Why is a Catholic Permitted to Marry in an Orthodox Ceremony?

Canon Law Made Easy ^ | October 10, 2013 | Cathy Caridi, J.C.L.

[Weiss White]

Q: My sister stopped practicing her faith, and married a Greek Orthodox man in his church in Greece. Now their marriage has ended, and she has returned to the Church. She might want to remarry…. We both assumed that she could easily get an annulment, because she wasn’t married in a Catholic ceremony, and so her first marriage wasn’t valid. But her parish priest is insisting that it was! He says if she wants an annulment, she has to “find other grounds.” What is the best way to resolve this, should she join a different parish, or try to reach the bishop himself? —Emma

[Weiss White]

Everything from this website is COPYRIGHTED. Reprinting an excerpt like this one is lawful, but reprinting the entire article without permission is not.

[arthurus]

She married a Christian. There is nothing, apparently that would render her marriage invalid, such as he not telling her he was intesticulate or she telling him after the ceremony that she refused to have children, etc.

[piusv]

It is my understanding that the Catholic Church has always considered the Orthodox sacraments as valid. They are illegitimate, but valid.

[Kansas58]

They are legitimate and valid!
The Catholic Church accepts Baptism and Marriage Sacraments from all but a very few other “Christian”
Faiths.

[Kansas58]

Please look at some of my posts on this thread today:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/3077031/posts

[piusv]

My bad. Lately I have been focusing on the Sacrament of Holy Orders and Eucharist, so that’s where my head was. You are correct about Baptism and Marriage.

[Kansas58]

Well, I have known at least two Orthodox Priests who have converted to the Catholic Faith and their “Holy Orders” were automatically transferred as well.
It is also my understanding that if a MARRIED Orthodox or Lutheran or Episcopal Priest converts to the Catholic faith that they can also remain married and still be a Catholic Priest.

[piusv]

That’s because they were no longer in schism. I said their sacraments were valid, but illegitimate/illicit due to schism.

Of course, with Vatican II maybe that changed too. Nothing surprises me anymore.

[Salvation]

Then Cathy Caridi, J.C.L. you must be.

[FormerLib]

And they would have had to have gotten permission from the Orthodox Bishop for that parish to marry in the first place.

[Salvation]

I don’t believe this is on the FR Copyright List. LOl!

[chesley]

The Catholic Church accepts Baptism and Marriage Sacraments from all but a very few other “Christian” Faiths.

That's interesting. Would that include us Southern Baptists?

[Kansas58]

Yes

[chesley]

Thank you.