1914 NonCatholics marriage bans Catholic church

[maggbill]

I have a couple who marry in St. Mary's Cathedral Aberdeen 20th October 1914, after Catholic church Banns. Mystifies me because as far as I know they were both Highland Travellers - with no known Catholic connection neither before or after.  Reading some of the Banns on the same page - some specify "Have obtained dispensation for mixed marriage" i.e. obviously at least one was Catholic - whereas with my two it states only "Having been duly proclaimed and having satisfied the requirements of the ecclesiastical and civil law, were married...." etc. 
I really did not think that the Catholic church would have married two non catholics in a religious service.  Or at the start of World War 1, was it a case of anyone could get married in any church - it being more of a civil service than anything??  Seems very "liberal" for the Catholic church of those days.  The groom was a soldier, who was then killed in France in 1916.  Any ideas anyone?

[Maiden Stone]

"Ne Temere (On Marriage)" - papal decree concerning betrothal and marriage came into force Easter 1908.
https://www.ewtn.com/library/CURIA/NETEMERE.HTM
Imo if they married in a Catholic church, at least one of them was Catholic. Marriage is one of the 7 sacraments in the Catholic church, it's not merely a civil ceremony.
"Ne Temere" has a paragraph on marriage of migrants.
One of the instructions to priests in "Ne Temere" was to record details of the marriage in the bride's baptism register.

[Lodger]

It sounds as if they were both Catholics. Maiden Stone is absolutely correct but the information was  also added to the groom's baptism record and the baptisms' could have taken place anywhere in the world!
The officiating clergyman had to be satisfied that both parties were free to marry in the Catholic Church, it's still the rule today. I traced a second cousin to Montreal in Canada by checking his baptism certificate in the catholic church in Motherwell, Scotland. He had gone to Canada as a teenager and his family had lost touch with him but, he had married a catholic girl in Canada and the priest there had written to Motherwell to make sure there was no impediment to the upcoming marriage. When he was given the green light by Motherwell he then sent the date and place of marriage, plus the bride's name, to be recorded on the baptism record.
If, at a future date, he had tried to marry again in a Catholic church, he would have to have proved he was a widower or that the previous marriage had been annulled.

[maggbill]

Thank you Maidenstone  and Lodger
Your replies have just reinforced the mystery - I  know that both of your comments are absolutely correct - so herein lies the mystery.  The husband Donald Stewart was born Barvas County Ross, in 1885, parents Hugh and Henrietta Stewart, tinkers (married 1875 Peterhead - maybe I should chase this marriage). The wife Johanna McKay born  illegitimate to Margaret McKay - bit unsure about her actual birth entry - but we believe born in Lochs, County Ross.  From what I can find both Barvas and Lochs were predominantly not Catholic.  Must say that I haven't done a really deep search of Catholic records, but will do so now - as much as available.  Somehow I have always presumed that maybe Johanna could have had a catholic background - but how do I prove it?  And why in their 1914 marriage record do they not have the phrase ….re "having obtained dispensation?" - like some others on same page have?   Woops.... have just discovered that I do have a marriage for a Hugh Stewart and Henrietta Stewart in Inverurie Aberdeen both age 39 in 1893... are these the said Hugh and Henrietta I am looking for - marrying actually at a later date than is listed on Donald Stewarts birth? - or have I got the totally wrong couple?  Oh dear - complex families these ones!  Chasing the 1875 "marriage" now.
 

[maggbill]

Well, there is no record from 1870 - 1910 of a Hugh Stewart marrying "Henrietta" ? of any surname apart from the one showing in 1893 - the one I have of Hugh marrying Henrietta Stewart in Inverurie Aberdeen - according to "Established Church of Scotland".

I have just picked up this line of research again after a few years and I think I had better start from scratch - check all details, cos I could be confusing multiple "Stewarts"....

[dowdstree]

This may not be of much help to you but I know of a marriage in 1934 where the bride was Catholic and the Groom not. It took place in Edinburgh.

The entry reads "After publication according to the forms of Roman Catholic Church". The actual ceremony was at what is called the side altar and without all the usual trappings of a Catholic Marriage
Ceremony.

Perhaps this was similar in your case.

Dorrie

[maggbill]

Hi Dorrie,

Thanks for the contribution - I know there are circumstances where a Catholic/and Non Catholic can be "accepted" by the Catholic Church for marriage.  The mystery is that I have no other evidence at all - in either of their lives, of either of them being Catholic.  And being long standing Highland Traveller families, again, I have never actually come across any Catholics in their midst.  Does anyone have any knowledge of Highland Traveller families being Catholics? 
Seemingly many Travellers did not have a formal marriage - have heard mention of a "traveller" marriage - don't not what this signifies - just a de-facto relationship?  Or was there actually a traveller "ceremony"?  I still wonder if the marriage was in relation to the fact that Donald was going off to War - could it be so that the long standing "wife" could get a pension? Or something similar.  He died in action two years later.

[Skoosh]

Gypsy Marriage Stone,   

 https://secretscotland.wordpress.com/2007/04/27/gypsy-wedding-place-argyll/

Skoosh.

[maggbill]

Thanks for the link Skoosh.  Interesting info re Travellers meeting place.

What a pity it seems the Travellers are fading away - and what a pity they have not left much in the way of records.  Typical - all over the world traditional lifestyles disappear...