Rensselaer Journal, Volume 10, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 February 1901 — BIGAMY COMMON. [ARTICLE]

BIGAMY COMMON.

Conflict Between Church and State Prevents Its Punishment. Rome Letter to Pall Mall Gazette: For many years the conflict between church and state has rendered bigamy in Italy not only possible, but also easy and not punishable by law. As the marriage laws now stand only the civil ceremony is legal, but, as the church up to the present time has refused to recognize this law the priest has daily performed the marriage service and given the blessing of the church without the civil ceremony. The consequence is that a man so inclined marries one wife at the city hall and another before the priest. Such a state of affairs is so gross a scandal that many projects have been brought before the religious compulsory, with a heavy punishment to any priest breaking this law. However, the effort has always been useless, as either from personal religious sentiment or for fear of offending their devout supporters the deputies have even refused to support the bill. This has produced the present absurd situation. It is announced that the holy see, to prevent a man from having two wives, has recommended the parish priests to inquire well into the circumstances and in ordinary cases strongly to advise the couple first to go through the civil marriage, to be followed on the same day, if possible, by the religious one.