Dist. 28, Art. 1, Q. 5
Book IV: On the Sacraments · Distinction 28
Quaestio V. Utrum consensus de praesenti expressus in occulto faciat matrimonium.
Quinto quaeritur, utrum consensus de praesenti expressus in occulto verum faciat matrimonium. Et quod non, videtur:
1. Quia Evaristus Papa dicit, et habetur in littera1, loquens de occultis et clandestinis connubiis: «Non coniugia, sed adulteria vel fornicationes sunt».
2. Item, hoc ipsum videtur ratione: quia personae, quae secundum institutionem Ecclesiae non sunt legitimae ad matrimonium contrahendum, ut frater et soror in secundo gradu, si de facto contrahunt, nihil faciunt, immo separantur: cum ergo huiusmodi clandestina sint contra Ecclesiae prohibitionem2: ergo nihil fit in eis.
3. Item, si aliquis contrahat cum aliqua in occulto et cum alia in manifesto, et veniatur ad iudicium Ecclesiae; Ecclesia dicit illam uxorem, quam accepit in manifesto3: ergo si recte iudicat, illa est uxor, ergo alia non fuit uxor.
4. Item, matrimonium est Sacramentum Ecclesiae, ergo debet accipi in facie Ecclesiae: ergo si accipitur in occulto, non est Sacramentum Ecclesiae: ergo nec verum Sacramentum, ergo nec matrimonium4.
Contra: 1. Sacramentum matrimonii pro materia habet personas legitimas et pro forma consensum; sed haec duo integre possunt esse in occulto: ergo etc.
2. Item, ita baptizatus est aliquis in occulto, sicut in manifesto: ergo matrimonium est ita in occulto, sicut in manifesto, a simili.
3. Item, contractus matrimonii est per verba maris et feminae, aliis nihil agentibus nec dicentibus: ergo ita est integrum, si fiat, illis absentibus, sicut et praesentibus.
Iuxta hoc quaeritur: quare Ecclesia prohibuit, matrimonium contrahi in occulto, cum alias esset licitum; et non prohibuit aliquem baptizare in occulto, vel etiam consecrare?
Conclusio. Matrimonia clandestina secundum ius antiquum vera sunt matrimonia, sed prohibita.
Respondeo: Dicendum, quod ad esse matrimonii ista duo sufficiunt, scilicet legitimitas in personis et unitas in consensu. Ad solemnitatem vero et decorem sive honestatem requiritur et parentum traditio et sacerdotum benedictio5; haec autem ita sunt ad decorem Sacramenti, ut tamen sint de necessitate praecepti. — Et ratio huius est vitatio periculi: quia frequenter qui in occulto contrahunt poenitent et cum aliis de facto contrahunt; et cum non potest primus contractus probari, necesse habet Ecclesia decipi et contra veritatem dare sententiam: et ideo oportuit, talia prohiberi. Hinc est, quod si aliquis cum aliqua contrahit in occulto, quamvis sit matrimonium, tamen coniunctio illa non est sine peccato, sicut nec coniunctio fornicarii, non tamen tantum.
Ad argumenta:
Ad 1. Et inde est, quod Evaristus dicit, quod «non sunt connubia, sed adulteria», propter culpam.
Ad 2. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod illud matrimonium, quod fit contra institutionem Ecclesiae, irritatur; dicendum, quod quaedam instituit Ecclesia tanquam necessaria, utpote quod personae sint legitimae; quaedam tanquam expedientia, utpote in aperto contrahere; et matrimonium, quod primo modo fit contra institutionem Ecclesiae, irritat Ecclesia6; quod secundo modo, minime.
Ad 3. Ad aliud respondendum, quod Ecclesia in casu illo necessario decipitur; non tamen decipitur, ut non iuste iudicet, quia iuste iudicare est iudicare secundum allegata; decipitur tamen secundum veritatem latentem7.
Ad 4. Ad illud quod obiicitur, quod est Sacramentum Ecclesiae; dicendum, quod verum est; tamen p. 695 accipitur etiam ab his qui sunt extra Ecclesiam, ut baptismus, non tamen ad salutem nisi ab his qui sunt in ipsa Ecclesia; et baptismus accipitur in occulto, quia est Sacramentum necessitatis, et non est ibi periculum, immo vitatur periculum; sed illud in facie Ecclesiae accipitur salubrius, in occulto vero accipitur vere, sed non salubriter, quia contra ecclesiasticam sanctionem8.
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Question V. Whether consent for the present expressed in secret makes a marriage.
Fifthly it is asked, whether consent for the present, expressed in secret, makes a true marriage. And that it does not, it seems:
1. Because Pope Evaristus says, as is found in the text1, speaking of secret and clandestine unions: "They are not marriages, but adulteries or fornications."
2. Likewise, this same thing seems so by reason: because persons who, according to the institution of the Church, are not legitimate for contracting marriage — as a brother and sister in the second degree — if they contract marriage in fact, accomplish nothing, but rather are separated: since, then, clandestine unions of this kind are against the Church's prohibition2: therefore nothing comes about in them.
3. Likewise, if someone should contract marriage with one woman in secret and with another openly, and the matter comes before the judgment of the Church, the Church declares her to be his wife whom he took openly3: therefore, if it judges rightly, that one is his wife, therefore the other was not his wife.
4. Likewise, marriage is a Sacrament of the Church, therefore it ought to be received in the face of the Church: therefore if it is received in secret, it is not a Sacrament of the Church: therefore neither a true Sacrament, therefore neither a marriage4.
On the contrary: 1. The Sacrament of marriage has, for its matter, legitimate persons, and for its form, consent; but these two can be present whole and entire in secret: therefore, etc.
2. Likewise, someone is baptized in secret just as [validly] as openly: therefore marriage exists in secret just as [it does] openly, by a like case.
3. Likewise, the contracting of marriage is through the words of the man and the woman, with others doing and saying nothing: therefore it is just as complete if it takes place with those others absent as with them present.
In connection with this it is asked: why did the Church prohibit marriage from being contracted in secret, when otherwise it would be licit; and yet did not prohibit anyone from baptizing in secret, or even from consecrating [in secret]?
Conclusion. Clandestine marriages, according to the ancient law, are true marriages, but forbidden.
I respond: It must be said that these two things suffice for the being of marriage, namely, legitimacy in the persons and unity in the consent. But for solemnity, and for decorum or honorableness, there is required both the handing-over by the parents and the priests' blessing5; these, however, pertain to the adornment of the Sacrament in such a way that they are nevertheless of the necessity of a precept. — And the reason for this is the avoidance of danger: because frequently those who contract marriage in secret afterward repent and contract marriage in fact with others; and since the first contract cannot be proven, the Church is necessarily deceived and must give a judgment contrary to the truth: and therefore it was fitting that such things be forbidden. Hence it is that if someone contracts marriage with a woman in secret, although it is a marriage, nevertheless that union is not without sin, just as neither is the union of a fornicator — though not to the same degree.
To the arguments:
To 1. And hence it is that Evaristus says that "they are not marriages, but adulteries," on account of the fault [involved].
To 2. To that which is objected, that a marriage which comes about against the institution of the Church is annulled; it must be said that the Church has instituted certain things as necessary — as, for instance, that the persons be legitimate — and certain things as merely expedient — as, for instance, that the contracting take place openly; and a marriage which comes about against the institution of the Church in the first way, the Church annuls6; one which does so in the second way, not at all.
To 3. To the other it must be answered that the Church, in that case, is necessarily deceived; yet it is not deceived in such a way that it judges unjustly, because to judge justly is to judge according to what has been alleged; it is deceived, however, with respect to the hidden truth7.
To 4. To that which is objected, that it is a Sacrament of the Church; it must be said that this is true; nevertheless it is received also by those who are outside the Church, as is baptism, though not unto salvation except by those who are within the Church itself; and baptism is received in secret, because it is a Sacrament of necessity, and there is no danger in it — rather, danger is avoided; but that [Sacrament of marriage], received in the face of the Church, is received more salutarily, whereas in secret it is indeed truly received, but not salutarily, because [it is done] against ecclesiastical sanction8.
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- 1Hic c. 1.Here, chapter 1 [i.e., Gratian's Decretum, C. 30, q. 5, c. 1, already cited in the preceding question's apparatus].
- 2Vide C. 30. q. 5, ex qua Magister hic in lit. c. 1, quaedam allegat, et X. de Clandestina desponsatione (lib. IV. tit. 3.).See Causa 30, question 5, from which the Master here, in the text, chapter 1, alleges certain things, and the Decretals (X), On Clandestine Betrothal (book IV, title 3).
- 3Cfr. C. Quod nobis (2.), X. de Clandestina desponsatione (lib. IV. tit. 3.). — Pro veniatur cod. aa veniat.Cf. the chapter Quod nobis (c. 2), Decretals (X), On Clandestine Betrothal (book IV, title 3). — For veniatur, codex aa reads veniat.
- 4Cod. aa nec verum matrimonium.Codex aa [reads]: "nor a true marriage."
- 5Vide hic lit. Magistri, c. 1. seq.See here the text of the Master, chapter 1 and following.
- 6Pro irritat Ecclesia codd. F I K V aa (E a secunda manu) irritatur.For irritat Ecclesia ["the Church annuls"], codices F, I, K, V, aa (E in a second hand) read irritatur ["is annulled"].
- 7Cfr. supra d. 27. a. 2. q. 2. in corp. et ad 3.Cf. above, distinction 27, article 2, question 2, in the body and in the reply to the third [objection].
- 8Vide scholion ad praecedentem quaest.See the scholion to the preceding question.