Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-03-26
Political and by Cable and Correspondence from the Old Wor
LOGUE ON MIXED MARRIAGES
Cardinal Primatc of Ireland Explain
Catholic Church View.
HELD TO BE A SACRED CONTRACT
Church Insists on Right to Prescribe
Conditions for Sacrament jest
as the state Does In civil
Contracts.
HELD TO BE A SACRED CONTRACT
BY THOMAS EMMETT.

BY THOMAS EMMETT.
DUBLIN. March 25.-tspecisI to The
Bee cardinal Logue, the Catholic
primate Of Ireland, in his Lenten letter
discussed the position Of the church on d.
vorce and mixed marriages al great length.
Speaking Of the agitation OF the Presby-
terrain church against the popes recent
decree relative 10 mixed marriages the
cardinal says:
zone thing. however. Il is not so easy
to gather from the discussion how the de-
cree Ne Temere' affects the settlement Of
the case. The avowed object OF the agita-
ton is to prevent. through the interven-
ton Of the civil power. the pope's writ. at
least on the marriage law, from running
IN these islands. A penal enactment, de-
signed 20 fetter the conscience Of Catho-
les. would leave matters just as they
stand. i could never force them to &C
knowledge as valid a marriage declared
invalid by the law OF their church, as, for
instance the remarriage Of divorced per
sons. It seems needless, therefore, TO
urge the civil authority to assume powers
with which it Is sufficiently armed at pres
ent.
THE teaching and practice Of the Cath
Ole church with regard to marriage are
pretty generally known and easily under
stood 1t holds that marriage among bap-
tized Christians is not a mere civil bar
gain. but a sacred contract. II was re-
called by our Lord, from the laNity which
had crept in under the Jewish law. to its
primitive institution Of unity and indis-
solubility. He raised 1t to the dignity Of
a sacrament, endowng it with sacramental
grace to enable those who embrace the
married state to bear its burdens and dis
charge Its duties with Christian fidelity
what Church Claims.
The church has always claimed and ex-
/ ercised the exclusive right to prescribe
conditions for the validity of the con-
/ tract Just as conditions were prescribed
even in the old law by the institution OF
certain liabilities, and as conditions are
| prescribed by the state for the validity of
civil contracts. The state may legislate,
within the bounds OF justice, for the civil
effects OF marriage; but where It touches
the essentials of the sacred contract It
goes beyond its province, usurping q right
to which II has no claim. We have la
mentable example OF the pernicious con-
sequences to which such usurpation leads
in the civil law Of divorce 1t sets a pre-
MUM on conjugal infidelity. leads to the
ruin OF families and outrages public
morality. In some states of America d.
vOrce is granted with such facility that
there is one divorce for every twelve mar
riages. Some time since I have read Of a
judge in France who granted ninety flour
d DEGREES OF divorce I'm less than two hours
1t is clear that this usurpation OF the civil
|,..e
a mere sham. a mere compact between the
parties TO live together Just as long as they
find it convenient II the practice pro
crosses, as It has done up to the present
Iit will soon reach a point when a man
may change his wife or a wife her hus-
hand with as much ease as they would
change partners in dance.
Always Condemned Divorce.
Even in these countries. where divorc,
has hitherto been the luxury and the dis
, grace Of the rich, an attempt is being mad
TO bring II within easy reach OF the poor
So much for the interference Of the state
in a sacred contract and the usurped au
thority TO rob IT Of permanency with which
: it has been endowed by divine institution
The evil has come to be generally acknowl
edged and unanimously deprecated.
have often been asked IN the United State
what remedy 1 would suggest for thii
social plague and could only suggest one
restore the Catholic teaching on the unity
indissolubility and sanctity Of marriage
From the earliest time the church con
demned divorce.
The pope has merely withdrawn a priv
ilege which he has every right to with
draw. Even II the decree be regarded a
an act OF fresh legislation, the pope ha
still legislated for his own subjects, Pre-
hibiting them under pain Of nullity to ente
B into marriage with nOn-Catholics, exceI
y on the conditions prescribed by the churci
r The non-Catholic party is not forced 10 en-
I ter into the contract. He is quite free,
e fact the church would much prefer that
$ should keep 10 himself; but II he entel
o into II he does so with his eyes open an
/ fun knowledge OF the consequences.
Catholic cannot be reasonably expected
, enter into a contract which does grav
sometimes irreparable violence TO his COZ
science cutting him off from all the aiC
= and graces OF his religion. opening up
him a life CT discomfort, misery and II
; morse by which the happiness Of both pa
!, ties is irretrievably blasted. One advantas
\ has resulted from the late agitation.
:. cannot be alleged. as has been. that n
= law exposes non-Catholic girls TO the daI
ger Of being deceived and surprised into q
invalid marriage by unprincipled Catholic
!, There can no longer be either surprise
- deception"
!: Frontier Raiders