Basic Catholic Q and A's

The numbers in parenthese that follow the questions refer to related paragraphs in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Sacraments at the Service of Communion
Matrimony

1. Who instituted marriage?
2. What is Matrimony?
3. How is marriage a covenant?
4. What did Christ do for marriage?
5. What is the purpose of Matrimony?
6. Does Christian marriage have yet another dimension?
7. How are consecrated virginity and marriage related?
8. When does a Catholic receive the sacrament of Matrimony?
9. What is necessary to receive the sacrament of Matrimony worthily?
10. Why is it encouraged to wed at a nuptial Mass?
11. What is the "sign" of Matrimony?
12. How is Matrimony given?
13. Who acts for Jesus in Matrimony?
14. Who may receive the sacrament of Matrimony?
15. How should Catholics prepare for marriage?
16. Why does the Church make laws regulating marriage?
17. May a person receive the sacrament of Matrimony more than once?
18. How do we know that people are free to marry?
19. What are impediments to marriage?
20. Can there be dispensations from these impediments?
21. If an invalid marriage was contracted can it be remedied?

1. Who instituted marriage?
God instituted marriage by creating human beings, both male and female, in his own image which is love. Mutual love and procreation are essential aspects of the nature of man and woman. The Scriptural account of Genesis confirms this. (1602-1605)

It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him. Therefore a man leaves his father and his mother and cleaves to his wife, and they become one flesh (Gn 2:18, 24).

2. What is Matrimony?
Matrimony is the sacrament through which a baptized man and a baptized woman join themselves for life in a lawful marriage, which is a covenant of love and a "partnership of the whole of life." (1601)

3. How is marriage a covenant?
As an agreement to be faithful to one another for life, marriage is a covenant. It mirrors the nuptial covenant of God with Israel and of Christ with redeemed humanity. (1612, 1660, 1662)

4. What did Christ do for marriage?
Marriage has been taken up into the redemption Christ won for us. The Church sees in Christ's presence at the wedding in Cana his intention to sacramentalize marriage, that is, to make it "an efficacious sign" of his presence which "signifies and communicates grace." (1608, 1612-1613, 1617)

Now Jesus was also invited to the wedding... (Jn 2:1-11).

5. What is the purpose of Matrimony?
The purpose of Matrimony is twofold: the mutual love and communion of husband and wife, and the generation and proper upbringing of children. These two purposes-the giving of life and the giving of love-are inseparable. (1601, 1660)

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her.... I am applying it to Christ and the Church, but each one of you should in the same way love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife should respect her husband.... Raise [your children] by instructing and admonishing them as the Lord would (Eph 5:25, 32-33; 6:4).

6. Does Christian marriage have yet another dimension?
Christian marriage is a sacred sign recalling the perpetual love of Christ and his Church. Christ strengthens the union of the married couple through the special sacramental grace of Matrimony, which helps them become holy through their married life. (1617, 1641-1642)

7. How are consecrated virginity and marriage related?
Consecrated virginity and marriage are both gifts of God. They are complementary and inseparable signs of his love. (1618-1620)

So, then, they are no longer two but one flesh.... Some who are eunuchs make themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven (Mt 19:6, 12).

8. When does a Catholic receive the sacrament of Matrimony?
A Catholic receives the sacrament of Matrimony when he or she marries in the Church or with the Church's permission. (1621, 1623)

9. What is necessary to receive the sacrament of Matrimony worthily?
To receive the sacrament of Matrimony worthily it is necessary to be free from serious sin, to know and understand the duties of married life, and to obey the laws of the Church concerning marriage. (1622)

10. Why is it encouraged to wed at a nuptial Mass?
Couples are encouraged to wed at a nuptial Mass, rather than simply at the nuptial ceremony, so that they will seal their mutual self-offering within the celebration of Christ's self-offering for the Church. By receiving Communion they receive the Body and Blood of Christ and truly form "one body" in the Lord. (1621)

The bread we break, is it not a sharing in Christ's body? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body (1 Cor 10:16-17).

11. What is the "sign" of Matrimony?
The sign of Matrimony is the exchange of vows to love and be loyal to one another for a lifetime. (1623, 1662)

12. How is Matrimony given?
The indispensable aspect of Matrimony is the free and lawful exchange of consent. The man and woman give and accept one another for the purpose of establishing a marriage: "I take you to be my husband (wife)." The term "marriage vows" is popularly used to emphasize the solemnity of the covenant. This exchange of vows is sealed by the Holy Spirit's blessing upon the new covenant of love. (1623-1627)

For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall be one flesh. This is a tremendous mystery (Eph 5:31-32).

13. Who acts for Jesus in Matrimony?
In the Latin Church, the man and woman who are receiving Matrimony give the sacrament to each other. The priest or deacon witnesses the sacrament and gives the couple God's blessing. In the Eastern rites, the priest is the minister of the sacrament. (1623, 1626-1630)

14. Who may receive the sacrament of Matrimony?
To receive the sacrament of Matrimony a person must be baptized, freely consent and not already be married. The person must follow the marriage laws of the Church. (1625)

15. How should Catholics prepare for marriage?
Preparation for marriage starts in the home, where children can see Christian marriage lived out through the example of their parents, even when difficulties and problems arise. Later, suitable instruction about marriage, living a good Christian life, prayer and receiving the sacraments can help the young person prepare for marriage. (1632)

16. Why does the Church make laws regulating marriage?
The Church makes laws regarding the marriages of Catholics because she has authority from Christ over all the sacraments and other spiritual matters that affect baptized persons. (1631)

17. May a person receive the sacrament of Matrimony more than once?
After the death of one's spouse, a person is free to receive Matrimony again.

A woman is bound as long as her husband is alive, but if her husband dies she is free to marry whomever she wishes to, as long as he is in the Lord (1 Cor 7:39).

18. How do we know that people are free to marry?
The conference of bishops determines what inquiries should be made to determine that nothing stands in the way of true marriage. The priest will interview the couple about the appropriate laws. (1625)

19. What are impediments to marriage?
Impediments are obstacles which prevent a marriage from lawfully taking place and/or can make it invalid, such as underage, an existing valid marriage, sacred Orders, or close blood relationship. (1625)

20. Can there be dispensations from these impediments?
The Church can grant a dispensation from some of these impediments, but not from all of them.

21. If an invalid marriage was contracted can it be remedied?
Even if the couple was unaware of the impediment their marriage is invalid. In many cases, however, this situation can be remedied. A priest should be consulted and, if necessary, a dispensation obtained from the bishop. Then the marriage can be rectified, or "blessed."

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