Article — Noldin, Summa of Moral Theology
Article Seven. On Inscribing the Matrimony.
660. Declaration. The things which are prescribed concerning this matter by the Council of Trent1 and by the Roman Ritual2 are more accurately determined by the decree Ne temere and by the Code3 (a few things having been abrogated).
- The parish priest or the one holding his place is bound to describe the celebrated matrimony as soon as possible in the book of marriages, even if the ordinary or a delegated priest stood by at the matrimony.
By recent law it is no longer the proper parish priest of the spouses who is bound to describe the celebrated matrimony in the book of marriages, but the parish priest of the place where the matrimony is celebrated, or the one holding his place. Therefore if the proper parish priest of the spouses assists at the matrimony in another parish, the parish priest of this place, and if a priest assists at the matrimony in the church of some sanctuary or in the church of regulars, the parish priest of the place in which the sanctuary or monastery is situated, must inscribe the matrimony. But the assisting priest is bound to inform the parish priest concerning the celebrated matrimony. If the parish priest is absent, the assisting priest should leave the necessary information for the parish priest in writing.4
- Moreover, he must also note in the book of baptisms that on such a day the spouses contracted matrimony in his parish, and this both at the name of the bridegroom and at the name of the bride. But if one spouse was baptized elsewhere, the parish priest of the matrimony should transmit notice of the entered matrimony, either personally or through the episcopal curia, to the parish priest of baptism, so that the matrimony may be entered in the book of baptism.5
The new matter which is prescribed by these things is grave, because its end is grave, namely that the contracted matrimony be established, and that no matrimony can be hidden or denied.
- If matrimony is contracted without the parish priest, the priest, and if matrimony is contracted without the assistance of a priest, the witnesses in solidum with the contracting parties, are bound to take care that the entered union be noted as soon as possible in the prescribed books.6 Therefore the contracting parties in the first case, together with the priest, and in the other, together with the witnesses, are bound to take care that the inscription be made as soon as possible.
2 Tit. 10, c. 5.
3 Cn. 1103, 1.
4 From the prescription of C. A. 80 ff. it can happen that the celebrated matrimony must also be described by the proper parish priest of those about to marry.
5 Cn. 1102, 2.
6 Cn. 1103, 3.