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Rh  belongs to the civil authority, by which existing impediments are to be removed. Apostolic Letter Multiplices inter, June, 1851.

69. In the dark ages the Church began to establish diriment impediments, not by her own right, but by using a power borrowed from the State. Apostolic Letter Ad Apostolicæ, August 22nd, 1851.

70. The Canons of the Council of Trent, which anathematize those who dare to deny to the Church the right of establishing diriment impediments, either are not dogmatic, or must be understood as referring to such borrowed power.

71. The form of solemnizing marriage prescribed by the Council of Trent, under pain of nullity, does not bind in cases where the civil law lays down another form, and declares that when this new form is used the marriage shall be valid.

72. Boniface VIII. was the first who declared that the vow of chastity taken at ordination renders marriage void.

73. In force of a merely civil contract, there may exist between Christians a real marriage, and it is false to say either that the marriage contract between Christians is always a sacrament, or that there is no contract if the sacrament be excluded.

74. Matrimonial causes and espousals belong by their nature to civil tribunals.

N.B.—To the preceding questions may be referred two other errors regarding the celibacy of priests and the preference due to the state of marriage over that of virginity. These have been stigmatized: the first