Alexis Gagné and Madeleine Pelletier had dispensation for 3rd degree of affinity. Does anyone see the common ancestor? [closed]

Question

Marriage in parish registry April 27th 1778 for [[Gagne-1858]] and [[Pelletier-1396]]: "Québec, registres paroissiaux catholiques, 1621-1979," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L99Q-ZFZ5?cc=1321742&wc=HC67-GP8%3A22702701%2C22702702%2C24583401 : 16 July 2014), Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies > Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies > Index, baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1734-1936 Baptêmes, mariages, sépultures 1734-1781 > image 687 of 747; Archives Nationales du Quebec (National Archives of Quebec), Montreal.

Comments

Many thanks for the star, Mama Kiki!

Answer 1

Hello Mama Kiki.

The deceased second wife of Alexis (Marie-Josepthe Soulard) and Madeleine are second cousins, they both are the great-granddaughters of Pierre St-Pierre (and his wife Marie Gerbert). It's just that Marie-Josepthe is not attached to her father Sébastien Soulard.

There is a full-sister of Marie-Josepthe named Marie-Josephe shown as half-sister.

Here is the relationship between Madeleine and Marie-Josephe:

Madeleine and Josephe are second cousins

Comments

Thank you, I figured I was missing something.

---

You are welcome, Mama Kiki.

---

have connected the sister and filled in with some sources

---

Wonderful, thank you.

---

I am very sorry but I fail to see why two of Alexis Gagné's wives who are second cousins would require a dispensation. It is not uncommon to have a man married to two sisters who do not require dispensation.  

Register entry says « ... san_ aut___ empèchement ni opposition entre Aléxis Gasnier dit Belavance veuf de M. Josephe Soulard d'une part et M. Madeleine Pelletier fille de feu François Pelletier et de défunte Genevieve Morno d'autre part ... » 

That clearly says the dispensation applies to the link between Aléxis and Madeleine—not to the link between Madeleine and Josephe. No?

---

at the beginning it reads:

''après la publication des bans et dispense obtenue d'affinité au troisième degré sans autre empêchement''

and it is certainly NOT uncommon for a man to marry 2 sisters, that is actually forbidden in Canon law.

---

You mean 'it is certainly uncommon for a man to marry 2 sisters ...'. which I belatedly agree was at the time and is currently forbidden by Catholic Canon Law.

Wikipedia article Affinity (canon Law) says of the Catholic position:

"The present Catholic church position is that affinity is covered by ecclesiastical law and bishops are permitted to dispense any impediments, short of any order of priesthood or affinity in the direct line, if it stems from lawful sexual relationships."

Interestingly this article also says of the Anglican position:

"The Deceased Wife's Sister's Marriage Act 1907 removed the impediment to marrying a late wife's sister. ... The Anglican Communion allows marriages beyond the second degree of affinity."

---

lol, cousin, Anglican views are not really relevant to the matter at hand.

Answer 2

Affinity means there is a relationship by marriage; consanguinity would be a relationship by blood, which is not the case here. Rubén explains the details.

Comments

Thank you, that is very helpful. I figured I was missing something.

---

There are also cases where ''affinity'' happens because of one of the prospective spouses having been godparent to the other's child by prior marriage.  No degree is cited for such.

---

Thank you!

---

PRDH Glossaire / Glossary says of affinité 

• « Lien qui existe entre le mari et les personnes apparentées à sa femme et entre la femme et les personnes apparentées à son mari.»

Which translates to affinity meaning:

• " Link that exists between the husband and persons related to his wife and between the wife and persons related to her husband."

---

I always forget what a treasure PRDH is. Thank you for posting this.