Universalis, your very own breviary in pixels...

Thursday 29 January 2009

Speaking of Marriages...

Can someone, one of my 1.7 readers, explain to me why there would be any question of the validity of SSPX marriages?
What would be lacking, intention? matter? form?

I've tried to google but get nothing but polemic, I'd ask on one of the busier blogs addressing these sorts of questions, but any thread featuring the letters "SSPX" quickly turns into Gang Wars at the Monkeyhouse.

(Wouldn't that be a good title for a "grindhouse" movie?)

3 comments:

Dad29 said...

SSPX priests are "suspensu a divinis" by virtue of their Ordination by ex-com'd Bishops.

SusADiv means that they cannot serve as the Church's witness to the weddings; thus, form is defective.

Usually that is resolved with a "fell-swoop" remedy found someplace in Canon law. Rome will get around to that in a while.

Adrienne said...

to add to Dad29 - they need to have faculties which come from the diocesan bishop. Since they eschew belonging to the diocese in which they reside they do not have faculties. Same goes for confession...

The Catholic Church is a hierarchy and their elevator does not quite reach the top

Scelata said...

Thanks, both.

I thought lack of faculties was essentially a matter of discipline.

Does a priest not need permission from the local ordinary to licitly say a public Mass? yet SSPX Masses are valid, but illicit, no?

Anyway, think you again.

(Save the Liturgy, save the World)