[NYer]

*The Catholic Church does not recognize marriages outside the Church. Since no gay couoples will be getting married in a church any time soon, this is a non-issue. As far as Catholicism is concerned, there is no such thing as gay marriage, and there never will be.*

Thought I would bump you to this thread. This is a sobering 'read' of where the church is headed in "this" society.

[only1percent]

Canon law does indeed recognize marriages outside of the church -- these they call "natural" marriages. The naturally married have all of the prerogatives of the "spiritually" (in the Church) married; for example, a naturally married couple is not required to be remarried in the Church if they convert, there children are wholly legitmate (although legitimacy has no remaining significance in the U.S. or most other places).

The main practical difference is that a divorce(e) whose first marriage was outside the Church doesn't have to get an annulment to be remarried in the Church. A divorce(e) who was first married in the Church, got divorced, and then remarried outside the Church without an annulment, is subject to the various disabilities of that status, but his second marriage is still recognized as a natural (civil) marriage.

The church's view is basically that of the FMA -- marriage is the union of one man and one woman not married to other persons, so that it can't have even the status of natural marriage. It's a nullity, kind of like the union between a polygamist and his second and subsequent wives.

[presidio9]

Thanks. Please respond to THIS POST.