As I say, I'm not familiar with Spanish law, so I honestly don't know, but if not you have the same problem that exists here: A civil and religious institution that share the same name, as well as many of the same attributes, despite being wholly separate practices.
I would assume it's the same way as in the rest of continental Europe: a church wedding only being possible after (generally immediately after) a civil wedding ceremony.
Not that it really matters anyway because as far as the Pope is concerned such distinctions are meaningless; in the eyes of the Catholic Church you were either married within the Catholic Church (e.g. sacramentally) or you aren't married. There's no reason why the Pope should find homosexuals in the latter state any more objectionable than anyone else in it, but from the perspective the Pope is REQUIRED to take, "gay marriage" has no more standing than "Islamic marriage".
You say there's no reason why he should, but there's every indication that he does, as shown again here.
Pope criticises gay marriage and abortion at cathedral consecration in Spain
- 07/11/2010 08:18:06 PM
1529 Views
Can't wait to see what he says about sanctity of life next time he's in TX....
- 07/11/2010 08:51:41 PM
1356 Views
You know, next time you tell people to not reopen certain debates...
- 07/11/2010 09:28:21 PM
1215 Views
Does Spain distinguish between secular and sacramental marriage?
- 08/11/2010 01:10:47 AM
1110 Views
I would assume so, but can't say for sure.
- 08/11/2010 10:27:01 AM
1026 Views
Well, that's the out then.
- 08/11/2010 11:00:14 PM
1105 Views
I'm more looking forward to how the Texans affirm their support for the institution like Spain
- 09/11/2010 11:36:16 PM
933 Views
The Catholic Church as a whole is opposed to capital punishment, and is fairly vocal about it.
- 09/11/2010 11:55:18 PM
7353 Views
But that's personal issues of the clergy and whatnot involved. It's not doctrine
- 13/11/2010 02:20:38 AM
1020 Views
Spain doesn't have to deal with Fourteenth Amendments Equal Protection Clause.
- 10/11/2010 12:25:05 PM
1267 Views
Re: Spain doesn't have to deal with Fourteenth Amendments Equal Protection Clause.
- 13/11/2010 02:25:01 AM
1109 Views
Now that is the way to protest against the Pope. I wish people had thought of that here. *NM*
- 07/11/2010 09:02:51 PM
440 Views
The girl on girl kissing? Hell, yeah.
- 07/11/2010 09:23:17 PM
999 Views
you must have the Ugly lesbian Club in your area
- 07/11/2010 09:28:02 PM
1075 Views
- 07/11/2010 09:28:02 PM
1075 Views
Re: you must have the Ugly lesbian Club in your area
- 07/11/2010 10:05:58 PM
1098 Views
- 07/11/2010 10:05:58 PM
1098 Views
she's lesbian.
- 07/11/2010 10:32:37 PM
998 Views
Re: she's lesbian.
- 08/11/2010 01:14:32 AM
990 Views
lol sorry. I wasn't trying to come off all offended or like I was trying to spoil your joke
- 08/11/2010 01:26:54 AM
999 Views
- 08/11/2010 01:26:54 AM
999 Views
Referring to the 1930s and then talking of re-evangelization is a rather painful gaffe, I must say.
- 07/11/2010 09:13:19 PM
1004 Views
dang. how big and fancy is this cathedral going to be? *NM*
- 07/11/2010 09:28:44 PM
525 Views
Huge, but mostly it's just been built very slowly for financial reasons.
- 08/11/2010 10:23:32 AM
1089 Views
Uh yeah because Franco was worse than the communists....
- 08/11/2010 03:43:55 AM
992 Views
- 08/11/2010 03:43:55 AM
992 Views
Was he worse? We'll never know, seeing how he was the one that came out on top.
- 08/11/2010 10:17:10 AM
1068 Views
Re: Was he worse? We'll never know, seeing how he was the one that came out on top.
- 08/11/2010 03:31:45 PM
1165 Views
Re: Was he worse? We'll never know, seeing how he was the one that came out on top.
- 08/11/2010 10:28:01 PM
1028 Views
Re: Was he worse? We'll never know, seeing how he was the one that came out on top.
- 09/11/2010 10:24:38 AM
1299 Views
Ah, classic communist logic.
- 09/11/2010 08:17:48 PM
982 Views
No
- 09/11/2010 08:20:21 PM
1044 Views
I wouldn't expect anything less of him. *NM*
- 08/11/2010 02:28:36 AM
470 Views
Yeah, wouldn't it be hilariously awesome if he was, like, "Dudes, gay marriage ain't so bad." *NM*
- 08/11/2010 02:58:48 AM
523 Views
Again: The Pope doesn't oppress anyone.
- 08/11/2010 03:40:19 AM
1083 Views
Awesome, except he's attacking people leaving, too. *NM*
- 08/11/2010 04:30:02 AM
466 Views
I would too.
- 08/11/2010 05:08:37 AM
994 Views
well fine, but you're telling them to leave, and attacking them for doing so.
- 08/11/2010 07:18:45 PM
881 Views
And here come the ad hominem attacks.
- 08/11/2010 09:32:23 PM
1035 Views
No, it's more like a boss firing an employee and then bitching about them leaving. *NM*
- 08/11/2010 10:43:56 PM
545 Views
Did you hear the Church have stopped approving applications for people to officially leave,
- 08/11/2010 07:13:15 PM
1001 Views
Not at all.
- 08/11/2010 09:29:29 PM
1000 Views
Yeah, I'm with Dragonsoul on this one
- 08/11/2010 09:39:13 PM
888 Views
It makes a difference when they use your name as part of a statistic
- 09/11/2010 12:28:51 AM
1224 Views
Re: Pope criticises gay marriage and abortion at cathedral consecration in Spain
- 08/11/2010 05:24:46 PM
850 Views
This is funny.
- 09/11/2010 08:42:52 PM
906 Views
I often wonder the same thing, think about the sheer quantity of proven pedophile priests, then...
- 13/11/2010 11:07:39 PM
976 Views

