INSTRUCTIONS AND NOTES FOR THE PARISH Compiled and published by the Chancery Office of the September 2019 MARRIAGE MANUAL: INSTRUCTIONS AND NOTES FOR THE PARISH Table of Contents INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................... 1 EXPLANATION OF THE COMPONENT PARTS OF THIS MANUAL ..................... 2 SECTION A: GENERAL PROCESS .................................................................................... 3 STEPS OF GENERAL PROCESS: ................................................................................... 4 SECTION B: DOCUMENTATION PROCESS AND CHECKLISTS FOR VARIOUS MARRIAGE SCENARIOS ............................................................................... 9 SCENARIOS .......................................................................................................................... 10 SCENARIO ONE: RC/RC ................................................................................................. 10 SCENARIO TWO: RC/OTHER CHRISTIAN WITH PRIEST .................................................. 13 SCENARIO THREE: RC/NON-CHRISTIAN WITH PRIEST ................................................. 16 SCENARIO FOUR: RC/NON-CHRISTIAN WITH OFFICIANT ............................................ 19 SCENARIO FIVE: RC/OTHER CHRISTIAN WITH MINISTER .............................................. 22 SECTION C: SCENARIOS RELATED TO A PREVIOUS MARRIAGE (ATTEMPTED MARRIAGE) .............................................................................................. 26 SCENARIO ONE: RC MARRIAGE DECLARED NULL ........................................................ 27 SCENARIO TWO: RC ATTEMPTED CIVIL MARRIAGE ...................................................... 27 SCENARIO THREE: RC REQUEST FOR CONVALIDATION ............................................... 28 SCENARIO FOUR: NON-RC MARRIAGE DECLARED NULL ............................................ 28 SCENARIO FIVE: NON-RC NEEDS ANNULMENT OR DISSOLUTION ............................... 29 SECTION D: OTHER INSTRUCTIONS .......................................................................... 30 SECTION E: EXPLANATION OF THE DIOCESAN MARRIAGE FORMS............ 33 APPENDIX A: MARRIAGE FORMS ................................................................................ 40 APPENDIX B: PROCEDURES TO FOLLOW WHEN THE MARRIAGE INVOLVES ANOTHER DIOCESE ................................................................................... 41 BETWEEN TWO CATHOLICS: .................................................................................... 42 BETWEEN ONE CATHOLIC AND ONE NON-CATHOLIC: ................................... 44 GLOSSARY OF TERMS ........................................................................................................ I INDEX .................................................................................................................................. - 1 - P a g e | I MARRIAGE MANUAL: INSTRUCTIONS AND NOTES FOR THE PARISH INTRODUCTION The Code of Canon Law (c. 1055 §1 and §2) states: The marriage covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of their whole life, and which of its own very nature is ordered to the well-being of the spouses and to the procreation and upbringing of children, has, between the baptized, been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament. Consequently, a valid marriage contract cannot exist between baptized persons without its being by that very fact a sacrament. It is therefore incumbent upon all parties involved in processing marriage documents (i.e. Priests, Parish Staff, and Chancery Staff) that this endeavour be completed in a timely manner with attention given to accuracy and detail. To assist in this endeavor, the Marriage Manual has been prepared by the Chancery Office of the Diocese of Prince George. The manual is meant to answer questions that may arise in the documentation process and to provide useful instructions and notes. The manual will be updated as questions, concerns, or suggestions arise. Please ensure that you are checking the Priests’ Portal for the most recent version of the manual by the date posted, as edits will be indicated with“Revised”. Also, the Chancery Staff will make every endeavour to be of service for answering questions or assisting in the processing of marriage documents. Please contact us if you are in need of assistance. Sincerely, Rev. John Garden Mrs. Martha Primus Chancellor Vice-Chancellor Page 1 MARRIAGE MANUAL: INSTRUCTIONS AND NOTES FOR THE PARISH EXPLANATION OF THE COMPONENT PARTS OF THIS MANUAL SECTION A: GENERAL PROCESS Gives suggested steps to welcoming inquiring couples and journeying with them in the preparatory process for marriage in the Catholic Church SECTION B: DOCUMENTATION PROCESS AND CHECKLISTS FOR VARIOUS MARRIAGE SCENARIOS Provides a listing of the required documents, possible required documents, and instructions for various marriage scenarios. It also provides checklists that can be used to ensure that required (and possible required) documents are sent to the Chancery Office SECTION C: SCENARIOS RELATED TO A PREVIOUS MARRIAGE (ATTEMPTED MARRIAGE) Provides instructions on steps to be taken when one of the parties entered into a previous marriage or attempted marriage SECTION D: OTHER INSTRUCTIONS Provides instructions related to the processing of documentation prior to and after the wedding celebration, as well as the time frame involved for sending documentation to the Chancery Office SECTION E: EXPLANATION OF THE DIOCESAN MARRIAGE FORMS Explains the purpose of each form APPENDIX A: MARRIAGE FORMS Serves as a link to the Marriage Forms in the Priests’ Portal APPENDIX B: PROCEDURES TO FOLLOW WHEN THE MARRIAGE INVOLVES ANOTHER DIOCESE Outlines the procedures related to intended marriage that involves the Diocese of Prince George and another diocese Go to Table of Contents Page 2 MARRIAGE MANUAL: INSTRUCTIONS AND NOTES FOR THE PARISH SECTION A: GENERAL PROCESS Page 3 MARRIAGE MANUAL: INSTRUCTIONS AND NOTES FOR THE PARISH STEPS OF GENERAL PROCESS: Initial Inquiry: when a couple calls or comes to the Parish Office to request a marriage in the Church: A. the Priest or the Parish Staff receive the phone call or the person(s) and collect basic contact information; a file for the couple is started. B. the Priest is informed of the inquiry that has been made by the couple (if the Priest is not already aware) and contacts the couple to arrange a follow- up appointment. First Meeting: The Priest meets with the couple for a preliminary conversation. Form 1: Prenuptial Information and Inquiry should NOT ORDINARILY be completed at the First Meeting. Rather, the initial meeting with the engaged couple begins the dialogue necessary to develop an awareness of the personal history that has shaped the couple’s personalities and formed their attitudes about Christian marriage. It is a time for the engaged couple to reflect seriously on the meaning of marriage in the Church, their commitment to faith, and their commitment to one another. It is also during the first meeting that the following would be attended to: that a Marriage Preparation program is required prior to marriage in the Church; the engaged couple is given possible resources for the completion of a Marriage Preparation program (e.g. online program; attending a program facilitated by a team; meeting with the Priest or his delegate; other); the Roman Catholic Party(ies) must acquire a copy of his/her Baptism certificate (with notations) from the parish of baptism dated no sooner than six months prior to the marriage date; and a verbal inquiry is made with the engaged couple as to any previous marriages/unions (civil or religious) and possible obligations arising from such marriages/unions (e.g. children or dependents). If either party answers in the affirmative, the Priest makes determination as to the appropriateness (or not) of the couple pursuing a Marriage Preparation program. Should the Priest have questions about the possibility of impediments to marriage in the Church, he should contact the Chancery Office Staff for consultation. Page 4 MARRIAGE MANUAL: INSTRUCTIONS AND NOTES FOR THE PARISH The following are examples of impediments to marriage: . Age (c. 1083) A woman under 14 years of age and a man less than 16 years of age cannot validly marry. If neither party is Catholic, then civil law determines the minimum age for a valid marriage, but never below the age of puberty. Antecedent and Perpetual Impotence (c. 1084) A person who is permanently, medically incapable of performing the sexual act cannot validly marry. This is not to be confused with simple infertility or even total sterility, which do not make a marriage invalid. Prior Marriage (c. 1085) Marriage is for life. If either of the parties has previously been validly married, and the previous spouse is still living, there can be no second marriage (save the possibility of a Pauline Privilege or Petrine Privilege being granted). Note, however, that if the first marriage is later discovered to have been invalid, there was never any impediment to the second marriage. Disparity of Worship/Cult (c. 1086) Without a dispensation from the Church, a Catholic cannot validly marry a person who has never been baptized. This impediment is often dispensed, but sometimes the need for dispensation is overlooked. Note that this impediment only applies to marriages between Catholics and non-baptized persons, and not