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Teotonio, Just curious to know whether Catholic Church Wedding could be performed just as a Church service (just taking vows) by a Catholic priest without the nuptial Mass? Cip Fernandes UK -----Original Message----- Teotonio R. de Souza wrote on 02 October 2004 07:43 Dear Chris Hughes I am surprised with the situation you describe and with your doubts. The Portuguese juridical system (still valid in Goa) always permitted a civil registration before Church wedding. Alternatively, it recognized as legal the marriage celebrated in the Church. The Parish authorities would send a copy of the wedding registration to civil registrar. Are you a Catholic? If you are, then youn should know about the difference that the Catholic Church makes between the marriage of non-Christians and the Christian marriage. The Christian marriage is regarded as "sacrament", while the non-Christian marriage is not. This point is debatable and some Catholic theologians do not like the distinction, but it is still held. It is based on this doctrine that the Catholic Church does not permit divorce as the civil law may do. What the Church permits in some situations is separation, or in cases where it is discovered that there were grave impediments prior to marriage, it declares that there never was a valid marriage! Hence, your civil marriage is valid, but for the Catholic Church it will become a sacrament only when you celebrate it in the Church, with a priest as "witness". TRS
