Marriage

G R O U P 0 4
Ashley Benet Martinez
Aubrey Danielle Vera Cruz
Efghi Rose Ordonez
Eugene Manangan
Jamiezel Nacpil
Jocel Sandoval
Mary Joy Colis Nicdao
Trixie Patdo Mendoza
Ana Franchette Orsua
 What is Marriage?
It is the intimate union and equal relationship of a man
and woman. It comes to us from the hand of God, who
created male and female in his image, so that they might
become one body and might be fertile and multiply.
(Genesis Chapter 1 and 2).
Though man and woman are equal as God’s children, they
are created with important differences that allow them to
give themselves and to receive the other as a gift.
Marriage and family are acknowledged as among the
highest cultural values in our country. In fact, among
Filipinos, marriage does not only involve two individuals
but more of two family groups.
 What is Marriage?
Sacred Scripture begins with the creation and union of
man and woman and ends with "the wedding feast of the
Lamb" (Rev 19:7, 9). Scripture often refers to marriage, its
origin and purpose, the meaning God gave to it, and its
renewal in the covenant made by Jesus with his Church.
Man and woman were created for each other.
By their marriage, the couple witnesses Christ's spousal
love for the Church. One of the Nuptial Blessings in the
liturgical celebration of marriage refers to this in saying,
"Father, you have made the union of man and wife so holy
a mystery that it symbolizes the marriage of Christ and his
Church."
 g e is a C o v en a nt
Marria

Marriage is a covenantal union in the image

of the covenants made by God and his people
with Abraham and eventually with Moses on
Mt. Sinai. This divine covenant can never be
broken. In this sense, marriage is a union that
binds spouses together for the rest of their
lives.
 age as "Covenant Love"
Marri
It is a unique sacrament in that it is
built into the very nature of our human
reality as:
• created male and female, through
God’s love,
• in the image of God who is love, and
• called to a covenant of loving one
another,
• in sharing God’s own divine love.
The sacrament of Matrimony signifies
the union of Christ and the Church. It
gives spouses the grace to love each
other with the love with which Christ has
loved his Church; the grace of the
sacrament thus perfects the human love
of the spouses, strengthens their
indissoluble unity, and sanctifies them on
the way to eternal life.
- Catechism of the Catholic Church 1661
 In a married relationship, love is exemplified by the total gift of oneself to
another. This self-giving and self-sacrificing love is also evident in our other
marriage model, the relationship between Christ and the Church.

Marriage is based on the consent of the

contracting parties, that is, on their will to give
themselves, each to the other, mutually and
definitively, in order to live a covenant of
faithful and fruitful love.

- Catechism of the Catholic Church 1662



Marriage is a sacrament that lasts a lifetime, and the Church recognizes

this. The Church teaches that a breach of this covenant violates God's
natural law:

The remarriage of persons divorced

from a living, lawful
spouse contravenes the plan and law of God as taught
by Christ. They are not separated from the Church, but
they cannot receive Eucharistic communion. They will
lead Christian lives especially by educating their
children in the faith.

- Catechism of the Catholic Church 1665

Marriage Reflects the Holy Trinity
We believe in the eternal communion of God.
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one being with no
beginning or end. Humans, too, were formed in
God's image to be in communion with another
human being.

“The Christian family is a communion of persons,

a sign and image of the communion of the
Father and the Son in the Holy Spirit.”
- Catechism of the Catholic Church 2205

The Sacrament of Marriage is "unitive,

indissoluble, and calls us to be
completely open to fertility." At its finest,
Christian marriage is a reflection of
God's self-giving love expressed
between two people's love.

 Marriage in Filipinos
Marriage in the Philippines is an event well-prepared
by couples and of the whole family from the
entourage to the reception and is a celebration that
even lasts for a couple of days. It is a day when
couples pledge their love with each other in the
presence of God and His church.
During the marriage rites, the couple is
asked about their freedom of choice,
faithfulness to each other, and the
acceptance and upbringing of
children.
Individuals have a significant level of
freedom when it comes to choosing
marriage partners, even if the
preferences of the family may influence
the choice of the spouse. In some
families, it is expected for the
prospective partner to gain the
approval of their potential in-laws.
However, in urban areas, dating and
marriage practices tend to be less
conservative and are becoming more
influenced by the West.
On the other hand, it is apparent that
there is already a growing weakening
of the Filipino family and marriage.
There has been a significant increase
in the number of broken marriages
and also couples to enter in purely
civil marriages and no longer marry in
church. There is now a considerable
gap between the Church teaching on
marriage and family and what is the
common mind and practice of
families today. There is an undeniable
need to go to the grassroots and
catechize on the sacred value of
Christian marriage. A much-needed
move in order to strengthen the
traditional Filipino family values.


Genesis, the first book of the Bible, in its two creation accounts presents:

the two basic ends of marriage: procreative,

propagating the human race, and unitive, the two
are called to become one body in an intimate
equal partnership of life and love;
• the fall from conjugal unity and equality in the sin
originating the history of human infidelity, adultery,
divorce, broken families, etc.;
• God promising a Savior who would not only
redeem marriage as a “natural covenant of love,”
but actually raise it to become the sacrament of
God’s new and eternal Covenant with His people,
the Church
 How is Marriage
a Sacrament?
Both the celebration of the Marriage Rite and the couple’s
married life of love are a “sacrament” of Christ’s love for his
people. This means that Marriage between Christians is:
• a saving symbolic act and life,
• grounded in Christ’s ministry, and
• continued in, by and for the Church, which,
• when celebrated in faith,
• fashions the married couple into the likeness of Christ
• by making them actually share in God’s own love and
faithfulness
• through the power of the Holy Spirit.
 The Church calls the exchange
of vows/consent as the act of
will by which a man and a
woman give themselves to
each other, and accept the
gift of the other. The marriage
can’t happen without the
declaration of consent.
Consent makes the marriage
(CCC #1626).

The consent – as a marriage bond is sealed by God Himself. The grace

to love each other with the love with which Christ loved his Church.
The three “Goods/values of Marriage”
Catholic tradition speaks of Marriage in terms of:

s a c r a m e n t

mutual love and fidelity of spouses

o f f s p r i n g
The Church and the Christian family are alike, both are:

communities united together in

love;
called to constant growth in
loving communion;
sharing in both Christ’s Eucharistic
worship,
and his mission of loving service,
as pilgrim people journeying
toward the Father.
 Married love demands of the partners:

the integration of their sexuality

into the personal bond of their
love,
together with the responsibility
for fostering and preserving this
“becoming one body” through all
the changes of their ongoing
married life.
Married couples and parents have their own path to holiness through
their faithful love. Like that of all Christians, this path includes:

inheriting Christ’s mission in

fostering the Kingdom
through the ministry of loving service
of each other, their children, and the
wider community;
in the pattern of Christ’s Paschal
Mystery;
constantly inspired by the Holy Spirit
nourished by the Eucharist.
Sacraments 101:
Matrimony
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq2RDYlOLrs&t=4s
 REFERENCES
Busted Halo. (2011). Sacraments 101: Matrimony (why make it Catholic)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq2RDYlOLrs&t=4s

Cultural Atlas (2021). Filipino Culture

https://culturalatlas.sbs.com.au/filipino-culture/filipino-culture-family

St. Joseph Catholic Church. (n.d). What is the Sacrament of Marriage

https://stjosephfarmington.com/marriage

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (2021). For Your Marriage

https://www.foryourmarriage.org/meaning-and-purpose/

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (n.d). Matrimony

https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/sacraments-and-sacramentals/matrimony