Catholics question why Boris Johnson was able to marry in church

[Eugene]

Source: The Guardian

Catholics question why Boris Johnson was able to marry in church

Clergy and worshippers raise query as faith’s law does not recognise divorce

Maya Wolfe-Robinson
Sun 30 May 2021 18.28 BST

Catholics, including members of the congregation at Westminster Cathedral, have questioned why the prime minister was able to be married in a Catholic church following his two previous divorces.

Boris Johnson married Carrie Symonds at the cathedral in a ceremony with 30 friends and family on Saturday, planned in strict secrecy and reportedly carried out by Father Daniel Humphreys, who baptised their son Wilfred last year.

Symonds, who will be taking Johnson’s name, has spoken publicly of her Catholic faith, while Johnson was baptised into Catholicism but renounced it for Anglicanism during his Eton schooldays, according to biographers.

Catholic law, which does not recognise divorce, usually does not permit the remarriage of those whose former spouse, or spouses, are still alive. Johnson was divorced from his first wife, Allegra Mostyn-Owen, in 1993, and finalised his divorce from his second wife, Marina Wheeler, in November last year.

Father Mark Drew, an assistant priest in Warrington, tweeted in response to the news: “Can anyone explain to me how ‘Boris’ Johnson, who left the Catholic church while at Eaton [sic] and is twice divorced, can be married at Westminster Cathedral, while I have to tell practising Catholics in good faith who want a second marriage in Church that it’s not possible?”

-snip-

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/may/30/boris-johnson-carrie-symmonds-married-catcholic-church

Link to tweet

[CanonRay]

1. I'm sure he made a generous donation

to grease the wheels. That's what really makes the Catholic church tick.

[captain queeg]

2. I grew up catholic though I abandoned church as a teen

When I got married my fiancé and I attended an Engaged Encounter session the Catholics put on for people getting married. We’d been told it was pretty good so signed up for a weekend retreat. She was a non church goer and we had a simple ceremony on an island that was served by a minister who had a pilots license who flew in. I don’t remember what denomination he was. But what I remember was that the majority of couples were only there so they could have their wedding in a local old Catholic Church that was very old and very fancy. So many people want their ceremony held in a beautiful location and to use the church you had to attend the Engaged Encounter, the men at least were just going thru the motions. I liked the priest who put it on. I remember birth control came up and he said Well the church’s stance was against it, but if having a baby at this time of your life would be a disaster, use birth control. That kind of thing was pretty standard with catholic priests back then, they didn’t mindlessly preach the party line.

[Tomconroy]

3. Marriage is a good thing.

I wish the couple well, whatever the doctrinal disputes. (Boris is the genuine British eccentric. I can't help but be fond of him).

[uriel1972]

5. Marriage

Is not intrinsically good or bad, practice and intent apply.

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. He's not an eccentric; he's a wanker. A bastard. A motherfucker.

And he's certainly not 'genuine'. He was sacked by The Times for lying, as a journalist. He was sacked from the Tory shadow cabinet, for lying (about having an affair) . He offered to provide the address of a journalist to a criminal friend of his who the journalist was investigating, so that he could be beaten up. As London mayor, he had an affair with a businesswoman who got grants from his administration.

Plus he made up anti-EU stories for years, as a journalist, to stir up anti-European feeling. He told more lies in the Brexit campaign. He tried to stop parliament meeting to avoid scrutiny of the Brexit deal (only an appeal to the Supreme Court stopped that).

Does that help?

[uriel1972]

8. When you are rich, crazy and obnoxious they say you are "Eccentric"

If you were poor, crazy and obnoxious they would kick you on to the streets and/or lock you up.

It's amazing how many rich prats and pratettes get a pass isn't it?

[Tomconroy]

9. Can we possibly agree

That Boris is an eccentric wanker?
When I was a public defender I represented a fair number of eccentric poor people. I was rather fond of some of them too.
As to marriage, it was by far the best thing that ever happened to me. I commend it to everyone, no matter how many attempts it takes to get it right.

[uriel1972]

10. I don't think so on marriage...

Boris Johnson is a calculated, and evil person. He portrays himself as eccentric for manipulative means. He is not an eccentric, he just pretends to be one.

Whilst you and I might see a person as eccentric regardless of background, I was speaking in societal terms about and how the media portrays rich and poor quite differently.

[LeftishBrit]

11. Boris isn't a genuine anything

Even by the standards of politicians, he's a complete and utter liar and poser.

[Zen Democrat]

4. If his two previous marriages were Protestant, they weren't recognized by the Church.

[uriel1972]

6. If the spouse had been baptised at a prior stage

It becomes complicated. I think even c of e baptism counts towards the marriage score board.