A couple that wants to marry should make known their intention of contraction marriage several weeks before the date set for their marriage. That way time is left for
objections to be made - if there are reasons why the marriage cannot take place.
This article is about under what circumstances a marriage is forbidden by the Catholic Church; some reasons are in themselves sufficient to invalidate it altogether, others do not absolutely prevent the possibility of marriage, but render it undesirable and harmful.
This article is about under what circumstances a marriage is forbidden by the Catholic Church; some reasons are in themselves sufficient to invalidate it altogether, others do not absolutely prevent the possibility of marriage, but render it undesirable and harmful.
Nullifying impediments of marriage are: - Lack of proper age;
- Certain physical defects, like impotency;
- The bond of a previous marriage; exceptions are the dissolution of a non-consummated marriage by Papal dispensation, or dissolution of marriage of two persons not baptized at the time the marriage occurred;
- Holy Orders;
- Solemn vows;
- Abduction; if a man compels a woman to marry him, threatening to kill her in case of refusal, or to do her some very serious injury, their marriage is not valid; her consent is extorted by force, and is not given voluntarily;
- Crime, like causing the death of a partner by mutual cooperation, either physical or moral;
- Blood relationship to all in the direct line, and to the third degree in the collateral line;
- Affinity or relationship through marriage to all in the direct line, and to the second degree in the collateral line;
- Mistaken identity, when there is a mistake as to one of the contracting parties;
- Spiritual relationship, which exists between a baptized person, and the one who baptized him, or stood for him in Baptism;
- Legal adoption; wherever it is an impediment under the civil law.
