Ethan Walker
The Catholic Church teaches that sexual intercourse within marriage has a twofold purpose: to unite the couple and to procreate. The Church considers sexual expression outside of marriage or the deliberate frustration of procreation within marriage, such as using contraception, to be grave sins. While the Bible passage Matthew 19:9 suggests that sexual immorality can be a valid reason for divorce, it does not explicitly state whether it invalidates a marriage. The Catholic Church does not recognize divorce, but in certain cases, it may grant annulments, deeming the marriage invalid from the start. Impotence or the inability to consummate the marriage is one such condition that can lead to an annulment.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Catholic view on sexual immorality | Sexual immorality is considered a grave sin by the Catholic Church. |
| Sexual immorality as grounds for divorce | Sexual immorality can be a valid reason for civil divorce, but divorced couples cannot remarry. |
| Sexual immorality as grounds for annulment | Sexual immorality, such as incest, can be grounds for annulment, which deems the marriage invalid and allows divorced couples to remarry. |
| Catholic view on marriage | Marriage is a sacred union between a man and a woman, sanctified by God, and intended for procreation and mutual love. |
| Impotence and infertility | Impotence discovered after marriage does not invalidate it, but infertility or sterility known before marriage and not disclosed can be an impediment. Impotence before marriage is an impediment |
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What You'll Learn
Sexual immorality as grounds for divorce
According to the Bible, "each and every marriage act must remain open 'per se' to the transmission of life." This doctrine is based on the inseparable connection between the unitive significance and the procreative significance of the marriage act. Marriage is intended for procreation, and the Catholic Church teaches that sexual intercourse has a twofold unitive and procreative purpose. Sexual expression outside of marriage or the deliberate frustration of the procreative function within marriage (e.g., using contraception) is considered a grave sin.
Sexual immorality, or sexual sins, are considered transgressions against chastity. The Catholic Church considers divorce impossible, as marriage is a sacrament that forms an unbreakable bond between spouses. However, the Bible verse Matthew 19:9 suggests that sexual immorality can be a valid reason for civil divorce, stating, "anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery." The word for sexual immorality in this verse is "porneia," which can also refer to marriage with close relatives.
Some Catholic interpretations view this verse as specifically addressing incestuous marriages, which were forbidden by Mosaic law but allowed by some rabbis for Gentile converts to Judaism. In this context, the "exceptive clause" in Matthew's teaching aims to prevent such permissiveness for Gentile converts to Christianity. This interpretation suggests that the statement refers to a unique situation in Matthew's community, not a general rule.
While civil divorce is acceptable in certain circumstances, divorced couples cannot remarry according to Catholic doctrine. However, in cases of incestuous marriages or other unlawful unions, annulment is possible. Annulment means the marriage is deemed invalid, as if it never happened.
In summary, while sexual immorality is not grounds for divorce in the Catholic Church, it can be a reason for civil divorce or annulment in specific cases of unlawful unions, such as incest.
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Marriage as a 'nuptial act'
Marriage is a sacred covenant between a man and a woman, rooted in their consent to give themselves totally and definitively to one another. This covenant is integrated into God's covenant with man, reflecting the love between God and humanity. According to Catholic theology, marriage has a twofold purpose: union and procreation.
The Catholic Church teaches that sexual intercourse within marriage is a nuptial act, an expression of conjugal love that unites the couple as one flesh. This physical intimacy is a sign and pledge of spiritual communion, reflecting the unitive and procreative nature of marriage. The nuptial act, therefore, holds a sacred place in Catholic doctrine, as it represents the conjoining of two individuals in a union blessed by God.
The Church considers sexual intercourse within marriage as chaste when it retains its twofold significance of union and procreation. This means that the sexual act must be open to the possibility of life while also fostering the unity and love between the spouses. The Catechism of the Catholic Church emphasizes the importance of this dual purpose, stating that conjugal love aims at a deeply personal unity that leads to forming "one heart and soul."
Sexual expression outside of marriage or the deliberate frustration of the procreative function within marriage, such as through artificial contraception, is considered a grave sin by the Catholic Church. This includes acts such as masturbation, fornication, pornography, and homosexual practices. The Church's teachings on sexuality are based on the belief that the human body and sex are inherently good, reflecting the dignity and great value of human sexuality.
In the context of marriage, the nuptial act takes on a sacred dimension, uniting the spouses in a bond that is perpetual and exclusive. This act of physical intimacy is a manifestation of their mutual love and commitment, reflecting the spiritual nature of their union. While the primary focus of this discussion is on the validity of marriage in the face of sexual immorality, it is important to note that the Catholic Church does not recognize divorce as an ending of a marriage. Instead, it allows for annulment in certain cases, such as when a serious impediment, like close blood relation, is discovered.
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Sexual sins and the body
Catholicism holds that the body and sex are inherently good, as God found everything he created to be "very good". Sexuality is an integral part of the human person, designed by God to unite man and woman as "one flesh".
However, the Catholic Church teaches that sexual pleasure is morally disordered when sought for its own sake, isolated from its procreative and unitive purposes within marriage. Sexual intercourse is considered chaste only within the context of marriage, and it is referred to as the “nuptial act”. This act is seen as a gift from God, uniting a man and a woman in a loving and fruitful union.
Sexual sins, therefore, are those that go against the body and the purpose of sexuality as designed by God. These include sins against chastity, such as masturbation, fornication, pornography, and homosexual practices. The Church also considers adultery, divorce, polygamy, and free union as grave offenses against the dignity of marriage.
The Catholic Church's interpretation of Matthew 19:9 in the Bible is important to consider. The verse reads, "I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery." While some interpret this as allowing divorce and even remarriage in cases of sexual immorality, others see it as referring to a specific situation in the community at the time, such as incestuous marriages.
The Church does not grant divorce, but annulment can be declared if the marriage is deemed invalid from the start due to a serious impediment, such as being close blood relatives. Impotence, or the inability to have sexual intercourse, is also considered an impediment to marriage. If a couple becomes impotent during their marriage, the union is not considered invalid as long as it was consummated before the onset of impotence.
In conclusion, sexual sins are those that go against the God-given purpose of the body and sexuality. The Catholic Church teaches that sexual acts within marriage are love-giving and life-giving, glorifying God and fulfilling the unitive and procreative purposes of sexuality.
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Impotence and infertility
The Catholic Church teaches that those who are impotent, or incapable of having sexual intercourse, cannot marry. This is because procreation and unity are the two natural ends of marriage, and both of these ends are fulfilled in the sexual embrace. According to the Code of Canon Law No. 1084, §1:
> Antecedent and perpetual impotence to have intercourse, whether on the part of the man or the woman, whether absolute or relative, nullifies marriage by its very nature.
The terms "antecedent" and "perpetual" refer to the timing of impotence, with "antecedent" referring to a time before marriage, and "perpetual" referring to a time during marriage. Thus, for a marriage to be invalidated by impotence, it must occur before the marriage and last throughout the marriage. If impotence occurs after the marriage has been consummated, the marriage remains valid.
Importantly, impotence is distinct from infertility. While impotence refers to the inability to have sexual intercourse, infertility refers to the inability to conceive children. The Catholic Church does not consider infertility an impediment to marriage, and married couples who are infertile are considered just as validly married as those who are able to conceive children. This is because, according to the Church, a couple can be infertile but nonetheless remain open to life.
In summary, while impotence is an impediment to marriage in the Catholic Church, infertility is not.
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Mixed marriages
The Catholic Church teaches that sexual intercourse has a twofold unitive and procreative purpose. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "conjugal love... aims at a deeply personal unity, a unity that, beyond union in one flesh, leads to forming one heart and soul". Sexuality is not something that exists with a purely biological purpose defined by personal preference; rather, it is an intimate nucleus of the person that spiritually is designed by God to unite man and woman as one flesh.
In the case of sexual expression sought outside marriage or in which the procreative function of sexual expression within marriage is "deliberately frustrated" (e.g. the use of artificial contraception), the Catholic Church considers it a grave sin. Among what are considered sins against chastity are masturbation, fornication, pornography, and homosexual practices. Additionally, "adultery, divorce, polygamy, and free union are grave offenses against the dignity of marriage".
In the context of marriage, the Catholic Church recognises 'mixed marriages', which refer to marriages between a Catholic and a baptised non-Catholic, or a non-baptised person. Mixed marriages are discouraged by the Church as they can cause pain and friction between spouses due to differing religious beliefs and practices, which can also negatively impact the faith of any children in the marriage. However, the Church does grant dispensations for Catholics to marry non-Catholics, and such marriages can take place with a Nuptial Mass, with an authorised priest or deacon as the ordinary minister.
In the case of sexual immorality or adultery, the Catholic Church interprets Matthew 19:9 as allowing divorce, but not remarriage. The term used in this verse is 'porneia', which can also refer to marriage between close relatives, and such marriages can be annulled, allowing the individuals to remarry.
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Frequently asked questions
According to the Catholic Church, sexual immorality or sexual expression sought outside of marriage is considered a grave sin. However, it does not necessarily invalidate the marriage. In the case of sexual immorality, a civil divorce may be permitted, but the divorced couple cannot remarry.
The Catholic Church considers several acts as transgressions and sins against chastity, including masturbation, fornication, pornography, and homosexual practices.
A valid Catholic marriage requires the possibility of sexual intercourse. It is a union between a baptised man and woman who freely express their consent to give themselves totally to one another.
