Can I get a church marriage without legal signing ?

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Hi -

My father passed away 3 years ago and my mother is remarrying another catholic widower shortly. They would like to be married in a catholic ceremony and be seen in the eyes of God to be married, but are less willing, due to financial restraints, to sign a legal register (in essence, they would like to be married in the eyes of God, but have no inclination to the eyes of the state !).

Is this a possiblity within the Catholic church, or does the legal register "have" to be signed ?

Thank You !

-- Andy Hollis (hollisandy2002@yahoo.co.uk), April 08, 2003

Answers

no clue....just bumping up your post from unanswered questions.

-- Mike H. (michael.hitzelberger@vscc.cc.tn.us), April 08, 2003.

The Church requires us to "give unto Caesar that which is Caesar's, and unto God that which is God's". In other words, the Church does not place itself in the position of violating or resisting civil law, unless such laws are inherently immoral or unjust. Therefore, if the state requires a marriage license and/or registry, the Church submits to that law, and does not marry people in the Church under conditions which the state would consider illegal. Likewise, the Church will not initiate annulment procedings unless a civil divorce is first obtained - not because the Church recognizes divorce, but because the Church recognizes the right of the state to make laws which are not unjust nor immoral, and does not wish to set up unnecessary conflicts between Church law and valid civil law.

-- Paul (PaulCyp@cox.net), April 08, 2003.

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