The Washington herald., 1914-01-11
VATICAN PLANS
DIVORCE CURB.
Early Revision of Church's
Attitude on Mixed Mar
riages" Predicted.
MORE STRINGENT RULES
Trouble Over Ne Temere" Decree
Said to Be Reason for
Reported Change.

spedA Gable TO The Wasfingtea Herald.
Rome, JAN 1o-As a result Of tho
annuIment marriass
case, now for the third time before ths
ecclesiastical tribunals. a number of fead-
ing prelates Of Rome hold that it will
again draw the attention of the author
tiles Of the Catholic Church TO the old
and vexed question Of mixed marriages.
between Catholics and persons beionsine
to other religious denominations.
II reports now circulating be true. tbs
world win soon witness a complete revo-
luton Of the relations between Catholic,
and non-Catholics.
As Is well known, on the advent of
Pope Plus x to the throne of ST Peter
the old laws governing mixed mar.
riages underwent a limited reform,
which while apparently intended only to
safeguard the rights of Catholics, was
really aimed to discourage unions be-
tween Catholics and Protestants.
Under Leo XIII the church rarelv nut
obstacles in the way of young couples
OF different religions desiring to marry
Catholics. The church insisted that the
couple be married by a Catholic clergy
man. leaving the other party free to re-
peat the ceremony in a Protestant church
II desired The great Pope considered IL
useless to attempt to prevent these unic- 4,
Degree Was Surprise.
The me temere- degree issued five
years ago by Plus X was a great SUNRISE
TO both the Catholic and Protestant
clergy Under that decree, no Catholic
priest was allowed to unite a coupIe nm.
less the Protestant party promised, in tn.
presence Of the officiating clergyman. thai
all children born of such union should he
brought up in the Catholic faith, and thai
he or she would never interfere with the
Catholic party IT, the discharge OF his q,
her religious duties
The outcome of the me temere" de-
cree has been most unhappy from a re.
hg1ous and social standpoint Some prer
ates declare that hundreds of couples in
England, Germany, the United States.
ana Canada, who were disinclIned to sur
render any Of their respective rights. ef-
fected compromise Under which thew
agreed to marry only by civil ceremony
while many engagements were and stiIl
are peing b.oken on daily as soon as the
question Of religious marriage arises.
A case in point, that OF Miss kathleen
O'Donnel. daughter of former Congress-
man O'Donnell OF Michigan, Is still often
cited Last year Miss O'Donnelrs engage
ment to Walter Schneider. of ST. Louis.
suddenly was Cancelled, owing to the
fact that at the last moment the young
lady, who is member Of an old Profess
tant family, refused to sign the agree
ment giving her husband charge of the
education % their children. The fact cre-
ated considerable sensation. as Ambas.
sador O'Brisn's efforts to keep the rip-
ture secret failed. and the news quickly
spread through the American colony here
causing much comment.
VIII Change Rules.
As a res-lt Of the broken betrothaI. Miss
O'Donnell feI! i'll and went to 2 Swiss san
atorium.
The impression now prevails that the
rules governing mixed marriages"
should be cnce more revised and made
more stringent Inquiries have disclosed
the fact that two months ago a circular
was sent from the Vatican to all bishops
requesting a report at the earliest possi-
bic momen- on the number of mixed
marriages performed in the respective
dioceses ami on the outcome Of the union
from all PORTS o. domestic and religious
view Whau she data is received the
question will be submitted to the Congre-
cation of Sacraments, which will discSss
and decide upon the steps necessary to
insure the happiness OF couples OF differ
ent religions who marry in the future.
1t Is believed. henceforth, that the Vat
lean will exact from the Protestant mar
rying Catholic a promise never to apply
for a divorce nor to sue for an annul-
ment OF the religious marriage on otheI
grounds than those recognized as valid
by the church