 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Defect of birth" Catholic canon law – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(March 2025) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Defect of birth was, under formerRoman Catholiccanon law, a canonical impediment toordination as a result ofillegitimacy. Defect of birth inhibited the exercise of the functions of orders already received. The prohibition did not touch the validity of orders, but made the reception thereof illicit.
The defect of illegitimate birth could be remedied in four ways: (1) by the subsequent marriage of the parents, if they were capable of contracting a marriage at the time of birth; (2) by arescript of the pope; (3) byreligious profession; (4) by adispensation.
Under the current1983 Code of Canon Law, illegitimacy has no canonical implications or consequences.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Defect of Birth".Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
 | ThisCatholic canon law–related article is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
 | This article aboutliturgy in theCatholic Church is astub. You can help Wikipedia byexpanding it. |
