THE PERMANENCY OF MARRIAGE pp

The Permanency of Marriage in the Catholic Church – Indissolubility  A valid and sacramental marriage is permanent and indissoluble (only dissolved by death)  “What God has joined together, let no one separate.”  “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery.”

The Permanency of Marriage in the Catholic Church - Annulments  When a couple does not fulfill the conditions of marriage a sacramental marriage never took place.  Annulments don’t dissolve a marriage but rather provide a recourse through the diocese to have the sacramental marriage declared invalid by a bishop or a marriage tribunal.  As part of the process, the couple would need to seek a divorce to dissolve their civil marriage.

The Permanency of Marriage in the Catholic Church – Separation and Divorce  If a couple decides to separate, they are not prohibited from receiving the sacrament of the Eucharist.  The Sacramental marriage is still considered to be valid though, so they are not able to re-marry unless they obtain an annulment.

The Permanency of Marriage in the Catholic Church – Divorce and Remarriage  Catholics who have received a civil divorce but have not received an annulment from the diocese may not marry again.  If they were to remarry in front of a judge or another religious leader, the new marriage would be considered invalid by our church, as the previous marriage is still valid.  They can still participate in church activities but may not receive Holy Communion.

Marriage as a Sacrament  Since the Council of Trent in 1563, the Church considered marriage a sacramental act (source of sanctifying grace and a sign of salvation through Christ)  For Catholics, marriage is about 2 people entering a sacred history that began at baptism. The married couple becomes a community of faith and love.

 Love is a gift from one person to another and maturity arises from this offering of unselfish love.  The couple becomes what is asked of each of them and they help each other to be all that they can be in the eyes of God.  Marriage is also an experience of faith that continually calls for trust and commitment.

The Sacramental Sign of Marriage 1) Married life is a journey of communion and love that leads to union with God and eternal life. 2) The bond itself is a covenant much like the covenant between God and Israel or Christ and the Church. 3) The family that arises is an even stronger sign of God. Husband and wife are transformed by their relationship with their child who completes their union.

Conditions for a truly human and sacramental love Freedom – partners must choose each other freely and choose to answer God’s call to the sacrament freely. Fidelity – partners must help each other to remain faithful in their love. Permanence – marriage is for life. It is not based on emotions as emotions change. It is not based on will or a test of willpower. It is based on faith and promise. Fruitfulness- the desire for and acceptance of children.

Marriage and the mystery of Christ  Marriage is an efficacious sign of the sacrament of Christ and the Church.  The marriage of 2 baptized people takes place during Eucharistic celebration – marriage is joined to Christ’ death and resurrection.  The couple are the ministers of grace in this sacrament. They confer the sacrament on one another.

 The priest or bishop is a witness to the mutual consent between the couple and represent the community of the Church.  To complete consent, in the Eastern Church, a blessing is given which makes the marriage valid.  In the Latin Church a prayer invoking the Holy Spirit is said and the marriage is completed with the consummation of the marriage.