Ask Fr. Leo: Convalidation and genuflection

Dear Fr. Leo,

A canonical question for you. I have a Catholic friend who is civilly married. She recently came back to her Catholic faith, but her husband needs a declaration of nullity from his previous marriage before their own marriage can be convalidated. He is not Catholic and sees no point in getting an annulment, nor does he want to revisit a mistake from thirty-five years in the past. What can they do? – F.C.

Dear F.C.,

This is a toughie, but there is real relief in this situation. First, many people wonder why they need to obtain a declaration of nullity, (commonly called an “annulment”) even if they are not Catholic. This is because the Church has a great respect for all marriages. Despite the moral vagaries of the present age, history is pretty clear that the nuclear family is the building block of any society. Thriving marriages make thriving families. Thriving families make for a thriving society. You lose the family, you lose civilization. Just ask the ancient Romans. But I digress.

It also helps to call to mind that the institution of marriage predates the Church. Because of its benefits to society, every civilization has given marriage a privileged status. You will recall that the first miracle of Our Lord was within the context of a wedding feast. All marriages, whether they are religious or not, have some sort of requirements and rituals that make the marriage public and valid. The Church respects and appreciates this. Thus, we consider all marriages to be valid unless proven otherwise. Even a purely secular marriage is presumed by the law to be a “valid natural bond.” 

At the wedding at Cana, Jesus did something special. He raised the institution of marriage to the dignity of a sacrament. Consequently, a valid marriage contract cannot exist between baptised persons without its being by that very fact a sacrament. (Canon 1055, §2). Thus, there is a subtle distinction between validity and sacramentality. A marriage where one party is unbaptized is presumed to be valid. A marriage between two baptized people is considered valid and sacramental. 

With this in mind, in the case of your friend, even though her spouse is not Catholic, the Church presumes that his previous marriage is valid until proven otherwise, thus, the need for an investigation to see if the conditions necessary for a valid marriage were present. That’s the canonical side of the question.

The pastoral side of the question is no less important. I can understand, and have great sympathy with him, that he would not want to revisit a very painful period in his life. If it is physically, emotionally, or morally impossible for him to do so, a petition can be presented on his behalf by an officer of the Tribunal called the Promoter of Justice. He will need to provide essential information and likely will be asked to fill out a questionnaire or sit for a brief interview, but once that is complete, his part in the process is complete and the Tribunal takes it from there.

Dear Fr. Leo, 

We are blessed to have adoration at our parish. But I’m curious, why do some people genuflect on both knees when coming into the presence of the Blessed Sacrament during exposition? Is this a new rule or an old one? – M.J.

Dear M.J., 

As any casual observer can tell you, Catholic worship involves the whole person — mind, body, and spirit. Human beings are body and soul. Thus, postures and gestures are an integral part of how we pray. Genuflection is a sign of worship. Thus, it is appropriate to genuflect when in the true and substantial presence of Christ in the Eucharist. 

What does a genuflection look like and when should you do it? Paragraph 274 of the General Instruction of the Roman Missal states: “A genuflection, made by bending the right knee to the ground, signifies adoration, and therefore it is reserved for the Most Blessed Sacrament, as well as for the Holy Cross from the solemn adoration during the liturgical celebration on Good Friday until the beginning of the Easter Vigil.”

In 1973, the Congregation for Divine Worship issued a document “Eucharistiae Sacramentum” (Latin for “Sacrament of the Eucharist”) that addresses your question directly. It said, “Genuflection in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, whether reserved in the tabernacle or exposed for public adoration, is on one knee.” 

Prior to Vatican II, the general custom was to genuflect on two knees during adoration. While not required, some people follow this custom as a way of distinguishing between the exposed sacrament and the reserved sacrament in the tabernacle.

Also, keep in mind that one is only required to do what is reasonable. If your knees and hips don’t allow you to genuflect anymore, a profound bow from the waist will suffice.