We continue our look at the Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church with an additional presentation of the requirements to receive the Sacrament of Marriage in a Catholic Church.
Quick Glance Catechism – The Sacrament of Matrimony (Part 2)
- A Catholic should have received the Sacraments of Initiation before receiving the Sacrament of Matrimony. This means a person has been baptized, confirmed, received First Eucharist and of course, the person is in the state of grace through the Sacrament of Penance.
- The Grace of a Sacrament is bestowed when a person is in the state of grace. If a person is not in the state of grace when a sacrament has been received, those graces associated with that sacrament would be bestowed after a subsequent reception of the Sacrament of Penance.
- According to Canon 1123, when a marriage is either convalidated in the external forum, declared null, or legitimately dissolved other than by death, the pastor of the place of the celebration of marriage must be informed so that a notation is properly made in the marriage and baptismal registers.
- The Church where you were baptized is notified when you receive any sacrament. My baptismal register indicates when I received my First Eucharist, Confirmation, Ordination as a Transitional Deacon, and my Ordination to the Priesthood. The same happens with anyone who celebrates a sacrament. For the Sacrament of Marriage, the Church of Baptism is notified before the marriage to ascertain that the person is free to be married. Sadly, if a marriage ends in divorce and is subsequently annulled, the Church where the marriage occurred is notified to record that information in their marriage registry. Also, the Church where the individuals were baptized would also be notified to record the information in their baptismal registry.
- Convalidations – having your civil marriage blessed – if both parties are Catholic who have never been married before either civilly or sacramentally, is relatively simple. The required documents include your Marriage License and recently issued copies of your baptismal certificates.
- If this is not the first marriage for one or both of the parties then, in addition to the documents listed above, a decree of divorce as well as a decree of annulment may be required. The Chancery Office, the office where marriage questions are answered, assists in the sacramental nullification of previous marriages.
- A marriage that is both validly ratified and consummated cannot be dissolved by any human power and by no cause, except death. For a just cause only the Pope can dissolve a non-consummated marriage.
- Basically, if the Marriage was celebrated with ritualistic integrity before at least two witnesses, if both parties entered the union with full consent of the will, and the marriage was consummated, then it is a validly ratified marriage.
- The Church encourages couples to celebrate the Sacrament of Marriage within the celebration of Mass. Marriage within the celebration of Mass is highly encouraged, but not required, if both parties are Catholic. A celebration of a marriage ceremony without the celebration of Mass is typically celebrated when a Catholic is marrying a non-Catholic person.
- A Catholic and baptized non-Catholic may marry and validly contract the sacrament of Marriage through the permission of the Chancery Office of the Archdiocese. One key factor in obtaining this permission is the promise made by the Catholic party that they will continue to practice their faith, and they further promise that any children in this union would be baptized and raised as members of the Catholic faith.
- The non-Catholic party does not make any promises as a part of this permission. However, the non-Catholic party must witness that these promises were made.
- The same procedure would occur if a Catholic were marrying a non-baptized person, or a non-Christian. Although this may require more intense preparation and a deeper level of permission from the diocesan officials.
- As mentioned above, the Chancery Office is a diocesan office where all matters concerning the Sacrament of Marriage are addressed and clarified.