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Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Catholic Wedding Raises Questions About Previous Marriages
Newsweek ^ | May 29, 2021 | Darragh Roche

Posted on 05/30/2021 4:03:10 PM PDT by Marchmain

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson married his fiancé Carrie Symonds on Saturday in a secret ceremony. The event was confirmed by Number 10 Downing Street following media reports.

Johnson and Symonds were married at London's Westminster Cathedral, a Roman Catholic church. 10 Downing Street falls within the cathedral's parish but questions have been raised about how the couple could have been wed in a Catholic ceremony.

The prime minister has been married twice. His first marriage to Allegra Mostyn-Owen ended in 1993 amid claims that Johnson was having an affair with another woman, Marina Wheeler, according to The Guardian newspaper. However, news reports have differed on whether Johnson and Mostyn-Owen's marriage ended in divorce or annulment.

Johnson married Wheeler in 1993 but the couple separated in 2018 and divorced in 2020.

The Catholic Church does not allow or recognize divorce and those who have been divorced are not permitted to marry in Catholic ceremonies.

The wedding this weekend was reportedly performed by Father Daniel Humphreys, a Catholic priest who baptized Johnson's son with Symonds, Wilfred Johnson, last year.

There was speculation in the British press on Sunday about how the couple could have received the Catholic sacrament of marriage considering Johnson's previous wives.

The Telegraph newspaper suggested that Johnson could have had his previous marriages annulled or that because they had not been performed in Catholic ceremonies, the Church simply does not recognize them and views Johnson's marriage to Symonds as his first. However, the exact details are not yet clear.

(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...


TOPICS: Catholic; Current Events; Moral Issues; Religion & Politics
KEYWORDS: marriage
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Previous marriages probably invalid due to Lack of Form, which would have been formalized by their current priest with the archdiocese.
1 posted on 05/30/2021 4:03:10 PM PDT by Marchmain
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To: Marchmain

I get the feeling that official Catholic theology is now “whatever”.


2 posted on 05/30/2021 4:07:59 PM PDT by ClearCase_guy ("I see you did something -- why you so racist?")
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To: ClearCase_guy

It’s always been “whatever”, with the appropriate payment.


3 posted on 05/30/2021 4:10:04 PM PDT by Old Yeller (Whatever doesn’t kill you will make you stronger. Except bears. Bears will definitely kill you.h)
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To: Marchmain

It’s a Catholic Church in England. Come on, man!


4 posted on 05/30/2021 4:10:52 PM PDT by Empire_of_Liberty
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To: Marchmain

Sounds just like Newt Gingrich’s history. Nowadays it seems to me, annulment is just Catholic divorce—at least for the wealthy and influential.


5 posted on 05/30/2021 4:12:56 PM PDT by edweena
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To: Marchmain
Previous marriages probably invalid due to Lack of Form, which would have been formalized by their current priest with the archdiocese.

How so, Marchmain? The Catholic Church recognizes Christian marriages, Catholic or non-Catholic.

From the article you posted:

The Catholic Church does not allow or recognize divorce and those who have been divorced are not permitted to marry in Catholic ceremonies.

Can a priest "formalize" the sin of adultery?

6 posted on 05/30/2021 4:18:07 PM PDT by ebb tide (We have a rogue curia in Rome.)
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To: Old Yeller

You’re exactly right.


7 posted on 05/30/2021 4:19:26 PM PDT by Sacajaweau
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To: Marchmain

If the marriage wasn’t Catholic, it doesn’t count
The Catholic sacrament of marriage is a tenet of the Catholic faith
If a previous marriage was Catholic, there is no divorce but annulment can be sought. Not an easy process. One of the Kennedy’s got an annulment from the of his twin sons so he could marry his pregnant mistress in a Catholic ceremony


8 posted on 05/30/2021 4:20:53 PM PDT by silverleaf (In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act)
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To: silverleaf
If the marriage wasn’t Catholic, it doesn’t count

Not true.

Question:

How are Catholics to view Protestant marriages?

Answer:

Generally speaking, Protestants have two valid sacraments, baptism and marriage, although they usually do not consider marriage to be a sacrament. Assuming the husband and wife are both validly baptized and that there are no impediments to the marriage, the Church presumes Protestant marriages to be both valid and sacramental.

How are Catholics to view Protestant marriages?


9 posted on 05/30/2021 4:26:09 PM PDT by ebb tide (We have a rogue curia in Rome.)
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To: silverleaf

Look up the Pauline privilege.


10 posted on 05/30/2021 4:26:13 PM PDT by vitaman (Cable cutter)
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To: Marchmain

I amtired reading secret ceremony. It was private. If they wanted it secret we wouldn’t know about it. And then theres Catholic Joe Biden who married a divorcee and according to Dr. Jills ex, there affair started while Dr.
Jill was still married. I hate MSM


11 posted on 05/30/2021 4:26:55 PM PDT by pnut22
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To: ebb tide

True

My Catholic husband’s priest not long ago suggested that we get remarried in a Catholic church....after 45 years of being married in a protestant ceremony ....which no priest would attend


12 posted on 05/30/2021 4:28:50 PM PDT by silverleaf (In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act)
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To: ebb tide

“Protestants have two valid sacraments, baptism and marriage, although they usually do not consider marriage to be a sacrament.”

I’m a Protestant/Baptist, and we don’t have “sacraments” at all. We have ordinances — two of ‘em — baptism and The Lord’s Supper (communion). Marriage isn’t there.


13 posted on 05/30/2021 4:29:40 PM PDT by MayflowerMadam (Faith, not fear. Faith, not faintheartedness.)
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To: ebb tide

True

My Catholic husband’s priest not long ago suggested that we get remarried in a Catholic church....after 45 years of being married in a protestant ceremony ....which no priest would attend

Baptism yeah...the kids were baptized protestant and that was accepted when they confirmed into the Catholic church


14 posted on 05/30/2021 4:30:12 PM PDT by silverleaf (In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act)
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To: vitaman

No, thanks


15 posted on 05/30/2021 4:31:13 PM PDT by silverleaf (In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act)
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To: Marchmain
Previous marriages probably invalid due to Lack of Form, which would have been formalized by their current priest with the archdiocese.

Of course! We now have an apostate "pope" who says:

Pope Francis says 'majority' of Catholic marriages invalid

Why bother with silly annulments?

16 posted on 05/30/2021 4:35:54 PM PDT by ebb tide (We have a rogue curia in Rome.)
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To: silverleaf
My Catholic husband’s priest not long ago suggested that we get remarried in a Catholic church....after 45 years of being married in a protestant ceremony ....which no priest would attend

So why don't you?

17 posted on 05/30/2021 4:38:26 PM PDT by ebb tide (We have a rogue curia in Rome.)
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To: MayflowerMadam

Protestants only have communion with bread, nothing more.


18 posted on 05/30/2021 4:43:00 PM PDT by ebb tide (We have a rogue curia in Rome.)
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To: silverleaf

I’m in the process of converting to catholicism and was told my 30+ year registry office marriage to my catholic wife isn’t recognized. We have to get married in church before my conversion is completed


19 posted on 05/30/2021 4:43:04 PM PDT by Jeff Vader ( )
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To: Old Yeller

Remember one of the Kennedy clan getting his 25 year marriage annulled so he could marry his NEW younger bride in the church!! YEP enough money and the church will fold on anything!! DISGUSTING!!


20 posted on 05/30/2021 4:47:53 PM PDT by Trump Girl Kit Cat (Yosemite Sam raising hell)
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