DESK GUIDE: Prenuptial Investigation Procedures

PRENUPTIAL AFFIDAVITS (FORM MA) NEED TO BE PRESENTED TO CANONICAL SERVICES IN THE FOLLOWING SITUATIONS:

• PRIOR MARRIAGES (Resolved by nullity decree or death certificate)
• VALIDATION
• MIXED MARRIAGES AND DISPARITY OF CULT (One party is non-Catholic)
• INTERECCLESIAL MARRIAGES (One party is an Eastern Catholic)
• NON PRACTICING CATHOLIC
• WEDDING TO TAKE PLACE IN ANOTHER DIOCESE
• PERMISSION (A chapel or a non-Catholic church) (Wedding of two Catholics to take place without Mass)
• EITHER PARTY IS UNDER TWENTY-ONE YEARS OF AGE
• ONE OR BOTH PARTIES ARE FROM ANOTHER DIOCESE
• EITHER PARTY HAS NO PERMANENT RESIDENCE
• CIVIL OBLIGATIONS HAVE BEEN PLACED ON EITHER PARTY (Toward another party or children of a prior union)

THE PROMISES (cautiones) NEED TO BE SIGNED BY THE CATHOLIC PARTY:

• WHEN ONE PARTY IS NON-CATHOLIC
• WHEN ONE PARTY IS A NON-PRACTICING CATHOLIC

Note: The promises are two-fold (a) To remain a Catholic (b) To raise children Catholic

TWO MB WITNESS AFFIDAVITS ARE REQUIRED:

• IF A PARTY IS NON-CATHOLIC (To provide proof of freedom to marry)
• IF A CATHOLIC HAS LIVED OUTSIDE OF THE DIOCESE OF PITTSBURGH (For more than six months after puberty excluding college)
• IF BAPTISMAL INFORMATION IS MISSING OR INCOMPLETE
• IF A PARTY CLAIMS NON-BAPTISM
• IF THE PRIEST SUSPECTS COERCION OR A PRIOR BOND
• IF A PARTY IS A MINOR

Ordinarily the two witnesses should be parents or other close relatives or friends who have known the party well since they were old enough to marry.

INTERECCLESIAL MARRIAGES (ONE PARTY IS A LATIN CATHOLIC AND THE OTHER AN EASTERN CATHOLIC)

• CANONICAL SERVICES WILL SEEK TESTIMONIAL LETTERS AND PERMISSIONS FROM THE PROPER EASTERN CATHOLIC EPARCHY
• QUESTIONS REGARDING MEMBERSHIP IN A RITUAL CHURCH AND JURISDICTION REGARDING WEDDINGS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO CANONICAL SERVICES EARLY IN THE PREPARATION PERIOD

CHECK LIST (PARISH PERMANENT MARRIAGE FILE)

• FORM MA FOR BOTH BRIDE AND GROOM (with MB’s as applicable)
• BAPTISMAL CERTIFICATES AS APPLICABLE
• COPIES OF DECREES OF NULLITY, DEATH CERTIFICATES
• DECREES OF MIXED RELIGION, DISPARITY OF CULT, CANONICAL FORM
• LETTERS OF DELEGATION
• RECORD OF PREMARITAL INSTRUCTIONS
• CIVIL MARRIAGE LICENSE (Validations need copy of civil marriage record)
• RETURNED MC FORMS (Notification of wedding to parish of baptism)

Catholic baptismal certificates, decrees of nullity and marriage licenses need to be retained in their original form. Other certificates may be photocopied.