Wednesday

What are the four essential components of conjugal life in the sacrament of Matrimony?

By Paul Dion, STL

We are going to change the pace here a little bit. We are going to ask a question that comes straight out of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. The reason why this is an important question because one of our charter parishes in Southern California was the site of a grand celebration of marriage validations on Saturday, December 29, 2007.

There were fifteen couples who prepared for their church wedding for several months. They attended catechism sessions, sacramental preparation sessions and participated in a one day retreat along the way. This process has cost them a lot of sacrifice. It is our desire to present this event to you all because it is important to the church that the sacrament of Matrimony be prized as an important road to heaven.

It is our desire to present this event to you all because it is important to the church that the sacrament of Matrimony be prized as an important road to heaven. Most of you are aware that the sacrament of Matrimony is intended to be a life-long covenant between two people.

What we are asking today is this:

What are the four essential components of conjugal life in the sacrament of Matrimony?

5 comments:

  1. oh wow... lets see if I can do this from memory:
    1. for the good of the spouses
    2. procreation of children
    3. education of children in the Catholic faith
    hmmm i forgot the 4th. Or am I looking at the wrong list to begin with?

    -Laurence

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  2. CCC # 2363 The spouses' union achieves the twofold end of marriage: the good of the spouses themselves and the transmission of life. These two meanings or values of marriage cannot be separated without altering the couple's spiritual life and compromising the goods of marriage and the future of the family.

    The conjugal love of man and woman thus stands under the twofold obligation of fidelity and fecundity.

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  3. Anonymous4:14 AM

    I am a Catholic but my marriage was solemnized by a judge. Does it mean that my marriage' not valid from the start? please, I need to know. thank you.

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  4. Anonymous:
    The answer to your question is "yes."

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  5. The four elements of a valid marriage:
    4 essential elements of a valid marriage:
    1. Taking vows in public before the appropriate witnesses. For Catholics, that means that a priest has to be one of the witnesses...the main witness.
    * Permanent vows make a lifetime contract of fidelity on all levels, i.e. physical, emotional, intellectual and economic
    * Permanent vows that include openness to producing children and the commitment to educating them
    * Permanent vows that include understanding that a lifetime of mutual support i.e. community life is required [Shelter, bed and board]
    * Permanent vows taken freely with enough maturity to understand the consequences of the vow

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