Matrimony

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

Matrimony

1. What is an annulment?
2. Does a decree of nullity make the children illegitimate?
3. What is a mixed marriage?
4. What is a marriage with disparity of cult?
5. Does the Church permit these marriages?
6. Why does the Church encourage Catholics to marry other Catholics?
7. What are the effects of the sacrament of Matrimony?
8. What are the requirements of conjugal love?
9. Why is the marriage bond unbreakable?
10. Does the Church ever permit a separation?
11. What are some reasons the Church permits separation?
12. What is divorce?
13. Is divorce ever permitted?
14. What are some needs of divorced Catholics who have not remarried?
15. What are some needs of Catholics living in an invalid marriage?
16. May Catholics remarried after divorce receive the sacraments?
17. How are adultery and polygamy sins against marriage?
18. How are children a blessing to a married couple?
19. Is marriage rendered invalid by childlessness?
20. Are Catholic couples obliged to have as many children as possible?
21. Is there an acceptable method of birth control?
22. Why is the family called the domestic church?

1. What is an annulment?
A decree of nullity or annulment is a decision by Church authorities that an apparently valid marriage can be declared null because of a fatal flaw. These flaws, unknown to one or both parties, or concealed by one or the other, make the marriage no marriage from the start. Church "tribunals" study each case and, where proper, declare the annulment. (1629)

2. Does a decree of nullity make the children illegitimate?
No, the children who were conceived or born before the marriage was found to be null are legitimate children of a putative marriage-that is, of a marriage that was thought to exist.

3. What is a mixed marriage?
A mixed marriage is the marriage of a Catholic to a baptized non-Catholic. (1633)

4. What is a marriage with disparity of cult?
A marriage with disparity of cult is the marriage of a Catholic and a non-baptized person. (1633)

5. Does the Church permit these marriages?
Yes, but mixed marriages require ecclesiastical permission, and marriages with disparity of cult require a dispensation. Catholics who enter such marriages must take great care to strengthen their faith, give good example and raise their children as Catholics. (1635)

6. Why does the Church encourage Catholics to marry other Catholics?
The union of husband and wife in Matrimony is a sign of Christ's union with the Church. Married partners are called to a union of mind and communion of life, and this union is fostered by unity of faith. Although the lives of many couples show a wonderful unity despite religious differences, these differences can cause difficulties at times. (1634-1637)

7. What are the effects of the sacrament of Matrimony?
It creates a permanent, irrevocable bond and confers on the couple the special grace of this sacrament. This grace, which comes from Christ, strengthens spouses to love each other and be faithful for life, to grow in holiness, and to welcome and educate their children. (1638-1641)

8. What are the requirements of conjugal love?
Because conjugal love involves such a deep union, it calls for the lifelong fidelity of the spouses to each other in an unbreakable union, and an openness to the gift of children. (1643)

9. Why is the marriage bond unbreakable?
Because marriage is a covenant, it calls for a total commitment, not a temporary one. We know that God wills the marriage bond to be unbreakable because Jesus confirmed it in a discussion on divorce. The "unbreakableness" of marriage, called indissolubility, is for the good of the couple, their children and of society. (1614-1616, 1640, 1643-1646)

Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female? And he said, "For this reason a man shall leave father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two shall become one flesh." So, then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let man not separate (Mt 19:4-6).

10. Does the Church ever permit a separation?
For a good reason, the Church allows the partners of a valid marriage a separation, but without the right to marry again. (1649)

11. What are some reasons the Church permits separation?
Some reasons are adultery of one of the spouses, criminal or abusive conduct, violence or danger to the spouse or children, or other serious reasons. Because the couple remain husband and wife despite the separation and are not free to remarry, it would be good to work out a reconciliation if that is possible and wise. However, no one is required to stay in an abusive situation. (1649)

Those who are married, I command you-not I, but the Lord-a wife shall not separate from her husband, but if she does separate, she must either remain unmarried or be reconciled with her husband, nor should a husband leave his wife (1 Cor 7:10-11).

12. What is divorce?
Divorce is an attempt to dissolve through civil law a marriage bond that can never be broken, except by death. (1650)

They said, "Moses permitted a husband to write a bill of divorce and put his wife away." Jesus said to them, "He wrote that commandment for you because of the hardness of your heart. But from the beginning of creation he made them male and female; for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be united with his wife and the two shall become one flesh. So, then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let man not separate" (Mk 10:4-9).

13. Is divorce ever permitted?
Divorce with remarriage is never permitted by the Church. The Church might permit a couple to obtain a civil divorce for legal reasons, but in God's eyes the couple is only separated. Neither may marry again while his or her spouse is still living. (1664)

Anyone who puts his wife away and marries another commits adultery, and whoever marries a woman put away by her husband commits adultery (Lk 16:18).

14. What are some needs of divorced Catholics who have not remarried?
Divorced Catholics who have not remarried need appropriate and compassionate pastoral care, encouragement to keep close to the sacraments, especially Holy Communion, and encouragement to not enter an invalid marriage, which would deprive them from receiving the life-giving and life-sustaining sacraments. (1649)

15. What are some needs of Catholics living in an invalid marriage?
Catholics living in an invalid marriage have particular pastoral needs. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "...priests and the whole community must manifest an attentive solicitude, so that they do not consider themselves separated from the Church, in whose life they can and must participate as baptized persons." (1651)

16. May Catholics remarried after divorce receive the sacraments?
Catholics who have remarried after a divorce (without having obtained an annulment) may not receive the Eucharist nor the sacrament of Penance unless they are "committed to living in complete continence." (1650, 1665)

17. How are adultery and polygamy sins against marriage?
Adultery, which is sexual intercourse between a married person and someone who is not his or her spouse, and polygamy, which is taking more than one spouse, are both sins against the undivided and exclusive nature of conjugal love. (1645)

18. How are children a blessing to a married couple?
Children are a living reflection of a couple's love, a permanent sign of their unity and a living synthesis of their fatherhood and motherhood. (1652)

19. Is marriage rendered invalid by childlessness?
A valid marriage is not rendered invalid by unforeseen circumstances. If a couple married with the intention of accepting the children God would send them, childlessness does not render the marriage invalid. Their fruitfulness can be expressed in other ways, perhaps by providing a loving home for an adopted child, or by offering hospitality to others, or by works of charity, sacrifice and service. (1654)

20. Are Catholic couples obliged to have as many children as possible?
No, Catholic couples are obliged only to act in a truly responsible manner in bringing children into the world and raising them well. This responsibility includes recognizing the procreation of children as one of the fundamental purposes of marriage and avoiding abortion and artificial birth control, as well as genetic manipulation, as contrary to God's law.

21. Is there an acceptable method of birth control?
The Church recognizes natural methods for the regulation of births because these do not directly block God's creative action (as opposed to artificial birth control or contraception). Just reasons may exist for the couple to practice responsible parenthood by spacing the births of their children. The Church recommends that the couple obtain information about natural methods from Catholic natural family planning groups. (2366-2368)

22. Why is the family called the domestic church?
The Christian family is the "domestic church," a unique and irreplaceable community of persons that is like the Church in miniature. All the members are called to holiness in fulfilling their duties and in their relationship as a family. They are meant to be a leaven in society, a sign of God's presence in the world. The family is the first school of faith, virtue and prayer. This does not mean that family life will be without difficulties, but that Jesus will always be present to help families face any problems that may arise. (1655-1658)

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