Posted on 06/09/2008 1:00:14 PM PDT by Borges
Melbourne, June 9: A paraplegic man was recently denied a church marriage by a bishop in Italy because he was impotent, say reports.
The 26-year-old man ultimately had to go for a civil marriage on Saturday in Viterbo.
"No bishop, no priest can celebrate a wedding when he knows of admitted impotence as it is a motive for annulment (of the marriage),'' the Australian quoted Salvatore de Ciuco, spokesman for Bishop Lorenzo Chiarinelli of Viterbo in central Italy, as telling SkyTG24 television.
The groom has been paraplegic since he was involved in a car accident, said the television report.
His fiancee was aware of his impotency, the report added.
The curate of the parish, who was banned from marrying the couple, was present at their civil ceremony.
Lack of compassion AND ridiculous grounds for denial: “grounds for annulment” doesn’t mean the marriage is void, just voidable.
Sad, sad, sad.
Fortunately the Church is not guided by emotion, but by the Holy Spirit in all things.
One of prerequisites for a valid marraige is the ability to attempt to have children, because one of the reasons for marriage is the having of children.
Yes this couple can adopt and can still receive the other sacraments but Church law is Church law.
I suppose the Roman Church would not have married Sarah and Abraham.
Genesis 2:18 and 2:24 make no mention of procreation.
Classy of the Bishop to speak out about this man’s very private problems.
Sorry, “church law” is law of man, and, in this case, the law is an ass.
I would just say “Screw you, Bishop!” and go get married in the church of a more compassionate Christian denomination.
Couple has to be open to children at time of marriage. A reason why Church is against gay ‘marriage’. This also applies to impotent senior citizens.
But very often bears no relation to God's law.
So women past menopause can not marry in the Catholic church because they cannot have children?
Ed
The Bishop doesn’t believe in miracles.
Or men who are sterile because of radiation treatments cannot marry, either, in the church...as they cannot ever father children?
This seems like an insane policy...
Ed
Then how come the Catholic Church doesn’t refuse to perform any marriage involving a woman who is clearly past natural child-bearing age?
And I suppose young women who have lost their uterus and/or ovaries to cancer are also forbidden to marry in the Catholic Church?
Odd, in a church that is based entirely on the premise of a birth to a virgin.
Lets try and be reasonable here. Neither I nor the Church are the enemy.
I realize that it does not seem compassionate, but some times you need to look at these things dispassionately.
The Church has rules for a reason, we may not agree with them, and we may not like them, but we are required to follow them.
The Catholic Church is guided by the Holy Spirit in ALL things.
And lets not attack the messenger for explaining Why we have those rules.
Does this have any validity as to Canon Law?
No, but removal of the vagina might be.
“Classy of the Bishop to speak out about this man’s very private problems.”
I’m thinking it was the couple in question that brought this to the media’s attention.
I just wanted a clarification. I know a man who was rendered sterile 25 years ago because of radiation treatments for lymphoma, and I know a woman who has never married who is approaching menopause, and I just asked for verification that these two cannot, indeed, ever get married by a Catholic priest in a Catholic church.
That’s all...just, is it indeed true that no one who cannot bear or father children can ever be married in a Catholic church by a priest?
Ed
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