The Vocation of Marriage

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The Vocation of Marriage
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Reflection

• Reflect on these questions in your notes.
• What are the top 5 qualities of a good marriage?
• Statistics say that 50 of marriages end in
• divorce. Why is this, in your opinion?
• Who is the happiest married
• couple you know? How do you
• know they are happy? How do
• they express their love?

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• In your notes, make 2 columns
• Good Reasons Not-so-good
• To get Reasons to get
• Married Married

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Homework Due Thursday 5/6

• Interview a married couple (husband AND wife, if
  you can).
• Ask these questions, and add 2 of your own. Type
  up the questions and answers. Conclude with a
  reflection on the answers you received and what
  they taught you about Marriage.

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Questions

• How did you and your spouse meet? How did you
  know you wanted to get married?
• What is the best part of being married? What is
  the most challenging part of being married?
• Was anything different than you expected it to
  be?
• What role does God play in your marriage?
• If you have children, what effect have they had
  on your marriage?
• What advice would you give to young people
  thinking about marriage?

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Marriage in Scripture

• Read the following passages and summarize in your
  notes
• Genesis 2 18-24
• Malachi 2 13-16
• Matthew 196
• Hebrews 13 4

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Genesis 2 18-24

• Men and women are equal.
• In marriage, 2 become 1.

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Malachi 2 13-16

• Spouses must be faithful to each other.

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Matthew 196

• Again, 2 become 1 in marriage.
• Marriage changes a person.
• Marriage is FOREVER.

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Hebrews 134

• Marriage should be honored and respected.
• Be faithful to your spouse.
• A person will be judged by God on how she/he acts
  within marriage.

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Requirements for Marriage

• State of PA Requirements
• ? At least 18 (16-18, with parental consent)
• ? 3 day waiting period
• ? Freedom to marry no bigamy (married to more
  than 1 person)
• ? Blood relatives down to and including 1st
  cousins may not marry in PA
• ? May not be intoxicated or under influence of
  drugs when applying
• ? Fee

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• Church Requirements
• In addition to the State of PAs requirements . .
  .
• ? Baptized Christians (must be baptized to
  receive sacraments)
• ? View marriage as a pledge of unconditional
  forever love
• ? Intent that marriage is permanent
• ? Open to children
• ? Marriage preparation (Pre-Cana)

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The Covenant of Marriage

• Marriage is a sacred, solemn covenant, like the
  covenant that God has made with us through His
  covenant with the Hebrews, in which he promised
  to never leave us.
• The love of a married couple is to reflect the
  love that God has for us lasting, faithful, and
  complete.
• The love that the couple shares comes from God
  this makes it more than just a legal contract.

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The Meaning of Marriage as a Sacrament

• A Sacrament is a visible sign of Gods presence
  (grace) in our lives. In marriage, ones spouse
  is the sign of Gods presence in their lives.
• The Sacrament of Marriage is actually
  administered by the couple the priest is simply
  the presider.
• The Priest and the Wedding Party (particularly
  the Best Man and Maid of Honor) act as witnesses.

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Characteristics of a Sacramental Marriage

• There are 3 characteristics of a Sacramental
  Marriage.
• Permanent Commitment the couple acknowledges
  that this commitment is for life.

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• Openness to Children Procreation (having
  children) is a natural result of married love.
  The Church values the family, calling children
  the supreme gift of marriage in its Catechism.
  
• This characteristic focuses on an openness to
  children. Certainly, a couple who is unable to
  have children is valued and recognized by the
  Church.

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• Loving Fidelity The Church teaches that a
  successful marriage (and family) demands TOTAL
  FIDELITY (faithfulness) from the spouses.
• The Church recognizes the difficulty of this kind
  of fidelity and encourages married people to find
  support in each other and in their faith.

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The Marriage Ceremony

• The Marriage Ceremony usually takes place within
  a Nuptial Mass. It occurs after the homily. The
  couple is asked if they have come freely to be
  married, if they will love each other forever,
  and if they will be open to children. (The 3
  Characteristics) Then, they say their vows to
  each other. Finally, they exchange rings.

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Marriage Vows

• The couple vow their commitment to each other in
  words similar to these
• I promise to be true to you
• in good times and in bad,
• in sickness and in health.
• I will love you
• and honor you
• all the days of my life.

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Unitive Procreative Aspects of Sexuality in
Marriage

• A sexual relationship in marriage has 2 purposes
  
• 1 - strengthens the couple and allows them to
  express their love for each other in a powerful
  way (unitive)
• 2 - leads to the creation of new life.
  (procreative)

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Humanae Vitae

• - Humanae Vitae is an encyclical (a letter to the
  Church from the Pope) written by Pope Paul VI in
  1968.
• What was the world (particularly the US) like in
  1968?

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• - part of the Churchs attempts to address a
  culture that did not seem to be respecting life
  and responsibility in a variety of ways.
• - called Catholics to a greater understanding of
  the Churchs position against artificial
  contraception (birth control).

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• - begins with the Churchs understanding that
  couples often need to limit the number of
  children they have in their family.
• - also says that sex between a married couple is
  sacred and good in the eyes of the church, even
  if it will not lead to procreation (a baby).

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• - HOWEVER, the Church does believe that sex
  between a husband and wife retains its intrinsic
  relationship to the procreation of human life.
• What does this mean?

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• - Because of this connection between sex and
  life, the direct interruption of the generative
  process is against what the Church teaches.
• - Direct interruption of the generative
  process Artificial Birth Control
  (chemical and barrier methods), as well
  as abortion and sterilization.

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• In the Encyclical, Pope Paul VI expresses concern
  about
• a general lowering of moral standards that can
  come from sex without consequences
• and
• the danger that women could be reduced to being
  instruments for the satisfaction of desires,
  rather than be treated with the respect that they
  deserve.

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• Pope Paul VI acknowledged that he knows that this
  teaching might not be easily accepted.
  Regardless, he believed that the Church can not
  say that something is OK if it truly goes against
  what the Church teaches and believes.

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Natural Family Planning (NFP)

• This way of regulating how many children a couple
  has is accepted by the Catholic Church because it
  is NATURAL.
• NFP involves abstaining from intercourse during
  the times in a womans menstrual cycle when she
  can become pregnant.
• This involves careful attention to the womans
  body, as well as clear and honest communication
  between husband and wife.

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The Churchs Teaching on Divorce and Annulment
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8th Period Annulment HW

• Use this website to answer the following
  questions
• www.americancatholic.org/newsletters/cu/ac1002.asp
  
• What is an annulment? Why/when is it necessary?
• In what kinds of situations are annulments
  granted?
• How is money involved in an annulment?