Category Archives: Canon Law

ASK FATHER: A question about a marriage situation (not mine)

From a reader… QUAERITUR: I have a question about a marriage situation (not mine). If a marriage was valid, is it enough to resolve the state of sin of the re-“married” party(s) to simply abstain from sex without leaving the “second spouse?” Especially … Read More

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ASK FATHER: We thought we had a valid marriage…

From a reader… QUAERITUR: My wife and I are both converts to Catholicism, and to the best of our knowledge (we even consulted our RCIA people and a priest) we thought we had a valid marriage. Having had her doubts renewed by … Read More

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ASK FATHER: The authority of pastors, parish priests, over people

From a reader… QUAERITUR: Dear Father, My family and I regularly travel to a different parish, in a different diocese, to attend Mass at an FSSP Mass centre. The FSSP Mass centre is served by priests from a nearby personal … Read More

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Msgr. Pope and canonist Ed Peters on NY Gov. Cuomo: “It is time to end the charade”

Canonist Ed Peters responded to Msgr. Charles Pope’s implicit request for canonical clarifications in the matter of NY Gov. Cuomo and his complicity… nay, rather, full-throated promotion of infanticide.  If there were ever a case of application of the law … Read More

Posted in Canon Law, Emanations from Penumbras, Our Catholic Identity, The Coming Storm, The Drill, The future and our choices | Tagged , , , , , ,
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ASK FATHER: Finding good sponsors for confirmation

From a reader… QUAERITUR: My son’s godmother passed away. He only had 1 godparent, because all the males I know, have not been confirmed. My question is what happens now? My son will be confirmed next year. Can someone else … Read More

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ASK FATHER: Must we do penance on Friday in the Octave of Christmas?

Some of you, in this busy time of visits and dashing about, may want to plan ahead for Friday of this week. Inevitably questions come up about penance on Friday during the Christmas (or Easter) Octave. The Octave of Christmas … Read More

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“You Keep Using That Word, I Do Not Think It Means What You Think It Means”

Canonist Ed Peters has a good reminder about excommunication at his fine blog.  HERE Bottom lines: It isn’t as easy to get excommunicated as one might think. Excommunication, it isn’t easy as thinking that someone ought to be excommunicated. “You … Read More

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@JamesMartinSJ shovels scandalous rubbish to justify sin

UPDATE: I wonder if this changes the issue somewhat.  HERE  Bolger apparently wrote to someone about his regrets.     Private letter, not a public statement. No… it doesn’t change much. Originally Published on: Nov 10, 2018 _____ Here is yet … Read More

Posted in Canon Law, Sin That Cries To Heaven | Tagged , ,
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All Saints 2017 – 1 Nov- Holy Day of Obligation – Deliberately ignore? Grave sin!

In these United States, be sure to check your parish schedules for Masses. Thursday 1 November 2017 is a Holy Day of OBLIGATION. For our part, there will be a Missa Cantata at St. Mary’s in Pine Bluff, WI, in the Extraordinary … Read More

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ASK FATHER: Parish records and confidentiality

From a reader… QUAERITUR: Is there any church law which prevents sacramental records from being made public? I have seen church records used for online family trees that show living family members illegitimacy. Interesting question. The law says that parishes … Read More

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