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Catholic officials defend Boris Johnson’s wedding in the church despite two divorces

Catholic officials have defended Boris Johnson to marry Carrie Symonds at Westminster Cathedral despite the prime minister’s two previous marriages.

Questions have been raised about how the Prime Minister was allowed to marry in a Catholic ceremony at the venue when divorce is prohibited by the Church and Catholics are not allowed to remarry.

Mr Johnson divorced his first wife, Allegra Mostyn-Owen, in 1993 and completed his divorce from his second wife, Marina Wheeler, in November last year.

However, the Diocese of Westminster confirmed that the Catholic baptized Prime Minister was able to hold the wedding as none of his previous marriages included a Catholic ceremony and was therefore not recognized by the Church.

A spokesman said I: “With regard to divorced people, a baptized Catholic who has entered into a civilly recognized marriage without observing the requirements of Catholic canon law is not considered validly married in the eyes of the Catholic Church.”

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If Boris Johnson and Carrie Symonds could tie the knot in a Catholic church, was I ever married?

Papal biographer Austen Ivereigh confirmed that the rules were being obeyed and said: “Boris’ two previous marriages lacked canonical form … So he (probably) did not need an annulment.

“If the canonical form of marriage was not adhered to and the marriage was later not recognized by the church, such a marriage will be declared invalid under canon law in a simple administrative procedure.”

Mr Johnson was baptized Catholic but, according to biographers in Eton, renounced Anglicanism.

Ms. Symonds – who is believed to have taken the name Johnson after getting married – has spoken publicly about her Catholic faith.

The couple married in a low-key private ceremony at Westminster Cathedral over the weekend, reportedly presided over by Father Daniel Humphreys, who also baptized their one-year-old son Wilfred last year.

After the news of their wedding, Father Mark Drew, an assistant priest in Warrington, Cheshire, condemned the decision, saying he was forced to declare double standards to his parishioners.

He wrote on Twitter: “Can someone explain to me how Boris Johnson, who left the Catholic Church in Eton and is twice divorced, can get married at Westminster Cathedral while telling practicing Catholics in good faith that they want a second? Marriage in the church that it is not possible? “

Christopher Lamb, a journalist for Catholic magazine The Tablet, wrote: “The Church should always be ready to welcome a prodigal son, but this case underscores the unfair rules that prevent some divorced people from remarrying while allow them to others. “

Father Paul Butler, Rector at Deptford, London, wrote: “Always one canon law for the rich and one for the poor.”

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