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59. Disparity of Worship as Impediment

1. Disparity of worship exists between a baptized child ofthe Church and one who has not been baptized. It is a dirimentimpediment to marriage, by church law, and with good reason; forthe chief end of marriage is the welfare of offspring. Parentsdivided upon the basic truth of life cannot well concur in theproper education of children, that is, cannot rightly attend to thewelfare of their offspring.

2. Unbaptized persons can be validly married to eachother.

3. A husband, converted to the faith and baptized, doeswell to remain with his wife even if she be unwilling to beconverted also.

4. But if the nonbaptized spouse will not live in peacewith the converted and baptized spouse, or live without offendingGod and doing spiritual harm to the baptized party, then theconvert-spouse (who by baptism died to his former life and wasreborn in Christ) may put away the unbaptized spouse as no longerhis true and validly married mate. This fact is known fromscripture (I Cor. 7:12-15).

5. Once the free status of such a spouse (who puts awayhis mate for reasons given above) is officially established bydecision of the ecclesiastical tribunal, he can marry anew.

6. No other cause than unbelief and recalcitrance in theprecise circumstances mentioned can nullify a marriage, and nocause can nullify a valid marriage between Catholics.

"If you wish to learn and appreciate something worth while, then love to be unknown and considered as nothing. Truly to know and despise self is the best and most perfect counsel."
Thomas á Kempis

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"It is vanity to be concerned with the present only and not to make provision for things to come."
Thomas á Kempis

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"A single act of uniformity with the divine will suffices to make a saint."
St Alphonsus de Liguori

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