www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Relationship with Godchildren

Hey guys. I've been lurking for a while, and this is my first post.

I have a bit of an unusual situation: I was baptized in the Latin Rite, but have been attending a Ruthenian parish most my life. I intend to change Rites officially at some point.
My girlfriend was not Catholic when I met her, and when she converted she was baptized in the Latin Rite. I was her baptismal sponsor.

My understanding is that the Latin Rite now allows a godparent and godchild to marry, but it is forbidden in the Eastern Code. Can someone provide clarification on what the Eastern churches teach regarding this?

Also, say we were married in the Latin Rite. How would such a marriage be seen in the Eastern churches, and how would the godfather/godchild relationship be seen?

Christ is in our midst!!

Mister op:

Welcome to the forum. I recommend that you find an Eastern Catholic priest and ask him these questions. Always best to get the straight answer from one who is trained to know or who knows who tocontact to get the answer.

Bob
Moderator

Mister,

The Eastern Code, CCEO, c. 811.1 states, “From baptism there arises a spiritual relationship between a sponsor and the baptized person and the parents of the same that invalidates marriage.”

So while the relationship according to the Eastern Code is an impediment to marriage, there is, as you note, no such impediment in the Latin Code. Canon 1 of the CCEO is quite clear that “the canons of this Code concern all and only the Eastern Catholic Churches, unless, with regard to relations with the Latin Church, it is expressly established otherwise.” As Latin Catholics, you are subject only to the norms of the Latin Code.

In the Pio-Benedictine Code of 1917, which was abrogated with the promulgation of the Johanno-Pauline Code of 1983, this relationship was an impediment to marriage, but it could be dispensed by the local ordinary. The CCEO also allows this impediment to be dispensed since it is ecclesiastical (man-made) law (CCEO, cc. 795 and 1536).