`REPEAT' WEDDINGS?
CATHOLICS and non-Catholics alike were perplexed this week by reports of a "triple" wedding in London, following on the Royal "double" wedding in Athens.
The answer is that the "triple" never took place, while the Athens "double" was covered by a special provision of Canon Law. This caters for countries where the civil law requires attendance before a non-Catholic minister to secure civil effects.
A report in last Friday's "Evening Standard" that a couple had been married three times on the same day— including once at Westminster Cathedral—has been categorically denied by the Cathedral authorities. Two press agencies responsible for circulating the information have undertaken to rectify the error.
According to the "Evening Standard", Miss Mary Ellis, Tory candidate for Tottenham and a Protestant, had married Mr. Edward O'Neill, a Catholic, in three ceremonies— at Caxton Hall, Westminster Cathedral, and St. Michael's, Chester Square.
In fact, on the day In question there were no marriages in the cathedral at all, nor could the marriage possibly have taken place in Westminster Cathedral if the couple were also going to a register office and a Protestant church.