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
1617 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
1444 Views
You know, next time you tell people to not reopen certain debates...
- 07/11/2010 09:28:21 PM
1288 Views
Does Spain distinguish between secular and sacramental marriage?
- 08/11/2010 01:10:47 AM
1201 Views
I would assume so, but can't say for sure.
- 08/11/2010 10:27:01 AM
1115 Views
Well, that's the out then.
- 08/11/2010 11:00:14 PM
1181 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
1017 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
7431 Views
But that's personal issues of the clergy and whatnot involved. It's not doctrine
- 13/11/2010 02:20:38 AM
1092 Views
Spain doesn't have to deal with Fourteenth Amendments Equal Protection Clause.
- 10/11/2010 12:25:05 PM
1379 Views
Re: Spain doesn't have to deal with Fourteenth Amendments Equal Protection Clause.
- 13/11/2010 02:25:01 AM
1202 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
478 Views
The girl on girl kissing? Hell, yeah.
- 07/11/2010 09:23:17 PM
1087 Views
you must have the Ugly lesbian Club in your area
- 07/11/2010 09:28:02 PM
1143 Views
- 07/11/2010 09:28:02 PM
1143 Views
Re: you must have the Ugly lesbian Club in your area
- 07/11/2010 10:05:58 PM
1168 Views
- 07/11/2010 10:05:58 PM
1168 Views
she's lesbian.
- 07/11/2010 10:32:37 PM
1060 Views
Re: she's lesbian.
- 08/11/2010 01:14:32 AM
1059 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
1079 Views
- 08/11/2010 01:26:54 AM
1079 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
1066 Views
dang. how big and fancy is this cathedral going to be? *NM*
- 07/11/2010 09:28:44 PM
573 Views
Huge, but mostly it's just been built very slowly for financial reasons.
- 08/11/2010 10:23:32 AM
1176 Views
Uh yeah because Franco was worse than the communists....
- 08/11/2010 03:43:55 AM
1064 Views
- 08/11/2010 03:43:55 AM
1064 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
1150 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
1246 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
1120 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
1382 Views
Ah, classic communist logic.
- 09/11/2010 08:17:48 PM
1050 Views
No
- 09/11/2010 08:20:21 PM
1117 Views
I wouldn't expect anything less of him. *NM*
- 08/11/2010 02:28:36 AM
521 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
559 Views
Again: The Pope doesn't oppress anyone.
- 08/11/2010 03:40:19 AM
1169 Views
Awesome, except he's attacking people leaving, too. *NM*
- 08/11/2010 04:30:02 AM
509 Views
I would too.
- 08/11/2010 05:08:37 AM
1063 Views
well fine, but you're telling them to leave, and attacking them for doing so.
- 08/11/2010 07:18:45 PM
965 Views
And here come the ad hominem attacks.
- 08/11/2010 09:32:23 PM
1116 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
588 Views
Did you hear the Church have stopped approving applications for people to officially leave,
- 08/11/2010 07:13:15 PM
1074 Views
Not at all.
- 08/11/2010 09:29:29 PM
1074 Views
Yeah, I'm with Dragonsoul on this one
- 08/11/2010 09:39:13 PM
964 Views
It makes a difference when they use your name as part of a statistic
- 09/11/2010 12:28:51 AM
1318 Views
Re: Pope criticises gay marriage and abortion at cathedral consecration in Spain
- 08/11/2010 05:24:46 PM
925 Views
This is funny.
- 09/11/2010 08:42:52 PM
977 Views
I often wonder the same thing, think about the sheer quantity of proven pedophile priests, then...
- 13/11/2010 11:07:39 PM
1056 Views

