A Brief Explanation of the Decree ?Ne Temere?

Catholic marriage law may appear complicated, but in 1908 it was simplified, and this simplification was kept later on in the Code of Canon Law, which varies little from the decree Ne Temere. An understanding of this decree will help in the solution of marriage cases today. The chief advantage of the decree on the engagement and marriage contracts which came into force 19 April, 1908 arises from the fact that it is a uniform law for the Catholic of the Latin Rite practically in all parts of the world The decree of the Council of Trent in the famous chapter "Tametsi," which was meant to be of universal application failed of its purpose for lack of the necessary legal promulgation Hence all those vexed questions about the places when and where not the decree was binding, in which the post-Tridentin period abounds. Questions relating to marriages contracted prior to 19 April, 1908, will have to be decided according to the former laws on the form of the marriage contract in different countries For these we refer our readers to the many handbook of Moral Theology. The following pages present a concis and yet complete explanation of the new law, together wit the several official declarations that have been issued by th Holy See since the appearance of the decree. The decree is divided into fifteen numbers or articles most of which contain several sections. We will take them u one after the other in the order of the decree, giving first correct translation of the article and then a brief commentary in which the declarations of the Holy See pertaining to the article will be explained.