Catholic
Teaching
How does the
Church define
marriage?
The matrimonial
covenant, by which a
man and a woman
establish between
themselves a
partnership of the
whole of life, is by its
nature ordered toward
the good of the
spouses and the
procreation and
education of offspring;
this covenant between
baptized persons has
been raised by Christ
the Lord to the
dignity of a
sacrament.
on
Marriage
The Archdiocese
of Saint Paul
and Minneapolis
The Archdiocese of Saint Paul
and Minneapolis
The Metropolitan Tribunal
328 West Kellogg boulevard
Saint Paul, MN 55102-1997
Phone: 651.291.4466
Fax: 651.291.4467
Email: [email protected]
http://www.archspm.org/tribunal
Canon 1055
Marriage at Cana, 1376-78 Fresco: Baptistry, Padua
What is the Catholic Church’s teaching on marriage?
How should Catholics marry?
Catholics are bound to be married in the presence of a
Catholic priest or deacon and two witnesses. Catholics who
marry outside this “canonical form” without the benefit of a
dispensation, do so invalidly.
Can others besides Catholics receive
the sacrament of Christian marriage?
The Catholic Church believes that marriage is an
indissoluble, sacramental bond when contracted by two
baptized persons who are free and capable of consenting to
this union. Marriage is a covenant by which a man and a
woman establish between themselves a partnership of the
whole of life and love directed toward the good of the
spouses and the procreation and education of children.
The Church's teaching also respects a natural bond of
marriage whenever one (or both) of the persons who marries is
Yes. If both spouses are validly baptized and free to marry,
then they confer the sacrament of marriage to one another
through the exchange of consent.
Is a valid Christian marriage
binding in every circumstance?
Yes. The marriage bond has been established by God in such
a way it can never be dissolved. This bond, created in the
free act of the spouses and their consummation of the
marriage, becomes a covenant guaranteed by God’s fidelity.
The Church does not have the power to contravene this
disposition of divine wisdom.
unbaptized. This is rooted in Jesus' teachings in the Gospels,
Can a divorced Catholic receive the sacraments?
the writings of Saint Paul, and centuries of Christian tradition.
The Church holds that a couple’s spiritual bond is sealed by
Yes. There is nothing in itself that prevents a divorced
Catholic from receiving the Eucharist and other sacraments
of the Church. A divorced person is fully and completely a
member of the Church. Divorced persons do not cease to
remain husband and wife before God, and are still called to
honor the marriage vows even while living in a separated
state.
God and does not end, even if the emotional and physical
bond has ended in civil divorce. Moreover, the Catholic
Church shares the belief of other religious bodies and of
society that marriage is not just the private affair of a couple,
but rather it is a public reality, affecting civil and religious
societies and serving as their foundation.
Can a divorced Catholic remarry?
Any divorced person who seeks possible marriage in the
Catholic Church must have each prior marriage examined
by the Tribunal for a determination of its validity, unless
the prior marriage(s) ended in death. Any prior bond must
first be declared null before entering into marriage, whether
it was a Catholic or civil marriage, even if one person is not
Catholic.
May a divorced Catholic remarried
outside of the Church receive communion?
No. A Catholic who remarries without a declaration of
nullity for any prior marriage may not receive Holy
Communion, since its reception is a public statement of
one’s communion with the Church’s faith and law. Catholics
remarried outside of canonical form are not separated from
the Church, and are called to implore God’s grace through
their participation as baptized persons in other ways.
How does the status of
a marriage affect children?
The Church understands that the
status of children is not affected
when they are born of a marriage
that is later determined to be
invalid. Children are a gift from God and entitled to the
love and support of parents as well as the faith community.
Parents may lead a Christian life by educating their children
in the faith.
What should I do if I have a question
regarding the validity of my marriage?
Contact your parish priest, deacon or parish tribunal liaison
who will explain the conditions required for a marriage to
be contracted validly. They can also assist you with
preparing a marriage case for the tribunal and explain the
appropriate Church process involved. You may also contact
the Metropolitan Tribunal for assistance.