The Sacrament of Matrimony Chapter 4 The Sacrament of Matrimony

http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/books/excerpts.php?id=13881 "Do not be too quick to assume your enemy is a savage just because he is your enemy. Perhaps he is your enemy because he thinks you are savage. Or perhaps he is afraid of you because he feels that you are afraid of him. And perhaps if he believed you were capable of loving him he would no longer be your enemy. "Do not be too quick to assume that your enemy is an enemy of God just because he is your enemy. Perhaps he is your enemy precisely because he can find nothing in you that gives glory to God. Perhaps he fears you because he can find nothing in you of God's love and God's kindness and God's patience and mercy and understanding of the weaknesses of men. "Do not be too quick to condemn the man who no longer believes in God, for it is perhaps your own coldness and avarice, your mediocrity and materialism, your sensuality and selfishness that have killed his faith."

How much do you know about Marriage? Red=correct answer Marriage was never considered an institution established by God—that is, something natural and good on its own—until the second or third century AD. T/F From the earliest days, the Church discouraged using the customs of local cultures—for example, exchange of rings, processions, bridal veils, dowries—in the celebration of Christian Marriage. T/F In the 5th century, St. John Chrysostom taught that marriage is not an obstacle to salvation, that God established marriage for the procreation of children; and that marriage is a means of salvation for the couple. T/F According to St. Ambrose, marriage is good because God creates it and that it offers three good things: 1. the procreation of children; 2. the chastity of the couple and their mutual fidelity; and 3. an indissoluble union. T/F By the Middle Ages, the Christian wedding ceremony had become quite formal, requiring an exchange of vows, the presence of a priest and witnesses, and being performed in a church. T/F By the 12th century, the Church formally recognized Marriage as a sacrament that endures until the death of a spouse. T/F The Second Vatican Council declared that the essential element of the Sacrament is the exchange of rings. T/F In Christian marriage, a man and woman accept each other in permanent and exclusive union that is open to procreation. T/F

Tracing the History of Marriage (pgs. 108-109) 2nd Century: Ignatius of Antioch said “ It is right for men and women who marry to be united with the consent of the Bishop, that the marriage be according to the Lord and not according to lust.”

Tracing the History of Marriage (pgs. 108-109) 4th Century: St. John Chrysostom taught that marriage is not an obstacle to salvation that God established marriage for the procreation of children that marriage is a means of salvation for the couple

Tracing the History of Marriage (pgs. 108-109) 7th Century: Church became more involved and a member of the ordained ministry would give a nuptial blessing. Middle Ages: more formalized and required an exchange of vows in front of priest and witnesses. 12th Century: Marriage was one of the seven sacraments for sure. Councils taught that divorce and remarriage were prohibited. Vatican II: emphasized mutual consent as THE ESSSENTIAL element of the sacrament.

Looking for Love? Looking for love? Do you think you need to find your soul mate to have a good marriage? If that’s what you think, sorry, but you're wrong. You’re never going to find your soul mate. Every you meet already has soul mates: a mom, dad, a life-long friend. When you are married, after years of loving, bearing and raising children, and meeting challenges, you’ll have created your soul mate.

Preparing for Marriage (pgs. 110-12) What is arranged marriage? Semi-arranged marriage? Traditional dating? Advantages and disadvantages? What to look for? How does my partner treat me? How does my partner treat others? Is this person someone I will be proud to marry in front of my family and friends? Is this person someone with whom I want to have and raise children?

Proposing and Requirements for a Catholic Wedding (pgs. 113-17) The purpose of engagement? Two reasons: Fiancée? Basic requirements for celebrating the sacrament of Matrimony are: The couple must be : 1. 2. 3. 4.

Proposing and Requirements for a Catholic Wedding (pgs. 113-17) What are impediments to Marriage in the Church? A man under age sixteen and a women under fourteen years cannot validly enter marriage (c. 1083). If either the man or woman is physically incapable of sexual intercourse, the marriage is not valid. If there is doubt about this impediment, the marriage should not be impeded or declared null as long as the doubt exists (c.1084). A person who is legally married to another may not be married until the invalidity of the prior marriage has been legitimately and certainly established (c. 1085). A priest may not be validly married; neither may a publicly professed religious who has taken lifetime vows of chastity (c. 1087, 1088).

Proposing and Requirements for a Catholic Wedding (pgs. 113-17) What are the necessary conditions for Marriage between a Catholic and Non-Catholic partner? The Catholic partner must declare that he or she is prepared to remove dangers from falling away from the faith and promise to do all in his or her power to have the children baptized and raised in the Catholic Church. The non-Catholic partner is informed of the promises made by the Catholic party. Both the Catholic and non-Catholic are instructed in the essential requirements and Church teachings on the sacrament of Matrimony and family life.

Parish Preparations (pgs. 117-23) Three Requirements for a Catholic Marriage (i.e. marriage prep.)? Visit a priest Take and discuss a pre-marriage inventory Participate in a diocesan sponsored marriage class or retreat What are marriage banns? Three consecutive announcements in Church of the names of persons contemplating marriage. Their object is to discover any impediments to a proposed marriage and to make the fact of the marriage’s imminent celebration known to all interested (no longer required by Church Law).