1. society
2. social institution
3. marriage

Chapter 16: Matrimony
INTRODUCTION TO CATHOLICISM
1. The Sacrament of Matrimony
(pp. 362-366)
ANTICIPATORY SET
Incorporate Pope Benedict XVI’s reflections on the model of the
Holy Family into the Opening Prayer.
1. The Sacrament of Matrimony
(pp. 362-366)
BASIC QUESTIONS
 What is the Sacrament of Matrimony?
 How does the Sacrament of Matrimony relate to natural marriage?
KEY IDEAS
 Matrimony, a Sacrament at the Service of Communion, is a vocation to
a state of life that joins a baptized man and woman in a lifelong
covenant of love for the good of the spouses and the procreation and
education of children.
 Instituting the Sacrament of Matrimony, Christ restored natural
marriage to its original intention at creation and endowed it with graces
that make it possible to live its true meaning.
1. The Sacrament of Matrimony
(pp. 362-366)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
According to Pope Benedict XVI (p. 362), what is the vocation of
the family?
The vocation of the family is to accompany each other on the path of the
discovery of God and of the plan that he has prepared for each of its
members.
How did the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph help Christ along
the path that God the Father had prepared for him?
By their example, they showed him the beauty of faith, the love of God
and his Law, the demands of justice, and how to do God’s will.
1. The Sacrament of Matrimony
(pp. 362-366)
FOCUS QUESTION
How can the members of every family help each other along the
path God has chosen for each person?
Ways include many of the elements above, e.g., introducing children to the
beauty of the Faith and love of God, making the family a place of prayer,
showing by example how to love one another and how to be just, helping
each member to discover their in life, etc.
1. The Sacrament of Matrimony
(pp. 362-366)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Discuss the definition of the Sacrament of Matrimony:
 What does it mean to say Matrimony is a vocation?
1. The Sacrament of Matrimony
(pp. 362-366)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Why is Matrimony a state in life?
Matrimony is a permanent way of living.
Who can receive this Sacrament?
Ordinarily only baptized persons can receive Matrimony, although there
are exceptions.
1. The Sacrament of Matrimony
(pp. 362-366)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
How long does Christian marriage last?
The Sacrament of Matrimony lasts as long as both spouses are alive.
What kind of agreement is a sacramental marriage?
A sacramental marriage is a covenant, that is, a solemn agreement
between the spouses and God. It is a covenant of love: that is, love is its
essential dimension. Extension: Covenants in the Old Testament invoked
blessings for faithfulness and curses for unfaithfulness.
1. The Sacrament of Matrimony
(pp. 362-366)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What are the two purposes of this Sacrament?
The two purposes of Matrimony are (1) the good of the spouses, and
(2) the procreation and education of children.
Why is Matrimony a Sacrament at the Service of Communion?
It brings a husband and a wife together in mutual aid and in service to
their children. It also serves the Church by giving her new members.
1. The Sacrament of Matrimony
(pp. 362-366)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Why is the married state in life called a vocation?
It is a call from God to each of the spouses to enter into a way of living that
joins them together in a lifelong covenant of love for their mutual good and the
procreation and education of children.
How old is marriage?
Marriage dates back to the creation of human beings. God created man and
woman in the state of marriage.
How is marriage an image of God?
Marriage is the communion of man and woman. This relationship of man and
woman is an image of God, who is a communion of three divine Persons in the
Blessed Trinity.
1. The Sacrament of Matrimony
(pp. 362-366)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
How did Adam and Eve’s mutual relationship change after the Fall?
In consequence of the Fall, Adam and Eve’s union of love was marred by
mutual blame. Their natural attraction often degenerated into domination
and lust. Their vocation to be fruitful, multiply, and subdue the earth was
saddled by pain in childbirth and toil in work.
How did even the Law of Moses tolerate evils in marriage?
The Mosaic Law tolerated polygamy and divorce and required that a
widow marry her husband’s brother if he died without an heir.
1. The Sacrament of Matrimony
(pp. 362-366)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What was the positive dimension of the Mosaic Law toward marriage
(cf. CCC 1610)?
The Mosaic Law protected the wife from arbitrary domination by her husband.
Why did Moses permit men to divorce their wives according to Christ?
Moses allowed men to divorce their wives because of their “hardness of heart.”
What positive vision of marriage did the prophets introduce?
The prophets described marriage between a man and a woman as a reflection of
God’s covenant relationship with his people, Israel, an image of exclusive and
faithful married love.
1. The Sacrament of Matrimony
(pp. 362-366)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
When did Christ perform his first miracle?
Christ performed his first miracle at the Wedding at Cana, where he
changed water into wine.
What significance does the Church see in this wedding feast
miracle?
The Church views this miracle as “the confirmation of the goodness of
marriage and the proclamation that thenceforth marriage will be an
efficacious sign of Christ’s presence” (CCC 1613).
1. The Sacrament of Matrimony
(pp. 362-366)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Work with a partner to explain how Christ’s words in Mark 10:6-9 affirm
that he (1) taught the divine origin of marriage, (2) gave it an elevated
meaning, and (3) emphasized its nature as a lifelong covenant and
vocation.
1. The Sacrament of Matrimony
(pp. 362-366)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Why did Christ elevate Matrimony to a Sacrament?
Christ elevated Matrimony to a Sacrament to make special graces available
to married couples so that they can live as he wants them to live.
What does it mean to say that Christ “elevated” Matrimony?
Christ took something that already existed (natural marriage), restored it to
its original meaning from before the Fall, and provided the graces necessary
for that sacramental meaning to be lived out by the spouses. This original
meaning was expressed in the words of Genesis, “The two will become one
flesh,” ruling out polygamy, divorce, domination, selfishness, and the like.
1. The Sacrament of Matrimony
(pp. 362-366)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Why do spouses need the sacramental graces of the Sacrament of
Marriage?
Spouses need to overcome Original Sin and their own actual sins, which
can destroy their union.
What effects can rejection of God have on a marriage?
Rejection of God can make a marriage degenerate into discord and
jealousy because the spouses can more easily be focused on self-interest
instead of self-sacrifice.
1. The Sacrament of Matrimony
(pp. 362-366)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is the ultimate aim of the Sacrament of Matrimony?
The ultimate aim of Matrimony is the salvation of the spouses and their
children.
What did St. Paul affirm about marriage?
St. Paul affirmed that marriage between Christians is a reflection of
Christ’s relationship with his Church. Out of love, Christ sacrificed
himself for his Bride, the Church, and a husband must love his wife in the
same way.
1. The Sacrament of Matrimony
(pp. 362-366)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Work with a partner to write and answer three Focus Questions about the
most important aspects of the domestic church.
1. The Sacrament of Matrimony
(pp. 362-366)
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT




Study Questions 1-4 (p. 379)
Practical Exercises 1-2 (p. 379)
Workbook Questions 1-9
Read “Celebrating Matrimony” through the sidebar “Can a Catholic
marry a non-Catholic?” (pp. 367-370)
1. The Sacrament of Matrimony
(pp. 362-366)
CLOSURE
Write a paragraph summarizing the nature of Christian Matrimony.
1. The Sacrament of Matrimony
(pp. 362-366)
ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT
Work with a partner to answer the following question:
 Based on what you have learned so far about Matrimony, why might
the Church object to sex outside of marriage?
2. Celebrating Matrimony
(pp. 367-370)
ANTICIPATORY SET
Incorporate a reading often heard at nuptial Masses, 1 Corinthians 13:113, into the Opening Prayer.
Discuss the following question:
 Because these words are often heard at nuptial Masses, they are
sometimes considered romantic and, therefore, easy to live out. How, in
fact, are they actually very demanding, requiring self-control, selfsacrifice, generosity, and maturity?
2. Celebrating Matrimony
(pp. 367-370)
BASIC QUESTIONS
 What is necessary for the valid reception of the Sacrament of
Matrimony?
 What are the matter, form, and ministers of Matrimony?
KEY IDEAS
 For the valid reception of the Sacrament of Matrimony, each spouse
must be of legal age, be free to marry, freely consent, and intend to
undertake what the Church understands are the responsibilities of
marriage.
 A marriage must be properly witnessed.
 The matter, form, and ministers of the Sacrament are the couple
themselves and their freely given vows.
2. Celebrating Matrimony
(pp. 367-370)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Perform a focused reading of the paragraph “Proper preparation for
marriage…” (p. 367) using the following question:
 How should preparation for marriage include instruction, example, and
Sacrament?
2. Celebrating Matrimony
(pp. 367-370)
FOCUS QUESTION
What are the requirements to receive the Sacrament of Matrimony
validly?
Each spouse must be of legal age of consent; not be married to someone
else under civil law; not be in a valid sacramental marriage; freely consent
to marry; intend to marry for life, to be faithful to one another, and to be
open to the procreation of children; and give his or her consent before
two witnesses and a bishop, priest, or deacon.
2. Celebrating Matrimony
(pp. 367-370)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is a mixed marriage?
A mixed marriage is a marriage between a Catholic and a baptized Christian
not in union with the Catholic Church.
What is a marriage of disparity of cult?
A marriage of disparity of cult is a marriage between a Catholic and a nonChristian.
2. Celebrating Matrimony
(pp. 367-370)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
May a Catholic marry a baptized non-Catholic or even a non-Christian?
Yes; both situations, however, bring certain difficulties that demand prudence and
caution.
Whose permission should a Catholic obtain to marry a non-Catholic?
A Catholic should obtain a dispensation from his or her bishop to marry a nonCatholic.
What is the danger the Catholic spouse faces in marrying a non-Catholic?
The two spouses are separated in key areas of belief and practice, which could
result in disunity and difficulties in rearing their children.
2. Celebrating Matrimony
(pp. 367-370)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
How can marriage to a non-Catholic be of benefit to the non-Catholic
spouse?
The Catholic spouse consecrates his or her spouse, and this consecration can lead
the non-Catholic spouse to convert to the Catholic Faith.
With what is a bishop concerned when a Catholic wants to marry a nonCatholic?
The bishop is concerned that both parties know and do not exclude from their
marriage the essential ends and properties of marriage. He also wants to ensure
that the Catholic party confirms the obligations of preserving his or her own
faith and of baptizing and educating the children in the Catholic Church and that
the non-Catholic party is aware of this commitment.
2. Celebrating Matrimony (pp. 367370)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is a dispensation from canonical form?
It is permission from a bishop to celebrate Matrimony in a place other
than a Catholic church.
How can a Catholic spouse contribute to the conversion of a nonCatholic spouse?
He or she can do so through sincere married love, humble and patient
practice of virtues, and perseverance in prayer.
2. Celebrating Matrimony
(pp. 367-370)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What is the matter of the Sacrament of Matrimony?
The matter of the Sacrament of Matrimony is the couple itself.
What is the form of Matrimony in the Latin Rite of the Catholic
Church?
The form of Matrimony is the vows that the people exchange.
What act seals or consummates the Sacrament of Matrimony?
The marriage act (conjugal act) seals the Sacrament of Matrimony.
2. Celebrating Matrimony
(pp. 367-370)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Think/Pair/Share using the following question:
 How might disparity of cult lead to religious indifference?
2. Celebrating Matrimony
(pp. 367-370)
FOCUS QUESTION
What is necessary for the form of Matrimony to be valid?
To form a valid matrimonial bond, both the man and woman must
consent to a permanent, indissoluble union and to openness to having
children. If either person rejects either one of these elements, then there
is no sacramental marriage.
2. Celebrating Matrimony
(pp. 367-370)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Who are the ministers of Matrimony in the Western Catholic
Church?
The ministers are the people marrying each other.
What is the role of the bishop, priest, or deacon who presides at a
Catholic marriage in the Western Catholic Church?
He acts as the official witness of the Church.
2. Celebrating Matrimony
(pp. 367-370)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Why is it fitting to have the Sacrament of Matrimony occur within the
context of the Mass?
Christian marriage empowers spouses to attain the love that Christ has for his
Church, and it is in the Sacrifice of the Mass that Christ’s love for his Church is
most manifest.
How is the idea of the minister and form of the Sacrament of Matrimony
different in many of the Eastern Catholic Churches?
The bishop or priest is considered the minister of the Sacrament of Matrimony,
and the blessing of the marriage is regarded as the form of the Sacrament.
Extension: In the Byzantine Rite, the couple does not exchange vows, so the
vows themselves cannot be the form of Matrimony.
2. Celebrating Matrimony
(pp. 367-370)
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT




Study Questions 5-11 (p. 379)
Practical Exercise 3 (p. 379)
Workbook Questions 10-14
Read “Effects of Matrimony” through “Conclusion” (pp. 371-374)
2. Celebrating Matrimony
(pp. 367-370)
CLOSURE
Write a paragraph summarizing the matter, form, and ministers of the
Sacrament of Matrimony.
2. Celebrating Matrimony
(pp. 367-370)
ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT
Work with a partner to create a bullet-point summary of the
“Exhortation Before Marriage” (p. 376).
3. The Effects of the Sacrament of Marriage
and Problems in Marriage (pp. 371-374)
ANTICIPATORY SET
Work with a partner to search the Internet to learn about effects of
divorce on children.
Then discuss the following question:
 What about human nature makes divorce so hard on children?
3. The Effects of the Sacrament of Marriage
and Problems in Marriage (pp. 371-374)
BASIC QUESTIONS
 What are the qualities of a valid, sacramental marriage?
 Can a Catholic divorce?
 What is an annulment?
 What are the effects of the Sacrament of Matrimony?
KEY IDEAS
 The Sacrament of Matrimony unites the spouses in a permanent, faithful, and
indissoluble union, which is open to procreation and lasts as long as both spouses live.
 Validly married spouses can separate or even obtain a civil divorce, but they are not free
to remarry.
 An annulment is a judgment by the Church that a valid sacramental marriage never
existed due to some condition that rendered the union invalid.
 The Sacrament of Matrimony endows the spouses with special graces to enable them to
love each other with the same self-sacrificing love with which Christ loves his Bride the
Church, to live the unity and indissolubility of their marriage, and to uphold the unitive
and procreative purposes of the marriage act.
3. The Effects of the Sacrament of Marriage
and Problems in Marriage (pp. 371-374)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What are the model and means by which Christian spouses perfect
and sanctify their love?
The model of Christian love is the union of Christ and his Church, and
the means by which spouses sanctify their love are the graces with which
God endows the Sacrament of Matrimony.
What are the two essential properties of Matrimony?
They are unity and indissolubility.
3. The Effects of the Sacrament of Marriage
and Problems in Marriage (pp. 371-374)
FOCUS QUESTION
What are the two purposes or aims of the marital act?
They are the unitive and procreative.
Extension: The unitive is the expression of the love between the
spouses, and the procreative is openness to bringing a new child into the
world. Both the Church and natural law indicate that it is immoral to
separate these two purposes. That is, spouses must not commit an act,
which either renders the marital act infertile (e.g., contraception) or
attempts to procreate without the marital act (e.g., in vitro fertilization).
3. The Effects of the Sacrament of Marriage
and Problems in Marriage (pp. 371-374)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Can a valid and consummated marriage ever be dissolved?
No.
Why can the Church not grant divorce?
The Church does not have the power to abolish the covenant that God
establishes between husband and wife.
3. The Effects of the Sacrament of Marriage
and Problems in Marriage (pp. 371-374)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Work with a partner to articulate the effects of the Sacrament of
Matrimony.
3. The Effects of the Sacrament of Marriage
and Problems in Marriage (pp. 371-374)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Free write for three minutes about the paragraph “Matrimony gives
couples . . .” (p. 371) in response to the following question:
 Is it possible for a married couple to make a “total gift of self ” to each
other?
3. The Effects of the Sacrament of Marriage
and Problems in Marriage (pp. 371-374)
FOCUS QUESTION
What is a declaration of nullity, or annulment?
It is a judgment by the Church, upon careful examination, that a
sacramental marriage never took place. For example, if a couple married
in the Church and one of the partners secretly intended never to have
children, then a valid marriage would never have occurred.
3. The Effects of the Sacrament of Marriage
and Problems in Marriage (pp. 371-374)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Can a person who has had a civil divorce receive Holy Communion?
Yes, a divorced person can receive the Eucharist on the condition that he
or she has not remarried without having received a declaration of nullity.
Why can a person who has been validly married, obtained a civil
divorce, and entered a second marriage outside the Church not
receive the Eucharist?
He or she is living in a state of adultery, a mortal sin. Receiving the
Eucharist in a state of mortal sin is in itself the mortal sin of sacrilege.
3. The Effects of the Sacrament of Marriage
and Problems in Marriage (pp. 371-374)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Do parents have an obligation to raise their children in the Faith
regardless of their legal marital status?
Yes.
What is the Church’s attitude toward divorced and remarried
persons?
The Church offers them her love, prayers, and support in their difficult
situation and encourages them to seek full communion with the Church.
3. The Effects of the Sacrament of Marriage
and Problems in Marriage (pp. 371-374)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Is marriage a human invention?
No; marriage is written in the very nature of man and woman as they
come from the hand of the Creator.
Is marriage a purely private affair between two persons?
No; marriage is critical for the good of the individual, the family, the
Church, and society in general. For this reason, the original and traditional
status of marriage should be upheld and defended by all.
3. The Effects of the Sacrament of Marriage
and Problems in Marriage (pp. 371-374)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
What spiritual qualities do conjugal relations demand, according
the Church?
Conjugal relations must possess the spiritual qualities of permanence,
fidelity, and openness to procreation.
According to the Catechism, no. 1643, what elements of the human
person does conjugal love involve?
It involves the total human person and unites spouses physically,
emotionally, and spiritually.
3. The Effects of the Sacrament of Marriage
and Problems in Marriage (pp. 371-374)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Is an annulment a “Catholic divorce”?
No; it is a statement that the Church, after a thorough investigation of the
facts, has determined that a valid marriage did not exist in the first place
and, therefore, the couple’s union was never a sacramental marriage.
Can an individual who has received an annulment enter into a valid
sacramental marriage?
Yes; he or she has never been married.
3. The Effects of the Sacrament of Marriage
and Problems in Marriage (pp. 371-374)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
How can a person obtain an annulment?
He or she can prove some kind of impediment to a sacramental marriage
existed at the time the Sacrament of Matrimony was administered.
How can spouses overcome the difficulties of married life?
They can do so through prayer, recourse to the Sacraments, a willingness to
discuss areas of conflict patiently, and outside counseling as necessary.
Under what circumstances might separation be appropriate?
Separation may be appropriate in situations involving domestic abuse or
addiction to alcohol or other drugs.
3. The Effects of the Sacrament of Marriage
and Problems in Marriage (pp. 371-374)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
May the separated spouses “date” or seek a divorce in order to enter
a second marriage?
No.
What are some impediments to a valid, sacramental marriage?
Impediments include consent based on fear or coercion; serious
immaturity; psychological incapacity; and the absence of a proper
intention to have children, to be faithful, or to remain together until
death.
3. The Effects of the Sacrament of Marriage
and Problems in Marriage (pp. 371-374)
FOCUS QUESTIONS
Do grounds for an annulment always show themselves early in the
marriage?
No; sometimes these issues do not present themselves to the couple until
they have been married for some years and even begun to raise children.
Are children in a nullified marriage illegitimate?
No.
3. The Effects of the Sacrament of Marriage
and Problems in Marriage (pp. 371-374)
GUIDED EXERCISE
Work with a partner to complete the following table concerning the sins against
marriage.
3. The Effects of the Sacrament of Marriage
and Problems in Marriage (pp. 371-374)
3. The Effects of the Sacrament of Marriage
and Problems in Marriage (pp. 371-374)
HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT
 Study Questions 12-15 (p. 379)
 Practical Exercises 4-5 (p. 379)
 Workbook Questions 15-26
3. The Effects of the Sacrament of Marriage
and Problems in Marriage (pp. 371-374)
CLOSURE
Write a paragraph about the qualities of a valid marriage and the effects
of a sacramental marriage on the spouses.
3. The Effects of the Sacrament of Marriage
and Problems in Marriage (pp. 371-374)
ALTERNATIVE ASSESSMENT
Work with a partner to answer the following question:
 Based on what you have learned about the nature of marriage, why do
you think the Church cannot confer the Sacrament of Matrimony on
two people of the same sex?
THE END