In a message dated 27/12/2004 08:59:35 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, jonathan@... writes:
Joseph wrote:
- Well I guess i'm not much help but
> what the priests were suppose to do when someone from another parish
> came to be married in the church they were suppose to contact that
> parish to make sure they were in good standing. [Note: Can anyone else
> confirm what I just said. I am pretty sure I read that some place maybe
> in George Ryskamp's Book].
>
Ryskamp, does talk about the pre-marriage investigations, in chapter
10, page 193 of his book. Usually the results, of such investigations
were kept in the "informaciones matrimoniales" or the "diligencias
matrimoniales"
I can also confirm that when one or both of the pretenzos (novios) were from different parroquias or jurisdicciones, verification of their identities, ages, parentage, and if necessary, deny or confirm any possible parentesco, which would result in a "dispensa matrimonial." Those would then provide their common ancestry which could go back another four generations, sometimes on many different lines and families.
Based on the types of questions they always asked, which were based on a canon of morality and conduct, the church would investigate if the "parentescos de afinidad por copula licita" or 'ilicita;" kinship of affinity via a licit "copulation" or an illicit "copulation." This was discovered through an "interview," or rather an interrogation, of the novios, their parents, if alive, and three reliable witnesses.
The novios were first blessed and crossed and they would also swear and cross themselves that they would tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, or be in the mortal sin...perjury under oath before God. They would also confirm that one of the novios was a viudo, then a death record had to be obtained and notarized in the marriage or dispensation information. The novios were not allowed to marry if they had previously made a vow to join a religious order. Or if it be the calling of their heart then they could be dispensed of the vow, and allowed to marry.
There were other issues but here is basically what was responded to: -----
"...que no tiene otro alguno de afinidad por copula licita o ilicita, ni parentesco espiritual, ni tiene sponsales pendientes con alguna persona, ni ha hecho voto simple o solemne de castidad o de religion, ni incurrido en impedimento de crimen u honestidad, ni ha sido forzad(o)(a) , o compelido/a para ello como ni tampoco su pretenza: que esta es la verdad bajo su juramento...."
There are numerous marriage information documents, pages and pages of them, of "ultramarinos," Españoles or other nationalities who have immigrated to Mexico and want to marry Mexican women.
Then there are of course the ones where the pretenzos are from different parrishes or jurisdictions, but I think that's where we started.
Merry Christmas, though a bit belated, and a Happy New Year. Que tengan un Prospero Año Nuevo, 2005.
Best wishes,
Steven F. Hernandez-Lopez.
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