Wedding at Westminster

[High Peak]

Can anyone tell me why Boris Johnson and Carrie Symmonds were permitted to be married at Westminster Cathedral.

[alan29]

I bet there isn't a Catholic in the land wondering exactly the same thing!
Particularly those who are ensnared in the annulment process.

[High Peak]

Some reactions and attempts to explain here......though I do not find any of the "explanations" in the least persuasive.


https://www.thetablet.co.uk/news/14185/ ... -cathedral

[alan29]

My PP's reaction "it stinks."

[Southern Comfort]

Doesn't portray the institutional Church in a very good light, alas.

[keitha]

I think that the Church could have given a prompter explanation of the rules in general terms, which might have removed some confusion and reduced reputational damage.

Boris Johnson was baptised a Catholic. Neither of his first two 'marriages' took place in a Catholic Church or elsewhere with the requisite consent of an Ordinary. Equally, the absence of a priest or deacon was not approved. Accordingly, they are not valid under the law of the Church. In such circumstances, the obtaining of a Declaration of Nullity generally only takes a couple of months as the necessary conclusive evidence is usually very easy to establish.

Once the Declaration of Nullity has been obtained, there are very few grounds upon which a wedding in your parish church can be refused (Downing Street is in Westminster Cathedral's parish). In addition, the publication of Banns of Marriage was abolished in the Catholic Church years ago, so there was no advance publication of the wedding.

[quaeritor]

I didn't realise just how many righteous elder brothers the prodigal son had
Q