What Is the Catholic Teaching on Marriage and Family?
The Catholic Church teaches that marriage is a sacred covenant between a man and a woman, established by God for the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of children. Marriage is not just a human institution, but is a divine institution that reflects God's love for His people and Christ's love for the Church. The family, founded on marriage, is the basic unit of society and the first school of love, faith, and virtue.
The Church's teaching on marriage and family is based on the understanding that God created human beings as male and female, equal in dignity but different in nature, and that He designed marriage as the proper context for the expression of human sexuality and the raising of children. Marriage is a vocation, a call from God to love and serve one another and to cooperate with God in the creation and education of new human beings.
The Biblical Foundation
The Catholic teaching on marriage and family has a strong biblical foundation. In the Book of Genesis, we read that God created human beings as male and female and blessed them, saying, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth' (Genesis 1:28). The Bible also teaches that 'a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh' (Genesis 2:24).
In the New Testament, Jesus reaffirms the divine plan for marriage, saying, 'What therefore God has joined together, let not man put asunder' (Matthew 19:6). Jesus also elevates marriage to a sacrament, making it a sign of His love for the Church. The Apostle Paul also teaches about marriage, comparing the love between husband and wife to the love between Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5:21-33).
Marriage as a Sacrament
In the Catholic Church, marriage is one of the seven sacraments. As a sacrament, marriage is a visible sign of God's grace and love, and it confers grace on the spouses to help them live out their vocation. The sacrament of marriage is a covenant, a solemn agreement between the spouses and God, in which they promise to love and honor one another for life.
The sacrament of marriage gives the spouses the grace they need to love one another as Christ loves the Church, with a love that is selfless, faithful, and fruitful. It also gives them the grace to raise their children in the faith and to be a witness of God's love to the world. The sacrament of marriage is not just a ceremony, but is a lifelong commitment that requires constant effort, prayer, and the grace of God.
The Purposes of Marriage
The Catholic Church teaches that marriage has two primary purposes: the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of children. The good of the spouses means that marriage is designed to help the spouses grow in love, holiness, and virtue. Marriage is a path to sanctification, a way for the spouses to help one another grow closer to God and to become the people God created them to be.
The procreation and education of children means that marriage is designed to be open to new life and to provide the proper context for raising children. Children are a gift from God and a sign of God's love and blessing. Parents have the primary responsibility for the education and formation of their children, including their spiritual, moral, and intellectual formation.
The Characteristics of Marriage
The Catholic Church teaches that marriage has three essential characteristics: unity, indissolubility, and openness to life. Unity means that marriage is a union of one man and one woman, and that the spouses become one flesh. This unity is expressed through their love, their commitment, and their sexual relationship, which is reserved exclusively for marriage.
Indissolubility means that marriage is a lifelong commitment that cannot be dissolved by human authority. The Church recognizes that marriages can fail and that divorce may be necessary in some cases, but it does not recognize remarriage after divorce as valid, unless the first marriage is declared null by the Church. Openness to life means that marriage must be open to the possibility of children and that the spouses must not deliberately exclude the possibility of new life.
The Family as the Domestic Church
The Catholic Church calls the family the 'domestic church' because it is the first place where children learn about God, faith, and the Christian way of life. The family is where children first experience love, forgiveness, and service to others. It is where they learn to pray, to worship God, and to live according to the Gospel.
The family as the domestic church means that parents have the primary responsibility for the religious education of their children. This includes teaching them to pray, taking them to Mass, reading the Bible with them, and helping them to understand and live the Catholic faith. The family is also called to be a witness of God's love to the world and to serve others in need.
Marriage Preparation and Formation
The Catholic Church places great emphasis on marriage preparation and formation. Marriage preparation helps couples to understand the nature and purpose of marriage, to develop the skills they need for a successful marriage, and to grow in their relationship with God and with one another. Marriage preparation typically includes instruction in the Church's teaching on marriage, communication skills, conflict resolution, and spiritual formation.
Marriage formation continues throughout the married life, as couples continue to grow in love, holiness, and virtue. This includes regular prayer together, participation in the sacraments, ongoing education and formation, and support from other married couples and the parish community. The Church provides various programs and resources to help couples in their marriage formation.
Challenges to Marriage and Family
Marriage and family face many challenges in today's world, including divorce, cohabitation, same-sex marriage, contraception, abortion, and other issues that are contrary to the Church's teaching. The Church recognizes these challenges and provides guidance and support to help couples and families to live according to God's plan.
The Church also works to create a culture that supports and values marriage and family. This includes advocating for policies that support families, providing education and formation programs, and creating communities that support and encourage married couples and families. The Church also provides pastoral care and support for couples and families who are struggling.
Marriage and Family in the Modern World
In the modern world, marriage and family are often misunderstood and undervalued. Many people see marriage as a temporary arrangement or as a way to achieve personal happiness, rather than as a lifelong commitment and a vocation to love and serve. The family is also often seen as a burden or an obstacle to personal fulfillment, rather than as a gift and a blessing.
The Catholic Church continues to teach and witness to the truth about marriage and family, even in the face of these challenges. The Church calls all people to understand and respect the divine plan for marriage and family, and to work to create a culture that supports and values these institutions. The Church also provides support and guidance to help couples and families to live according to God's plan.
Conclusion: Living God's Plan for Marriage and Family
The Catholic teaching on marriage and family is ultimately a call to live according to God's plan for love and life. This teaching is not just a set of rules or restrictions, but is a beautiful vision of how God intended human beings to love and to live. Marriage and family are gifts from God, designed to help us grow in love, holiness, and virtue, and to cooperate with God in the creation and education of new human beings.
The Church invites all people to understand and embrace this teaching, and to work to create a culture that supports and values marriage and family. The Church also provides the grace, guidance, and support that couples and families need to live according to God's plan. Marriage and family are not easy, but they are beautiful and rewarding, and they are the path that God has designed for most people to grow in love and holiness.