as
sumed charge OF his duties before he
can act as "parochus in or,linc all mat
rimoniun" in any paris1, or locality.
Thus the mere appointment Of a priest
him the right to perform marriage cer-
cmonics for said parish nor authority
To delegate others, until such time as
he has entered upon his office. (c)
Three changes arc to he noted in the
law: first, a suspended or eXcomnuni-
Gated priest whose name is explicitly
but who has not hcen deprived OF his
office. can no longer validly perform
marriage ceremonies. a second change
is that the priest who now assists at a
marriage must be Il willing witness,
who asks and receives the consent Of
the contracting parties; this is con-
dition for validity. Formerly a mar
riage was valid even though violence
or force were employed to secure the
presence Of tho pastor. When II priest
performs a marriage ceremony because
of d. threat or any action inducing
grave fear, the marriage is invalid. 4
third change is that the ordinary out
side his diocese and the parish priest
outside the limits of his parish. CAN
not validly assist at the marriage Of
| their own subjects without due au-
| thorization.
Our Bishops will have Il serious diff
! Gculty in the question Of mixed mar
riages, which are on the increase from
year TO year. In some localities where