Marriage Bans

Although the Roman Catholic Church's sanctions against divorce and remarriage are written into church law, their exact application varies according to diocese. In Providence, R.I. last week, Bishop Russell J. McVinney gave the people of his diocese one of the most severe interpretations of divorce laws yet laid down. Among them: P:Catholic lawyers are forbidden "under pain of mortal sin" to represent plaintiffs in suits for separation, divorce or annulment of a marriage performed by a Catholic priest, unless they obtain prior permission of their bishop.

P:Catholics may not be present at marriages "attempted" by a Catholic before a non-Catholic clergyman or a justice of the peace, and they must not show their approval (e.g., by attending a wedding party, giving a wedding gift). P:Catholics who are themselves invalidly married may not act as witnesses, ushers, or bridesmaids at a Catholic wedding. Similarly, all Catholics are forbidden to act as witnesses, ushers or bridesmaids at weddings which are not performed by a Catholic priest.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.