I. The Nature of the Sacrament of Matrimony

COMPENDIUM

Matrimony is the Sacrament, instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ, which establishes between a man and a woman an indissoluble union, and gives them grace to love one another holily and to bring up their children as Christians. Matrimony way instituted by God Himself in the Garden of Eden, and in the New Testament it was raised by Jesus Christ to the dignity of a Sacrament. This Sacrament signifies the indissoluble union between Jesus Christ and the Holy Church, His Spouse and our most loving Mother. The marriage bond is said to be indissoluble, i.e., incapable of being untied, except by the death of one of the consorts, because God has thus established it from the beginning, and Jesus Christ our Lord has thus proclaimed it.

In Christian Marriage, it is impossible to separate the contract from the Sacrament, because, for Christians, Marriage is nothing else than the same natural contract raised by Jesus Christ to the rank of a Sacrament. Hence, between Christians there can be no real Marriage which is not a Sacrament.

The Sacrament of Marriage produces the following effects:

1. It gives an increase of sanctifying graces.
2. It confers special grace for the faithful fulfillment of all matrimonial duties.

CATECHISM

830. What is the Sacrament of Matrimony?

Matrimony is the Sacrament, instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ, which creates a holy and indissoluble union between a man and woman, and gives them grace to love one another holily and to bring up their children as Christians.

831. By whom was Matrimony instituted?

Matrimony was instituted by God Himself in the Garden of Paradise, and was raised to the dignity of a Sacrament by Jesus Christ in the New Law.

832. Has the Sacrament of Matrimony any special signification?

The Sacrament of Matrimony signifies the indissoluble union of Jesus Christ with the Church, His Spouse, and our holy Mother.

833. Why do we say that the bond of marriage is indissoluble?

We say that the bond of marriage is indissoluble, or that it cannot be dissolved except by the death of either husband or wife, because God so ordained from the beginning and so Jesus Christ our Lord solemnly proclaimed.

834. Can the contract be separated from the Sacrament in Christian Marriage?

No, in Marriage among Christians, the contract cannot be separated from the Sacrament, because, for Christians, Marriage is nothing else than the natural contract itself, raised by Jesus Christ to the dignity of a Sacrament.

835. Among Christians, then, there can be no true Marriage that is not a Sacrament?

Among Christians, there can be no true Marriage that is not a Sacrament.

836. What effects does the Sacrament of Matrimony produce?

The Sacrament of Matrimony: 1. gives an increase of sanctifying grace; 2. gives a special grace for the faithful discharge of all the duties of the Married state.

II. The Ministers, Rite, and Dispositions of Matrimony

COMPENDIUM

The Ministers in this Sacrament are the contracting parties themselves, who reciprocally confer and receive the Sacrament. This Sacrament, in keeping the nature of a contract, is administered by the contracting parties by means of a declaration in the presence of their parish Priest or his delegate, and of two witnesses, that they are united in Matrimony. The blessing given by the parish Priest to the contracting parties is not necessary to make the Sacrament, but it is given to sanction their union in the name of the Church, and to bring down upon them still more fully the blessings of God.

Whoever enters into a Marriage contract ought to have the intention:

1. Of doing the will of God, who has called him to such a state of life.
2. Of working thereby the salvation of his own soul.
3. Of bringing up his children as Christians, if God permits him to have any.

In order to make use of the Sacrament of Matrimony with profit, the contracting parties should:

1. Recommend themselves with all their hearts to God to know His will, and to obtain from Him those graces which are necessary for such a state of life.
2. Take the advice of their parents before making the promise, as is required by the obedience and respect which are their due.
3. Prepare by means of a good confession, and even a general one, if needed, of their whole life.
4. Avoid all dangerous familiarity of behavior and speech in their mutual intercourse.

Finally, persons joined together in Matrimony ought:

1. To keep unbroken fidelity to one another, and to behave themselves always as Christians in everything.
2. To love one another reciprocally and bear with one another with patience, and live in peace and concord.
3. If they have children, to think seriously how to provide for them as may be needed, giving them a Christian education, and leaving them free to choose the state of life to which God calls them.

CATECHISM

837. Who are the Ministers of this Sacrament?

The Ministers of this Sacrament are the couple themselves, who together confer and receive the Sacrament.

838. How is this Sacrament administered?

This Sacrament, preserving, as it does, the nature of a contract, is administered by the contracting parties themselves, who declare, in the presence of the parish Priest, or another Priest delegated by him, and of two witnesses, that they take each other in Marriage.

839. What use, then, is the blessing which the parish Priest gives to the married couple?

A. The blessing which the parish Priest gives to the married couple is not necessary to constitute the Sacrament, but it is given to sanction their union in the name of the Church and to invoke on them more abundantly the blessing of God.

840. What intention should those have who contract Marriage?

Those who contract Marriage should have the intention: 1. of doing the will of God, who calls them to that state; 2. of working out in that state the salvation of their souls; 3. of bringing up their children as Christians, if God should bless them with any.

841. How should those about to be married prepare themselves to receive this Sacrament with fruit?

In order to receive this Sacrament with fruit, those about to be married should: 1. earnestly recommend themselves to God, so as to know His will and obtain the graces necessary for that state; 2. consult their parents before making any promise, because obedience and the respect due to them demand this; 3. prepare themselves by a good confession, or, if necessary, a general confession of their whole life; 4. avoid all dangerous familiarity in word or act while in each other's company.

842. Which are the principal obligations of married persons?

Married persons should: 1. guard inviolably their conjugal fidelity and behave always and in all things as Christians; 2. love one another, bear patiently with one another, and live in peace and concord; 3. think seriously of providing for their children, if they have any, according to their needs; bring them up as Christians, and leave them free to choose the state of life to which they are called by God.

III. Conditions and Impediments to Matrimony

COMPENDIUM

In order to contract a valid Christian Marriage, it is necessary to be free from every diriment matrimonial impediment, and freely to give one's own consent to the marriage contract before the parish Priest or his delegate and two witnesses. That the contract may be lawful, it is necessary to be free from impedient matrimonial impediments, to be instructed in the principal things of religion, and to be in a state of grace, otherwise a sacrilege would be committed.

Matrimonial impediments are circumstances which make the Marriage either invalid or unlawful. In the first case, they are called diriment impediments; in the second, impedient impediments. Thus, a diriment impediment would be, for instance, consanguinity until the fourth degree, spiritual kinship, a solemn vow of chastity, difference of worship between a baptized and an unbaptized person, and so on. Impedient impediments are, e.g., forbidden seasons, a simple vow of chastity, and the like.

The faithful are bound to make known to Ecclesiastical authority such Matrimonial impediments as are known to them, and, therefore, it is that the publication of banns is made by the parish Priests.

The Church alone has power to set up impediments and to judge of the validity of a Marriage between Christians, as the Church alone has power to dispense from the impediments which she has set up. The Church alone has this power, because in Christian Marriage, since the contract cannot be separated from the Sacrament, even the contract falls under the government of the Church, to whom alone Jesus Christ has entrusted the privilege of making laws and decisions in things sacred. Hence, the bond of Christian Marriage cannot be untied by the civil power, because the latter cannot intervene in the matter of a Sacrament and separate what God has joined together.

Civil Marriage is nothing else than a form prescribed by the law in order to secure certain civil effects to the contracting parties and to their offspring. For a Christian, it is not enough to make a civil contract only, because this is not a Sacrament, and, therefore, it is not real Marriage. Were the contracting parties to live together with nothing but civil Marriage, they would be in a continual state of mortal sin, and their union would remain always illegitimate before God and the Church.

Nevertheless, the civil Marriage should also be performed, because, although this is no Sacrament, it still always helps to guarantee to the contracting parties and to their children the civil effects of conjugal association; and, therefore, as a general rule, Ecclesiastical Authority does not allow religious Marriage unless the prescribed acts of the civil law have fist been conformed with.

CATECHISM

843. What is necessary to contract Christian Marriage validly?

To contract Christian Marriage validly, it is necessary to be free from every diriment impediment to Marriage; and to give consent freely to the Marriage contract in the presence of the parish Priest (or a Priest delegated by him) and of two witnesses.

844. What is necessary to contract Christian Marriage lawfully?

To contract Christian Marriage lawfully, it is necessary to be free from every impeding impediment to Marriage; to be instructed in the principal truths of religion; and, finally, to be in a state of grace; otherwise a sacrilege would be committed.

845. What are impediments to Marriage?

Impediments to Marriage are certain circumstances which render marriage either invalid or unlawful. The former are called diriment impediments and the latter impedient impediments.

846. Give examples of diriment impediments.

Diriment impediments are, for example, relationship to the fourth degree, spiritual relationship, a solemn vow of chastity, or difference in religion, that is, when one party is Baptized and the other is not. [This has been altered by the 1983 code of canon law]

847. Give examples of impedient impediments.

Impedient impediments are, for example, the forbidden times, a simple vow of chastity, and the like.

848. Are the faithful obliged to make known to Ecclesiastical Authority impediments of which they have a knowledge?

The faithful are obliged to make known to Ecclesiastical Authority impediments of which they have knowledge; and for this reason, the names of those who intend to get Married are published in the Church.

849. Who has the power to regulate impediments to Marriage, to dispense from them, and to judge of the validity of Christian Marriage?

The Church alone has power to regulate impediments to Marriage, to judge of the validity of Marriage among Christians, and to dispense from the impediments which she has placed.

850. Why has the Church alone power to place impediments and to judge of the validity of Marriage?

The Church alone has power to place impediments, to judge of the validity of Marriage, and to dispense from the impediments which she has placed, because the contract, being inseparable from the sacrament in a Christian Marriage, also comes under the power of the Church, to which alone Jesus Christ gave the right to make laws and give decisions in sacred things.

851. Can the civil authority dissolve the bonds of Christian Marriage by divorce?

No, the bond of Christian Marriage cannot be dissolved by the civil authority, because the civil authority cannot interfere with the matter of the sacrament nor can it put asunder what God has joined together.

852. What is a civil Marriage?

It is nothing but a mere formality prescribed by the civil law to give and insure the civil effects of the Marriage to the spouses and their children.

853. Is it sufficient for a Christian to get only the civil Marriage or contract?

For a Christian, it is not sufficient to get only the civil contract, because it is not a Sacrament, and therefore not a true Marriage.

854. In what condition would the spouses be who would live together united only by a civil Marriage?

Spouses who would live together united by only a civil Marriage would be in an habitual state of mortal sin, and their union would always be illegitimate in the sight of God and of the Church.

855. Should we also get the civil Marriage?

We should perform the civil Marriage, because, though it is not a Sacrament, it provides the spouses and their children with the civil effects of conjugal society; for this reason, the Ecclesiastical Authority, as a general rule, allows the religious Marriage only after the formalities prescribed by the civil authorities have been accomplished.