Canonical-Legal Aspects of the Preparation for Marriage and the prevention of marriage being void

Predmet rada jest istraživanje odnosa između priprave za sklapanje ženidbe i prevencije ništavosti ženidbe. Autori, zbog različitih »kulturoloških okvira« o kojima ovisi rizik pojave pojedinoga kanonskog razloga ništavosti, ne govore o svim i o svakom pojedinom od kanonskih razloga ništavosti te o načinu njegove prevencije, nego prikazuju neka pravna sredstva koja u fazama priprave za ženidbu služe u svrhu prevencije ništavosti. Neka od tih pravnih sredstava sadržana su u kann. 1063–1072, gdje opći zakonodavac donosi kanonske preduvjete i pretpostavke za sklapanje ženidbe kako bi ono bilo valjano, dostojno i plodonosno. Stoga, da bi se izbjegle nevaljane ili nedopuštene ženidbe, odgovorna je dužnost pastira duša da u okviru bliže i neposredne priprave za ženidbu obave sve propisane radnje kako bi utvrdili da se ništa ne protivi valjanom i dopuštenom sklapanju ženidbe. Nema učinkovitijeg sredstva za sprečavanje ništavosti nego što je ozbiljna i temeljita priprava te obdržavanje kanonskih propisa (općeg prava i partikularnog prava) koji se odnose na sredstva prevencije ništavosti. Općem kanonskom pravu glede navedene materije treba pridodati i odredbe partikularnog prava koje donosi dijecezanski biskup (usp. kan. 1064) i biskupska konferencija (usp. kann. 1063; 1067), osobito odredbe o zaručničkom ispitu, ženidbenim navještajima ili drugim sredstvima prikladnima za obavljanje izvida potrebnih prije ženidbe.The subject of this article is the research of the relation between the preparation for entering into marriage and the prevention of marriage being void. Because of different »cultural frameworks« on which the risk of appearance of one or the other canonical reason for proclaiming a marriage void is increased, the authors do not discuss all and every individual canonical reason for proclaiming a marriage void and on how to prevent the appearance of each of these, but instead they focus on some legal means that are used during the preparation for entering into marriage for the purpose of prevention of marriages being void. Some of those legal means are contained in cann 1063–1072 in which the universal lawgiver proscribes canonical preconditions and presuppositions for entering into marriage, so that it might be valid, dignified, and fruitful. Therefore, in order to avoid illicit and prohibited marriages, those who care for souls should, in the context of the proximate preparation for entering into marriage, do all proscribed acts in order to determine whether there are elements that might make the marriage illicit or prohibited. There is no more efficient means to prevent the marriage being void than a serious and thorough preparation and upholding of canonical precepts (universal law and particular law) related to the prevention of marriages being void. In this matter, one should add to the universal canon law those precepts of particular law that are established by a diocesan bishop (cf. can 1064) and a bishops’ conference (cf. cann 1063; 1067), especially precepts on engagement exam, marital proclamations, and other means appropriate for determining the situation before the marriage