What is the Catholic Age of Consent in the United States?

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The age of consent to marry in the Catholic Church is less than 18. As Canon 1083.1 states, a man must be at least 17 and a woman 15. However, Canon 1083.2 states that bishops can set a higher age.

Have any United States bishops set a higher age for consent under Canon 1083.2?

SPECIFIC DIRIMENT IMPEDIMENTS

Can. 1083 §1. A man before he has completed his sixteenth year of age and a woman before she has completed her fourteenth year of age cannot enter into a valid marriage.

§2. The conference of bishops is free to establish a higher age for the licit celebration of marriage.

-- Pat Delaney (pat@patdelaney.net), July 12, 2004

Answers

Bump to New Answers to invite comment.

-- (bump@bump.bump), July 12, 2004.

Pat,

My understanding is that the minimum 'legal' civil age of consent under the laws of and as established by each State is the age the Bishop adheres to...

However, this 'custom' may change IF the civil definition of marriage changes...

Daniel////

-- Daniel Hawkenberry (dlm@catholic.org), July 12, 2004.


No, it states a man must be at least 16 and a woman at least 14. He completes his 16th year of age on his 16th birthday and she completes her 14th year of age on her 14th birthday.

-- Steve (55555@aol.com), July 12, 2004.

Pat,

As Steve points out, the correct minimum ages are 16 for a man and 14 for a woman.

Secondly, individual bishops may not set higher age limits; only a conference of bishops (e.g., the USCCB) may.

The USSCB complementary norms are listed here. They have not set any higher age limit under this canon.

Note that this canon establishes an ecclesiastical diriment impediment, so that the minimum ages of 16 and 14 do not apply unless one of the parties to the marriage is Catholic.

Further note that any higher age limit set by a conference of bishops would be a prohibitive impediment, which would make the marriage illicit but not invalid.

-- Mark (aujus_1066@yahoo.com), July 13, 2004.


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