Article I. On the Minister

1555. - I. It is certain that for the value of Matrimony the presence of the Pastor or delegate is required wherever the Decree of the Council of Trent concerning clandestine Marriages has been duly published.

II. Even if somewhere this decree of Trent has not been promulgated, nevertheless it is certain: 1° that the Church has always willed that the priest deputed for this assist at the Marriages of the faithful; 2° that the Pastor cannot omit his assistance at the nuptials of the faithful, and that he is obliged to impart the blessing according to the rite received in the proper place; 3° that the faithful who enter Matrimony clandestinely sin gravely. This is evinced from Trent.¹

III. Today, whatever some previously said according to an obsolete opinion, it is certain also, and, according to the Annotator of Gury,² proximate to Faith, that the contracting parties themselves are the ministers of Matrimony. See the arguments, if you like, in the cited Annotator.³

1556. Questions. - Quaer. 1° Can the Pastor assist at the Matrimony of those who are public sinners?

Resp. See n. 1231. q. 4°. For those things which are there said concerning those who have notoriously fallen into censures are valid concerning public sinners of whatever kind. - But the affirmative exception, if grave damages seem to threaten from this, appended by the Sacred Penitentiary, according to the doctrine of St. Alphonsus, confirms the general rule of denying assistance.⁴

The difficulty would be less if one of the spouses were innocent, or changed into a better life; for then it would be licit for the Pastor to assist at the Matrimony in favor of the innocent party. - Cf. the things said n. 1544.

Quaer. 2° What must be observed concerning the nuptial blessing?

Note beforehand. The nuptial blessing, which is conferred only in Mass, is to be distinguished from the blessing of the ring, and from the other rites which are expressed in the Ritual. With this noted beforehand:

Resp. 1° In contracting Matrimony the rites described in the Ritual always have place. See Excerpta ex Rit. Rom. Baltim. 1872. p. 204-212; Ed. 1874, p. 196-204.

Resp. 2° "Vehemently," say the Fathers of the Second Plenary Council of Baltimore,¹ "we exhort pastors that they introduce everywhere the practice of blessing Marriages within Mass."

Resp. 3° When and to whom the blessing, which is conferred only in Mass, can be given; likewise when, in what manner, and for whom this Mass can be celebrated outside the closed time,² see the same Excerpta, Ed. 1872. p. 212-214; Ed. 1874. p. 204-206.

Add to these: 1) Provided there is question of first nuptials, the nuptial blessing can be given in Mass, although the woman is pregnant, or has begotten children, whether from a legitimate Matrimony contracted without such blessing, or has conceived from fornication itself, or even has begotten children, and at present Matrimony is contracted. This is clear from the resolution of the Sacred Congregation de Propaganda Fide, June 5, 1841. (37) p. 424.

2) The use of a white veil to be spread over the bride is prohibited and reproved. S. R. C. September 7, 1850 in Rupell.

Quaer. 3° What must be done by the Pastor if all things are already prepared for the nuptials and from the Confession of the spouses he detects that an occult impediment is present?

Resp. 1° If there is question of an impediment in which the Holy See is accustomed to dispense, and the nuptials cannot be deferred without danger of infamy or other most grave inconveniences, and the penitent is in invincible ignorance of the impediment, the admonition is to be omitted, and the celebration of Matrimony is to be permitted until dispensation or sanation in the root is obtained.³

Resp. 2° If the penitent is in vincible ignorance, or if he clearly knows the impediment, and the Matrimony cannot be deferred, not even for obtaining dispensation from the Bishop, without infamy or scandal, then the difficulty is very great. - According to the opinion which St. Alphonsus¹ calls not unfounded, the confessor, or Pastor, could declare that the law of the Church concerning impediments does not oblige in such great straits, and proceed to the celebration of Matrimony. Nevertheless as soon as possible, at least for caution, dispensation ought to be sought. - According to others, and, as it seems, also according to St. Alphonsus,² simulation of the contract of Matrimony could be permitted with the intention of seeking dispensation from the impediment as soon as possible. But then no small difficulty will arise by reason of the danger of incontinence, unless perhaps dispensation can be had opportunely on the same day. But as often as the Bishop can be approached, he must be approached, because, according to the common opinion, in that case he can dispense from ecclesiastical impediments.³ - Others have devised besides other ways, which see, if you like, in Feije.⁴

Every difficulty would cease in practice if the Bishop were to delegate to all priests laboring for the care of souls the faculty which he has for a case of this kind, and which, as ordinary or delegated by law (n. 154. 2°), according to the probable and common opinion,⁵ he can communicate generally.

Notes near nn. 1555-1556, minister of Matrimony and nuptial blessing (printed pp. 241-242).

1 Sess. 24. de Ref. Matr. c. 1. | 2 Ed. Rom. 1873. T. II. p. 644 (E). | 3 Ib. and N. Rev. Th. T. 12. p. 307. (2). | 4 Vind. Ed. 2a. T. II. p. 607.