Sample questions on the Sacrament of Marriage
- The Bishop has asked priests not to assist at marriages below civil age of 21 and 18. A girl of 17 gets pregnant. What is the parish priest to do?
- A man persuades the parish priest to announce his banns promising he will soon produce his baptismal certificate indicating his free state for marriage. But the certificate is not forthcoming even the day before the wedding? Should the Parish priest go ahead with the wedding?
- A girl consents to marry a boy as the later threatens to commit suicide if she does not agree. Is the marriage valid?
- A Hindu couple had married when they were 12 and 10. Now they want to become Catholics. What about their marriage?
- The Bishop allowed the remarriage of a woman because her husband had disappeared for 15 years and was presumed dead. Now he comes to know of her new marriage and comes back to claim his wife. What is the duty of the woman? Of the parish priest? Of the second husband?
- A Catholic girl wants to marry a Hindu boy. He is ready to go along with all the rules of the Church. However, he wants a Vedic ceremony after the Catholic one? How is the parish priest to handle the situation?
- A Catholic, Sophie, wants to marry a non-Catholic. What is the parish priest to do if the boy is 1) an Orthodox; 2) a Protestant; 3) a Hindu; 4) a Muslim; 5) an atheist?
- John, a Catholic, wants to marry Ruth, the Protestant pastor’s daughter who insists that it be conducted by her father. What is to be done? (Don’t discuss such cases without checking up on the law).
- A priest and a religious Sister get married civilly. Now she is on her death bed. Can the union be regularized by the parish priest for the peace of her soul?
- A blind man has property worth 2 lakhs. His parents induce a bright young girl to marry him by offering to transfer the wealth in her name and also waiving any dowry. What is to be said about the matter?
- The husband proves to be incurably impotent after a year of marriage. The wife is ready to stay with him and also accept his deep sexual caresses. What is the parish priest to do if he comes to know about the situation?
- A man’s wife just left him after 5 years of marriage and 2 children. There does not seem to be any strong ground for annulment. Can he take another wife saying it was not his fault? If he has already gone through a civil ceremony, could he be given the sacraments?
- A girl was forced to marry a boy. After sometime she finds him quite good and would like to continue to live with him. What is to be done now?
- A boy and a girl from two families who have only arrived a month ago in the parish want to marry. What is the parish priest to do?
- The parish priest of Khadki goes on a pilgrimage with his parishioners to Velankani. There he blesses the wedding of two of them? Would the marriage be valid?
- A Muslim is willing to receive Baptism with a view to marrying a Catholic girl. However, he has a Muslim wife in his far off village. It would be very danger to try to make ‘interpretation’ to her. What is to be done?
- A Hindu man is displeased with his Hindu wife and is enamoured of a Catholic girl. He is ready to be baptized. Could the Pauline Privilege be applied?
- An elderly Hindu man has two wives. All three live peacefully. Could he be baptized together with his wives if he promises to live ‘maritally’ with only one of them?
- Two new Christians give their daughter in marriage to a Hindu. She is practically Hindu now. The parish priest refuses to admit them to the sacraments until they ‘bring the girl back’. Discuss.
- A Protestant married a tribal non-Christian according to the tribal rites. Now he wants to become a Catholic and marry a Catholic girl. What is to be done?
- A Catholic girl got married to a Jacobite with the blessing of the latter’s priest. Now she wants to be admitted to the sacraments in the Catholic Church. The parishioners have been scandalized by her behavior. What is the parish priest to do?
- A man caught his wife red handed in adultery and immediately sent her away. She repents but he is not willing to take her back. What is the parish priest to do?
- A boy of Karwar now living in Bangalore for many years wants to marry a protestant girl. Who will make the enquiry? If any impediments? Dispensations? Other things?
- Victor, a Catholic, engaged validly with Linel went to the Gulf and there he met Jenet. Jenet and Linet both are Catholics.
- Can Victor marry Jenet?
- What advice would you give as a confessor?
- Paul is an assistant parish priest. The neighboring parish priest phones to Paul’s PP and asks “Father I will be out; so please send Fr. Paul for the morning mass tomorrow.” Fr. Paul goes and finds that the mass is a wedding mass. Can he bless the marriage?
- My husband is a sailor; we were in very good terms since our marriage 8 years back. He was very kind and loving. But now he is missing; it is since 5 years now; I am in love with another man; what can I do?
- A priest who got married civilly comes to you and says, “I had no vocation.” How will you advise?
- I am a Catholic. I married a Hindu in the civil registrar. 2 years back our marriage was regularized by the parish priest. My partner was received into the Catholic faith. Now it is six years of marriage life we lived together and we have two children. But the other day I found that my wife had married someone before I married her. Now I would like to dissolve my marriage.
- Thomas, a baptized Catholic, married Leela and Latha successively in pagan rites. Now Latha wishes to be baptized. Can you settle the marriage? Thomas does not wish to put away Leela.
- I am a Catholic woman. I live together with a Hindu. We have 5 children. Formerly I was married to a Catholic, who died three years ago. When he was still alive I often had relations with this Hindu. Now I want to put everything in order but my children are not baptized; besides my husband refuses to take part in any ceremony, because he says we are married.
- I know that my son is going to marry a girl who is my illegitimate daughter. I have good reputation and so the family of the girl. The banns are read. Have I any obligation to tell the PP. What advice the PP will give me.
- I am the PP of Jeppoo. I marry my parishioners at Pakshikere. Are these marriages valid?
- A young man of the Latin rite wants to marry a Jacobite girl. She is already pregnant and so they want to hasten their marriage. But the father of the girl is a very staunch Jacobite, is determined to see that the marriage take place in the Jacobite Church. There is no possibility of changing his mind. The young man comes to you for advice.
- A doctor tells me that I have contracted syphilis. Day after tomorrow is my marriage: what shall I do?
- Paul wants to marry a virgin. After the marriage he forces his bride to swear that she is a virgin. Suppose the bride is not a virgin? Can she tell this lie not ruin her whole life? Is the marriage valid if Paul puts this condition before marriage?
- A Catholic boy wants to marry a protestant girl. The priest refuses to bless their marriage. What must he do?
- Andrew and Jane are non-Christians. They are married; they separate; Jane becomes an Anglican and marries an Anglican. Is this marriage valid?
- Devassy who lost his parents at an early age was brought up by his elder brother who has three daughters. Devassy falls in love with the eldest one and impregnates her. He approaches the P.P. and says: Bless our marriage or we will go to the Registrar’s Office. Should the priest bless or let two souls go away from the Church?
- A and B got married. But A refrains from completing the marital act, because he does not want a female child. Now B is fed up. Neither is she sexually satisfied nor can she become a mother. She comes to you for advice. How would you settle the problem?
- Anthony and Rita are married, with three children. During a vacation Anthony elopes with Rita’s sister to Bombay where they marry civilly. But very soon Rita’s sister deserts Anthony. Now he wants to come back to Rita. How would you help?
- My daughter Rani has fallen in love with my illegitimate son Raju. They do not know that they are children of the same father. Even my wife does not know this. And my daughter is pregnant too. Can I allow this marriage by concealing the true identity of Raju?
- My husband forced me to sleep with his boss, so that he could get a promotion in job. Consequently I became pregnant and gave birth to a child. Now my husband hates me and tortures me and the child. However, the unmarried boss is willing to marry me. Since I have no other children, can I divorce my husband and marry the boss?
- Jane’s husband Jack has a Hindu girl for a concubine. He tells Jane: “Either bear with me or leave – the choice is yours. In any case I’ll be marrying this dame.” Now Jane is in a dilemma. How can you help her out of this tricky situation?
- Ours was an arranged marriage. On the wedding night itself I discovered that my husband was a mentally unbalanced man. After one month he disappeared from home. I waited for five years and then married a Hindu colleague civilly. Now we have 2 children. Can I rectify this marriage? Is my previous marriage valid?
- A recently married couple fail to get along with each other. Though the husband is in no way responsible for the separation, he feels guilty and is troubled in mind. How will you convince him that he is not wrong?
Dear Fr Vinay SJ,
Question
A man and a woman get married in the catholic Church lawfully and validly. They have a daughter too. During 5 years of marriage the difference of opinion and personality clashes increased to the point of separation. They have been living in separation for past three years. Can this marriage be dissolved?