The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1908-01-30
Archbishop Messmer Makes
Statementin Regard to Mar
riages Among Catholics
F0RBIDS HOME WEDDINGS
Catholics Marrying With Protestants
Must Have Ceremony at Parson-
age of Church or Lose
CHURCHES Sanction

New Cork has called forth statement
from Archbishop Messmer of the Mil
waukee diocese which puts the position
Of the Catholic church in regard to
"mixed' marriages in a decidedly
clear light. In his statement the Arch
bishop says:
II was under the impression that
Archbishop Farley had refused to give
dispensation permitting the Wander
bilt wedding to take place at the home
of the bride s mother. At least this
was the impression I gathered from
the newspapers The Papal decree on
that subject does not go into effect until
next Easter.
~ have made ruling in this diocese,
which was published last May, and
which has been in force since October.
that there are to be no more marriages
Of Catholics in private houses, and there
have been none since that time I took
this position for the safeguarding Of
marriage and its sanctity. In these
days, when the proclamation of marriage
is becoming more and more common
from many causes, it is fitting that the
church should do all she can to protect
that sacrament. The Catholic position
on marriage is entirely different from
the Protestant position. To us marriage
is one of the holy sacraments Of the
church, divine institution, and to be
treated as such. To the Protestant it
is a necessary religious or civil cere-
mony, nothing more The surroundings
at the home wedding are not Of a
sacred nature, with perhaps the ban
quet waiting in the next room, and
the whole affair having more of a
social character than otherwise.
"The decree from Rome came as
a great surprise to all the bishops.
think none Of us had dreamed of it..
That decree, however, says nothing as
to where the marriage shall take
place. 1t simply rules that the mar
riage ceremony must be performed by
the priest of the proper parish.
Thus it will be seen that my ruling is
more rigid in reality than that Of
Rome, though / am certain that if
anyone were to take the matter to
Rome, [ would be sustained in my
position. | believe the time is coming
when Rome will issue a decree provid-
ing that everywhere the marriages of
Catholics with Protestants must be eel
ebrated in the church parsonage, by
the priest Of the parish.
81 shall issue circular letter to
the clergy Of the diocese on the subject
of the Papal decree, as soon as I have
had opportunity to study it thor
oughly.
"The matter of wealth of the parties
has never had anything to do with the
granting of these dispensations. By
far the greater part of them are
granted without charge, because the
people are too poor to pay. The fee
for the dispensation goes wholly to
charity, in any event, with the excep-
tion Of small sum necessary for the
expense connected with it.
FThis decree from Rome will make q
great difference to us in the United
States. Heretofore there was much lib
erty of action in this matter Of mar
rlages. Even marriage before a JUS
tice of the peace or a minister Of a
Protestant church was recognized as
valid, though illicit. Now, however
such marriages will not be recognized
as valid, and this will result practically
in the accommodation of any person
thus married, until dispensation has
been secured from Rome and public
apology made for the scandal caused
by the act
:" In the matter of a second ceremony
by a Protestant minister, it has been
thoroughly understood by our people for
the last twenty-five years that this is
strictly forbidden. I have known rare
Instances, in my own experience, where
after making the solemn promise that
they would not seek a second ceremony
they went before a Protestant minister
who performed Protestant ceremony
for them. -