OCR Text |
Show MEW MARRIAGE LAWS. In this issue will be found the text of the new decree issued by the Sacred Congregation of the Council by the order and with the authority of the IToly Father. Our readers should read it carefully care-fully and if they fail to understand its full import im-port and far reaching consequences they should consult those whose duty it is to interpret its meaning. mean-ing. The Catholic church always safeguards the sacrednesa and sanctity of the marriage tie. A valid marriage binds till death, excluding future marriages till death severs the matrimonial bond. Hitherto the difficulty experienced by all priests, when application was made by married parties for a remarriage, was to ascertain whether the first marriage was valid or not, or whether the impediment im-pediment known as that of "Mixed Religion," or that of "Difference of Worship" existed or not. These difficulties will be partially removed when the present decree comes in force. Hence the necessity ne-cessity of a careful perusal of the whole decree. |