From a reader…
QUAERITUR:
My wife and I were married in my father-in-law’s hospital room. He was dying of stomach cancer and we wanted him to witness our marriage. We had planned on holding the ceremony in the chapel of the Catholic hospital he was in, but he was too weak to leave the room. Our priest decided to marry us in his hospital room. There was a crucifix on the wall. Can you confirm this was a valid Catholic marriage due to the circumstances and due to the fact it was in a Catholic hospital? Side note: after the ceremony my our priest administered last rights to my father-in-law. He died the next morning. My wife and I have been married for 12 years. Thank for any comments.
The wedding would be valid. If the priest had the faculty to witness the wedding in the chapel, he would have the faculty to witness is throughout the hospital. He probably should have gotten permission (and maybe he did) from the local ordinary to change the site from the chapel to a hospital room, but even without that permission, the marriage is presumed to be valid.
