The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-01-11
DIVORCE CURB
SEEN IN A NEW
STEP BY VATICAN
Early Revision of Church's Atti-
tude Toward Marriages of Cath
olics and Protestants Predicted.
NY CAMILLE CIANFARRA.

4 III SAMli<lO
! Rome. January 1o.-As result OF
tho Gould -Castcllane annulment mar
ringo case, now for the third time
before the ecclesiastical tribunals. a
number OF leading prelates OF Rome
hold that II Will again draw tho at
tention of the authorities of tho Cath
Ollie Church to the old and vcxed ques-
ton of mixed marriages" between
Catholics and persons belonging to
other religious denominations.
If reports now circulating be true,
the world Will soon witness complete
| revolution of the relations between
Catholics and non Catholics
| AS Is we'll known. on the advent
! of Pope Plus y. to tho throne of ST
Peter. the old laws governing mixed
marriages" underwent limited re-
FORM, which, while apparently intended
only to safeguard the rights or Cath
| oiics' was really aimed ito discourage
unions between Catholics and Protes-
tants.
Under Leo Nil. the church rarely
put obstacles in tho way OF young
couples OF different religions desiring
to marry Catholics Tho church in
sisted that the couple be married by
eathchc clergyman. leaving tho
other party free to repeat tho core
mony In a Protestant church IL desired.
| The great Popo considered 1t useless
10 attempt to prevent these unions.
Tho ne temcre' degree issued five
years ago by Plus * was prent
surprise to both the Catholic and
PROTESTANT clergy. Under that de-
cree, no Catholic priest was allowed
10 unite a couple unless the Protes
tnnt party promised, In tho presence
or the officiating clergyman. that all
chlidren born Of such union should be
brought up In the Catholic faith. and
ha
with the Catholic party In the dis
charge or his or her religious duties.
Inc outcome OF the me temere" de-
crees has been most unhappy, from
a religious and social standpoint. Some
Of Of ''a' eaun,e aecia re that hundreds
many. tho United States and Canaa,
VINO were distnclined to surrender
any OF their respective rights, effect
cd compromise, under which they
agreed TO marry only by civil cere-
inony' while many engagements were
ana still are being broken off daily
as soon as the question of religious
marriage arises
case In point that OF Miss Kath-
leen ODonnell. daughter Of former
congressman ODonnell, of Michigan.
is still often cited. Last year Miss
oDonnelfs engagement to Walter
Schneider. OF St Louis. suddenly was
Nv 10 lnc IaCt that at
the last moment the young lady. who,
Is a member OF an old Protestant
family. refused to sign tho agreement
giving her husband charge OF the edu
cation of their children.
The fact created considerable senao
ZION. as Ambassador O'Brien's efforts IN
Keep tho rupture secret failed. and the
news quickly spread through the
a ed colony here. causing much
As a result OF the broken bctrothal.
SWISS sanitorium ~
The impression now prevails that tba
rules governing mixed marrins es"
more stringent. Inquiries have dis
closed the fact that two months ago
CIRCULAR was sent from the Vatican
70 all bishops requesting report on
the number OF mixed marriages'' per
formed in the respective dioceses and
on the outcome of the union from MI
points OF domestic and religious view
Wn.n the data Is received the ouestion
VIII be submitted to the Congregation
u SaciaHents. which Will discuss and
decide upon the steps necessary 70 IN
sure the happiness of couples of dir
ture. 'o ~
a. Is believed, henceforth. that tho
vatican VIII exact from the Protesfant
marrying a Catholic a promise neyar
10 apply for a divorce nor TO s,ie far
an annulment of the religious marriapa
on other grounds than those rccognized
as valid by the church