The Irish standard., 1911-09-09
NO DIVORCE IN THE
CATHOLIC CHURCH
No Union Made in Accordance With
the Laws of the Church is
Ever Annulled.
A Jesuit Father Tells How Appar-
ent Marriages Are Some
times Dissolved.
A Few Facts Which Will Serve to
Explain Difficulties Often
Encountered.


| Owing to the fact that there are
cases, though they are extremely rare.
when the Catholic Church recoKnixcs
the separation OF persons who were
married, at least in accordance with
the provisions of the civil law, the i'm
preston is sometimes gained that the
| Church does, under certain conditions.
recognize divorce. The following ex-
plicit statement of the attitude of the
Church on this question by Rev ~. r.
Hull, S. j.. will clear up the whole
matter:
"There is one case, and one only, in
which the Church allows the rcscsion
of full valid marriage. If IA married
pagan is converted to the Church. and
the unconverted party refuses to live
dl peace Win Hef III her new religion
the convert is allowed to break off all
connection and even to marry a Chris
tian partner. The case is SO peculiar
and rare in civilized life that it need
not occupy much attention. The prin-
cipIe underlying it is that the former
marrlaHe was natural marriage.
whereas baptism elevates marriage
into a sacrament. And the chasm be-
tween the two orders possesses a Ger
tain potcntiaity to dissolve the con-
tract. But observe, this exception is
not one OF the Church's making, but
comes to her on the inspired authority
Of St Paul. 1t shows that the indis-
solubility Of marriage can be dispensed
from by God, the author OF marriage.
1t docs not prove that ii can be dis
penscd from by man apart from the
divine sanction.
'The second case is where a mar
rlagc contracted, bu, not consum-
mated, can be rescinded by one OF the
parties entering the religious state un-
der Il perpetual VOW of chastity. Such
a case is also rare. The principle un-
derlying it seems to be that the mar
riagc contract is only fully signed and
sealed by it's 'consummation,' and the
Church can allow the uncOnlpletcd
contract to lapse under such strictly
specified conditions.
"rhe Church sometimes declares
the nullity of a marriage publicly and
civlly supposed to be valid. In this
case the Churcl, does not grant a dis
solution of marriage. She plainly de-
clares that in spite Of outward ap-
pearanccs no marriage ever took place.
The two parties have really been sin
gle all the time, and now the Church
merely declares them single; and un-
, less they wish now to validate their
supposed marriage by Il new act, they
not only may, but must separate. and
can marry elsewhere.
where an unhappy marriage has
taken place, and there seems no pros
pect Of mendng matters; where liv-
ing together means a grcvous injury
to the natural rights Of either party
or where the spiritual interests OF par
cnt or children demand It, the Church
t. allows separation from bed and
board as it is Called or in Other
t words that the couple shall live apart
t In this case, however. responsibility fol
the separation lies with the offending
f party, who is bound to remove the OBJ
stacle to family life; and the two are
: Obliged to come together again as soor
as the separating conditions cease and
e reunion is wished for by either. More
e over. even where the separation is
n perpetual, the marriage bond remains;
: an that neither is allowed to marry
= elsewhere while the other is still alive
v "Lastly, certain complicated cases
0 arise in which two parties are mar
ried in the eyes of the law, but are no,
: married in the eyes of the Church. Be.
Y ing really unmarried, they are in con-
t science free to marry elsewhere; bu
4 If they do so, they will be liable tt
n tho legal charge of bigamy. In sucf
2 case the Church allows the partie:
9 to appeal to the divorce coaSf II orde'
to secure separation ana s<her leg