SOLLEMNITATE MATRIMONIUM

“The Contemporary Views of Marriage in the Modern Civilized World”

Introduction
"The intimate community of life and love which constitutes the married state has been
established by the Creator and endowed by him with its own proper laws, God himself is the
author of marriage”. Marriage has been the key to providing social and economic security to both
men and women in the past and this still holds true today. The roles of a husband, wife, father,
and mother are crucial as families form the basic building blocks of society. Marriage, as
understood traditionally, is a social and spiritual institution that is the foundation of a stable
society and the rite of passage to the formation of families. This definition, however, has been
contested with the ubiquity and ease of cohabitation, as well as the pronounced increase in the
number of issues arose such as homosexual relationships that undermine the need for such an
institution to exist for two individuals to be in a loving and happy relationship, establishment of
provisions that rejects spirituality and morality of marriage, and various concern in present
situation which this encyclical ought to address. In today’s society, the relevance of modern
marriages in the sanctity of the sacrament for which it was established, failed to seem resilient
due to the constant progress of time, civilization, culture, morals and values.
Sollemnitate Matrimonium (English translation “Solemnity of Marriage”) is an encyclical
intended for the commemoration of the 40th year anniversary of Familiaris Consortio of John
Paul II, that primarily describes the position of the Catholic Church on the meaning and role of
marriage and the family, and outlines challenges towards realizing that ideal. Since the
establishment of previous encyclicals Casti Connubii of Pius XI and De Bono Coniugali of St.
Augustine, which broadly addresses the contemporary issues about marriage, this encyclical
aims to highlight the ubiquitous disobedience brought by civilization towards solemnity of divine
preaches from previous teachings, and discusses the modern views of marriage.
CHAPTER 1: The Contemporary World
Liberty of the Civilized Globe
1. The vocation to marriage is written in the very essence of man and woman as they emerged
from the Creator's side. Despite the many variations it has encountered over the years in various
societies, social systems, and moral attitudes, marriage is not a strictly human institution. These
distinctions should not allow one to overlook its common and enduring characteristics. However,
in the present world, the widespread of civilization endowed human to live in extensive liberty
which does not only encouraged the modern atheism, but also the establishment of provisions
that disregard the sanctity of the virtue of chastity and the sacrament of marriage, and in rejection
to moral laws. As well as the continuation of illicit practices that has been interdicted by the
church in her previous teachings.
2. Establishment of laws such as the Rape-Marriage law rips a huge hole in marriage's sanctity.
A provision of rape law in which a man who commits rape, sexual assault, statutory rape,
abduction, or other similar act is exonerated if he marries, or in some jurisdictions, offers to
marry, his female victim. The law has been legalized as a way for the accused to avoid
prosecution or punishment. Often, the perpetrator is then permitted to divorce his now-wife.
Despite the fact that the words for this concept were only invented in the 2010s, the practice
has persisted in a variety of legal systems throughout history and continues to occur in some
cultures today in various forms. Since the late twentieth century, the remaining laws of this sort
have been questioned and abolished in a number of countries. Laws that compel courts to
sanction an underage marriage on the basis of a female minor's pregnancy while she is under the
age of consent, usually with parental consent, may be used in effect by a statutory rapist to
prevent conviction for statutory rape of a child.
3. Such provision is believed by some to be found in the Hebrew Bible, "If a man finds a girl
who is a virgin, who is not engaged, and seizes her and lies with her and they are discovered,
then the man who lay with her shall give to the girl's father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall
become his wife because he has violated her; he cannot divorce her all his days." Deuteronomy
22:28-29) Regardless of whether the woman consented to the sexual act or would agree to
marriage, the man is obligated to marry her by giving her parents a dowry to resolve the matter.
4. However, the Catholic Church condemns fornication, and the sixth commandment, which
states, "You shall not commit adultery," expressly states that rape is a mortal sin. In ecclesiastical
law, forcing a woman to have sexual relations against her will is a mortal sin against chastity,
and ravishing a woman is a grave sin against justice.
5. The rise of topics such as homosexuality has taken many forms over the years and in various
cultures. Despite the fact that its psychological origins are generally unknown, the number of
men and women who have deep-seated homosexual impulses is not negligible. The rest of them
struggle with this objectively disordered tendency. However, under the reign of our current Holy
Father, the Catholic church expresses support for same-sex civil unions.
6. “They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust
discrimination in their regard should be avoided.” expressed by Pope Francis I. These people are
called to carry out God's will in their life and, whether they are Christians, to unite their struggles
with the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross. “Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They
are children of God. You can’t kick someone out of a family, nor make their life miserable for
this. What we have to have is a civil union law; that way they are legally covered” stated by the
pope.
7. Pertaining to this however, Catholic church cannot endow blessing to Same Sex Marriage.
Mainly because it is “impossible” for God to “bless sin”. Pope Francis I states "For this reason, it
is not licit to impart a blessing on relationships, or partnerships, even stable, that involve sexual
activity outside of marriage (i.e., outside the indissoluble union of a man and a woman open in
itself to the transmission of life), as is the case of the unions between persons of the same sex”
“If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination;
they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.” (Leviticus 20:13)
8. The media and technology evolve and expand, so does the root of temptation for universal
consumers to commit sin. Pornography is likewise a notorious grave sin against human dignity
and its continuously disregarded interdict. As the teaching from the Catechism says, “filming or
taking pictures of the intimate parts of the body or of sexual acts does “grave injury” to the
person “performing,” to anyone responsible for its making or production, and to the general
public. Pornography dehumanizes the persons depicted, making them into objects of use. Those
who produce and distribute pornography harm the common good by encouraging and even
causing others to sin. It offends against chastity because it perverts the conjugal act, the intimate
giving of spouses to each other. It does grave injury to the dignity of its participants (actors,
vendors, the public)”.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you, everyone
who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew
5:27-28)
9. The convention of mixed marriages in the present continuously pervaded on humankind across
the globe. Our Lord Jesus Christ introduced the sacrament of marriage as a token of His union
with the Church in order to provide a fuller explanation of his sanctifying power and the model
of this great mystery in the lives of the spouses (cf. Ephesians 5:32), who represent the love with
which Christ offered himself for the redemption of mankind through their intimate communion
of life. “In fact, the union of spirits may fail or at least be weakened when there are differences
of belief and oppositions of the will concerning religious truths and sentiments that make up the
highest values that are the subject of human veneration.” For these purposes, the Church regards
it as her most solemn obligation to preserve and safeguard the gift of faith for all spouses and
children. And for this purpose, it makes every effort to prevent Catholics from marrying non-
Catholics.
10. In relevance to the sacrament of marriage, one issue which still holds the necessity to be
called for attention, especially in present time, is the ubiquity of premarital sex. According to St.
Augustine's De Bono Coniugali, "the truth is that intercourse required for begetting children
bears no liability, and it alone is proper to marriage. However, any intercourse that goes beyond
this requirement is subject to lust rather than reason. The intrinsic to the character of marriage is
the refusal to demand it oneself, but also a willingness to grant it to one's spouse, so that he may
not sin mortally through fornication” it calls for the interdiction of premarital sex.
11. Chastity is regarded as a moral virtue. It is also a divine blessing, a grace, and the product of
spiritual effort. The Holy Spirit empowers all that have been regenerated by the water of Baptism
to emulate Christ's purity. Those who are engaged to be married are called to live in chastity and
continence. They should see in this time of testing a discovery of mutual respect, an
apprenticeship in fidelity, and the hope of receiving one another from God. They should reserve
for marriage the expressions of affection that belong to married love. They will help each other
grow in chastity.
12. Lust is disordered desire for or inordinate enjoyment of sexual pleasure When sexual
pleasure is pursued for its own sake, apart from its procreative and unitive functions, it becomes
morally disordered. Love "reveals its true nature and nobility when it is considered in its
supreme origin, God, who is love” (1 John 4: 8)
13. “Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins people commit are outside their bodies, but
those who sin sexually sin against their own bodies. Do you not know that your bodies are
temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your
own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your bodies.” (1 Corinthians 6:18-
20). “It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that
each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in
passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5)
13. Unwanted pregnancy, teenage pregnancy, abortion, STIs, HIV/AIDS, regrets, remorse, loss
of self-esteem, depression, loss of family support, drug abuse, and even suicidal death are all
consequences of premarital sexual activity among teenagers. The Catholic Church is dedicated to
guiding the victims of such misfortunes, with the aim of eradicating contemporary tensions and
fostering support for the common good.
The Query on the Fifth Rule, and towards the Dignity of Unborn Child
14. The consequences of premarital sex do not only restrict the fornication sin but also trigger
further mortal sin. This topic was discussed decades by decades but still holds true up to today.
As we are already aware, the inability of the mother to raise the new life borne by her during
pregnancy leads to abortion. And now, the issue of abortion doesn’t only limit on the “thou shalt
not kill” conception but to the undelivered message brought about from the deep exploration on
the sacred scripture. And admonish the aggressive presumptions brought by biblical literalism to
promote atheism.
15. Now, people of the contemporary world, listen as the Church assert, preaching the truth to all
people of good will, the query on regard the fifth commandment and confusion about abortion. It
was debated to when does the life or personhood starts, “what does the bible refer as ‘breath’ or
‘life’?”, some had interpreted the scripture “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the
ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” (Genesis
2:7) that a man’s life starts at the moment he breathes his first breath at birth. And thus,
expulsion of an unborn fetus is not a violation to the fifth rule. However, the Catholic church
corrected this theory as if we consider that life begins at the moment of birth, then it neglects the
essence of unborn human being inside the mother’s womb. The scripture gives us many verses
that point to personhood prior to birth.
“For you formed my inward parts; you covered me in my mother’s womb.” (Psalm 139:13)
16. All human life begins at the moment of conception. “Human life must be respected and
protected absolutely from the moment of conception. From the first moment of his existence, a
human being must be recognized as having the rights of a person – among which is the
inviolable right of every innocent being to life." as believed by all the Catholics. And from that
point has potential. This means Catholics believe that all life is sacred from the moment of
conception. This is otherwise known as the sanctity of life.
“Now Mary rose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, to a city of Judah,
and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened, that when Elizabeth
heard the greeting of Mary, that the babe leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the
Holy Spirit. Then she spoke with a loud voice and said ‘Blessed are you among women, and
blessed is the fruit of your womb! But why is it granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should
come to me? For indeed, as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe
leaped in my womb for joy.'” (Luke 1:39-44) We also believe in the inerrancy of the Holy Bible,
but have not read the “mythical Bible.” As such, we believe that you are a child of the most high
God. Even though you may not believe in him, he believes in and loves you and longs to have
you come to know and love him.
17. The second issue is when an episode on the scripture entailed “If people are fighting and hit a
pregnant woman and she gives birth prematurely but there is no serious injury, the offender must
be fined whatever the woman’s husband demands and the court allows. But if there is serious
injury, you are to take life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn
for burn, wound for wound, bruise for bruise.” (Exodus 21:22-25) The scripture was interpreted
as acceptance of the church to death penalty as it was said that the compensation for life taken is
life. And to abort an unborn child is fine. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: "Since
the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching
has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either
as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law" (No. 2271).
This is to remind that even our world is contemporary, and along with it is the constant push
and pull of ideas that will challenge our faith, but the moral law and the Catholic teaching will
remain the ultimate.
The Beyond Marriage
18. Sex is a sacred mystery. It is a powerful bonding agent that forms and influences a man and a
woman's relationship in ways that nothing else can. As a result, the Bible also compares idolatry
to the sins of fornication or adultery. And it is for this reason that the Bible uses sexual purity
and marital faithfulness as image for our relationship with God.
19. Beyond the marriage, there is dynamic human nature and ideology where sometimes their
true color appears. Marital rape is a prominent contemporary topic that is still debated due to its
ambiguity. This is described as having sexual intercourse with one's spouse without the spouse's
consent. The basic factor is a lack of consent, which does not have to entail physical abuse.
Marital rape is a form of domestic violence and sexual harassment. Although sexual activity
within marriage was traditionally regarded as a right of partners, engaging in the act without the
consent of the partner is now commonly classified as rape by many cultures around the world, is
condemned by international treaties, and is becoming increasingly criminalized.
“Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: ‘It is good for a man not to have sexual
relations with a woman.’ But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should
have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her
conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over
her own body, but the husband does. Likewise, the husband does not have authority over his own
body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited
time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may
not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.” (1 Corinthians 7:1-40)
20. The church teaching on marriage and domestic abuse and violence states that domestic
violence is an age-old problem which the church is now confronting directly. But there are
resources in the tradition which highlight the moral evil of violence in marriage and in families.
The equal dignity of man and women is as indicated in sacred scripture:
“Then God said: Let us make human beings in our image, after our likeness. Let them have
dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, the tame animals, all the wild animals, and
all the creatures that crawl on the earth. God created mankind in his image; in the image of God,
he created them; male and female* he created them. God blessed them and God said to them: Be
fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it. Have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds
of the air, and all the living things that crawl on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26-28)
21.The covenant of marriage as explicitly mentioned in the bible "Who has left the partner of her
youth and ignored the covenant she made before God." (Prov. 2:17; Mal 2:14) The description of
the creation of woman and her relationship with man in Genesis 2 (21-25) is full of covenantal
language. In spite of uneven divorce laws and the double standard for sexual morality, women
were not viewed as property and had rights in the family and in marriage.
22. “What therefore God has joined together, let no man put asunder” (Matthew 19:6) In his
preaching, Jesus unequivocally taught the original meaning of the union of man and woman as
the Creator willed it from the beginning permission given by Moses to divorce one's wife was a
concession to the hardness of hearts. The matrimonial union of man and woman is indissoluble
as God himself has determined.
23. In the context of Sociology, marriage is considered as merely permanent social and legal
contract and relationship between two people that is based on mutual rights and obligations
among the spouses. A marriage is often based on a romantic relationship, though this is not
always the case. But regardless, it typically signals a sexual relationship between two people. A
marriage, however, does not simply exist between the married partners, but rather, is codified as
a social institution in legal, economic, social, and spiritual/religious ways. Because a marriage is
recognized by law and by religious institutions, and involves economic ties between the spouses,
a dissolution of marriage (annulment or divorce) must, in turn, involve a dissolution of the
marriage relationship in all of these realms.
24. In Catholicism, “annulment” is an unfortunate word that is sometimes used to refer to a
Catholic “declaration of nullity.” Actually, nothing is made null through the process. Rather, a
Church tribunal (a Catholic Church court) declares that a marriage thought to be valid according
to Church law actually fell short of at least one of the essential elements required for a binding
union. For a Catholic marriage to be valid, it is required that: (1) the spouses are free to marry;
(2) they are capable of giving their consent to marry; (3) they freely exchange their consent; (4)
in consenting to marry, they have the intention to marry for life, to be faithful to one another, and
be open to children; (5) they intend the good of each other; and (6) their consent is given in the
presence of two witnesses and before a properly authorized Church minister. Exceptions to the
last requirement must be approved by Church authority.
25. The unequivocal emphasis on the indissolubility of the marriage bond may have perplexed
some and may seem to be an unreasonable demand to meet. However, Jesus has not placed an
impossible or too heavy burden on spouses - a burden heavier than the Law of Moses. By
coming to restore the original order of life, which had been disrupted by sin, he provides the
power and grace to live marriage in the new dimension of God's Reign. Spouses would be able to
"receive" the original meaning of marriage and practice it with the aid of Christ by embracing
Christ, renunciating themselves, and taking up their crosses. This grace of Christian marriage is a
fruit of Christ's cross, the source of all Christian life.
CHAPTER 2: Catholic Theology of Sexuality
26. Sexuality influences all parts of the human individual in the solidarity of his body and soul. It
particularly concerns affectivity, the ability to cherish and to multiply, and in a broader way the
fitness for framing obligations of fellowship with others.
The Sacrament of Matrimony
God created mankind in his image; In the image of God, he created them; Male and female he
created them. (cf. Genesis 1:27)
27. The Church teaches that since God created man out of love, and calls on him to love, it is
proper that the union of man and woman should be a Sacrament. The love of man and woman
mirrors the love of God and their children are part of God’s creation. Marriage is different to
most of the Sacraments which are conferred by a priest, or bishop. The man and woman confer
the Sacrament of Marriage upon each other when they express their consent to marry before God
and the Church.
28. The Old Testament states that man was made in the image and likeness of God, and that man
and woman were made for each other and through marriage, they become one. The Church
teaches that since God created man out of love, and calls on him to love, it is proper that the
union of man and woman should be a Sacrament. The love of man and woman mirrors the love
of God and their children are part of God’s creation. As a Sacrament Marriage is part of the
Church’s liturgy. Jesus taught that marriage is indissoluble: “Therefore, what God has joined
together, no human being must separate” (Matthew 19:6). Through the sacrament of Matrimony,
the Church teaches that Jesus gives the strength and grace to live the real meaning of marriage.
In the writings of St Paul: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ loved the church and
handed himself over for her to sanctify her” (Ephesians 5:25–26).
The Unequaled Worth of a Human Being
29. "By its very nature the institution of marriage and married love is ordered to the procreation
and education of the offspring and it is in them that it finds its crowning glory."
Procreation is the reason why individuals, communities, societies, nations and the global
population exist. Man’s calling for marriage is to procreate – this has been indisputable from the
time of Adam and Eve and still holds true today. Couples who are barren usually desire for their
own children and turn to adoption or the more recent developments such as in-vitro fertilization
if they have the financial means to. This is a testament to the significance of procreation and
what it means to have a family. Marriages are also heralded as joyous occasions and are rites of
passage from singlehood to being married – they signal a change in one’s social status and also
legitimize role changes that come with being married. Marriage, according to the Catholic
Church, is a covenant under which a man and a woman form a life-long union for the benefit of
the spouses and for the purpose of having and educating children.
Faithfulness to God's Design
30. Discernment is accomplished through the sense of faith, a gift of the Spirit to the faithful.
Discernment is therefore the work of the whole Church as she works toward a more profound
understanding and activation of the word of God. The Church does not accomplish this
discernment only through the Pastors, but also, through the Laity. The Second Vatican Council
taught that Christ made them his witnesses (Acts 2:17-18; Rev 19:10) so that the power of the
Gospel might shine forth in their daily social and family life. Additionally, the laity has the
specific role of interpreting the history of the world in the light of Christ.
CHAPTER 3: Previous Teachings Vs. The Now
From the ‘Arcanum Divinae’
[The mutual duties of husband and wife have been defined, and their several rights accurately
established. They are bound, namely, to have such feelings for one another as to cherish always
very great mutual love, to be ever faithful to their marriage vow, and to give one another and
unfailing and unselfish help. The husband is the chief of the family and the head of the wife. The
woman, because she is flesh of his flesh, and bone of his bone, must be subject to her husband
and obey him; not, indeed, as a servant, but as a companion, so that her obedience shall be
wanting in neither honor nor dignity. Since the husband represents Christ, and since the wife
represents the Church, let there always be, both in him who commands and in her who obeys, a
heaven-born love guiding both in their respective duties. (s.11)]
31. In today's case, divorce and annulment, for which the Church has even expressed her
disapproval, is entailed to be founded as result of domestic abuse within the household. In the
present day, in some case, the head of the household, who has the responsibility to defend their
home, has become the usurper, retaining his dominance and advantage of strength to hurt his
family. The civil law indicates that the promulgation of such provisions (divorce and annulment),
is fully committed to the protection of women and children.
[Now, since the family and human society at large spring from marriage, these men will on no
account allow matrimony to be the subject of the jurisdiction of the Church. Nay, they endeavor
to deprive it of all holiness, and so bring it within the contracted sphere of those rights which,
having been instituted by man, are ruled and administered by the civil jurisprudence of the
community. Wherefore it necessarily follows that they attribute all power over marriage to civil
rulers, and allow none whatever to the Church; and, when the Church exercises any such power,
they think that she acts either by favor of the civil authority or to its injury. Now is the time, they
say, for the heads of the State to vindicate their rights unflinchingly, and to do their best to settle
all that relates to marriage according as to them seems good. (s.17)]
32. Wholly concerned in vindicating the divine institution of matrimony, its sacramental dignity,
and its perpetual stability, the encyclical states an immutable and inviolable fundamental
doctrine that matrimony was not instituted or restored by man but by God. Not by man were the
laws made to strengthen and confirm and elevate it but by God, the Author of nature, and by
Christ Our Lord by whom nature was redeemed, and hence these laws cannot be subject to any
human decrees or to any contrary pact even of the spouses themselves. It declares and establishes
from the words of Holy Writ itself that God is the Author of the perpetual stability of the
marriage bond, its unity and its firmness. Constitutional weddings, or the so-called Civil
marriage of today, hence laws are framed that attach impediments to marriage; hence exist
judicial sentences concerning the marriage contract, as to whether or not it was rendered
correctly. The institution of marriage in some countries particularly in western globe, is not a
religious-driven contract; but a secular agreement between two people and the state. In other
words, marriage is only allowed under civil law, not religious doctrine.
From ‘Familiaris Consortio’
[By virtue of the sacramentality of their marriage, spouses are bound to one another in the most
profoundly indissoluble manner. Their belonging to each other is the real representation, by
means of the sacramental sign, of the very relationship of Christ with the Church. (s.13)]
33. Reminding us of the solemnity of matrimony that when two individuals are already bounded
together through sacrament, it is then indissoluble. Disappointingly, the current era entails the
separation between partners for a variety of superficial motives and issues that endangered their
union: jealousy, infidelity, conflicts, quarrels and affairs.
From the ‘De Bono Coniugali’
[The fact is that intercourse necessary for begetting children carries no blame, and it alone is
proper to marriage. But the intercourse which goes beyond this necessity is no longer subject to
reason, but to lust. However, intrinsic to the character of marriage is the refusal to demand it
oneself, but also a willingness to grant it to one's spouse, so that he may not sin mortally through
fornication]
34. Pre-marital sex, in worst case at the present, becomes a normal thing to do between two
people in or without in a relationship. The spiritual sanction and interdict on it are being
degraded as there is not a single condemnation from the civil laws of its wrongness. In fact,
sexual desires and lust have been more facile since it is easily accessed in many other forms such
as verbal, images, literature, graphics, and even in form of message conversation for which the
root of the structure of sin.
From the ‘Humanae Vitae’
[Married love, therefore, requires of husband and wife the full awareness of their obligations in
the matter of responsible parenthood, which today, rightly enough, is much insisted upon, but
which at the same time should be rightly understood. Thus, we do well to consider responsible
parenthood in the light of its varied legitimate and interrelated aspects. (s.10)]
35. In the current generation, teenager doesn’t only become mostly on rebellious phase but
somehow lost respect on their parents. It is due to lack of communication and guidance that the
parents have given the duty to provide
[The sexual activity, in which husband and wife are intimately and chastely united with one
another, through which human life is transmitted, is, as the recent Council recalled, "noble and
worthy.'' It does not, moreover, cease to be legitimate even when, for reasons independent of
their will, it is foreseen to be infertile. For its natural adaptation to the expression and
strengthening of the union of husband and wife is not thereby suppressed. The fact is, as
experience shows, that new life is not the result of each and every act of sexual intercourse. God
has wisely ordered laws of nature and the incidence of fertility in such a way that successive
births are already naturally spaced through the inherent operation of these laws. The Church,
nevertheless, in urging men to the observance of the precepts of the natural law, which it
interprets by its constant doctrine, teaches that each and every marital act must of necessity retain
its intrinsic relationship to the procreation of human life. (s.12)]
36. In the present, aside from the arising issue of premarital sex and “live-in partner”
relationship, marital rape is also one of debatable concerns of not only of the state, but also of the
Church. The occurrence of this issues only indicates the continuous fading of faith of individuals
to Catechism and ceasing sanctification to the holy sacrament of marriage.
From the ‘Casti Connubii’
[Yet although matrimony is of its very nature of divine institution, the human will, too, enters
into it and performs a most noble part. For each individual marriage, inasmuch as it is a conjugal
union of a particular man and woman, arises only from the free consent of each of the spouses;
and this free act of the will, by which each party hands over and accepts those rights proper to
the state of marriage, is so necessary to constitute true marriage that it cannot be supplied by any
human power. This freedom, however, regards only the question whether the contracting parties
really wish to enter upon matrimony or to marry this particular person; but the nature of
matrimony is entirely independent of the free will of man, so that if one has once contracted
matrimony, he is thereby subject to its divinely made laws and its essential properties. For the
Angelic Doctor, writing on conjugal honor and on the offspring which is the fruit of marriage,
says: "These things are so contained in matrimony by the marriage pact itself that, if anything to
the contrary were expressed in the consent which makes the marriage, it would not be a true
marriage. (s.6)]
37. One of issue on the dispute of true marriage is the traditionally practice of arrange marriage.
However, such tradition is considered outmoded and no longer belongs in the modern world. On
the contrary, although the concept of arranged marriage is increasingly being phased out in the
modern era, it has been replaced by another outgrowing norm that continues to reject the concept
of true marriage. As discernible as it is, most people in the present times, think that considering
the virtue of love in finding partner isn’t practical. A conviction that such an incorporeal thing is
inferior to the desired values and worldly material they can obtain.

CHAPTER 4: Doctrinal Principles and Pastoral Directives

Doctrinal Principles
The Respect for Human Dignity
38. Recognition that human beings possess a special value intrinsic to their humanity and as such
are worthy of respect simply because they are human beings. Human dignity emerges neither
from what people accomplish or own, but because we are created in the image and likeness of
God. Consequently, every person is worthy of respect simply by virtue of being a human being.
People do not lose the right to being treated with respect because of disability, poverty, age, lack
of success or race, let alone gain the right to be treated with greater respect because of what they
own or accomplish.
The Respect for Human Life
39. An implication of the first principle is that every person, from the moment of conception to
natural death has an inherent dignity and a right to life consistent with the dignity that is ours as
human beings. The Catholic tradition sees the sacredness of human life as part of any moral
vision for a just and good society.
The Principle of Participation
40. People have a right to shape their own lives and the society in which they live. They should
participate in decision processes which impact on their lives and cannot be consider the passive
recipients of other people’s decisions. We each have a responsibility to be shapers of the kind of
world in which we wish to live.
The Principle of Human Equality
41. Given that every human being is entitled to respect and dignity merely because she/he has
been created in the image and likeness of God, it follows that there is a radical equality among
all human beings.
Rights and Responsibilities
42. Human dignity can be only be protected if all human rights are protected and responsibilities
of all human beings are met. Every person has a fundamental right to life and a right to the basic
needs of life. The Catholic Church teaches that every person has a duty and responsibility to help
fulfill these rights for one another, for our families, and for the larger society.

Pastoral Directives
Offenses Against Women’s Dignity

43. Unfortunately, the Christian message about the dignity of women is contradicted by that
persistent mentality which considers the human being not as a person but as a thing, as an object
of trade, at the service of selfish interest and mere pleasure: the first victims of this mentality are
women. This mentality produces very bitter fruits, such as contempt for men and for women,
slavery, oppression of the weak, pornography, prostitution-especially in an organized form-and
all those various forms of discrimination that exist in the fields of education, employment,
wages, etc.

44. They condemn the use of the Bible to support abusive behavior in any form. A correct
reading of Scripture leads people to an understanding of the equal dignity of men and women
and to relationships based on mutuality and love. Beginning with Genesis, Scripture teaches that
women and men are created in God's image. Jesus himself always respected the human dignity of
women. Pope John Paul II reminds us that "Christ's way of acting, the Gospel of his words and
deeds, is a consistent protest against whatever offends the dignity of women.”

45. They also emphasize that no person is expected to stay in an abusive marriage. Some abused
women believe that church teaching on the permanence of marriage requires them to stay in an
abusive relationship. They may hesitate to seek a separation or divorce. They may fear that they
cannot re-marry in the Church. Violence and abuse, not divorce, break up a marriage. We
encourage abused persons who have divorced to investigate the possibility of seeking an
annulment. An annulment, which determines that the marriage bond is not valid, can frequently
open the door to healing.

The Rights and Role of Women

46. Above all it is important to underline the equal dignity and responsibility of women with
men. This equality is realized in a unique manner in that reciprocal self-giving by each one to the
other and by both to the children which is proper to marriage and the family. What human reason
intuitively perceives and acknowledges is fully revealed by the word of God: the history of
salvation, in fact, is a continuous and luminous testimony of the dignity of women.
47. In creating the human race "male and female," God gives man and woman an equal personal
dignity, endowing them with the inalienable rights and responsibilities proper to the human
person. God then manifests the dignity of women in the highest form possible, by assuming
human flesh from the Virgin Mary, whom the Church honors as the Mother of God, calling her
the new Eve and presenting her as the model of redeemed woman. 
Men as Husbands and Fathers

48. Love for his wife as mother of their children and love for the children themselves are for the
man the natural way of understanding and fulfilling his own fatherhood. Above all where social
and cultural conditions so easily encourage a father to be less concerned with his family or at any
rate less involved in the work of education, efforts must be made to restore socially the
conviction that the place and task of the father in and for the family is of unique and
irreplaceable importance. As experience teaches, the absence of a father causes psychological
and moral imbalance and notable difficulties in family relationships, as does, in contrary
circumstances, the oppressive presence of a father, especially where there still prevails the
phenomenon of "machismo," or a wrong superiority of male prerogatives which humiliates
women and inhibits the development of healthy family relationships.

49. In revealing and in reliving on earth the very fatherhood of God, a man is called upon to
ensure the harmonious and united development of all the members of the family: he will perform
this task by exercising generous responsibility for the life conceived under the heart of the
mother, by a more solicitous commitment to education, a task he shares with his wife, by work
which is never a cause of division in the family but promotes its unity and stability, and by
means of the witness he gives of an adult Christian life which effectively introduces the children
into the living experience of Christ and the Church.

The Rights of Children

50. Acceptance, love, esteem, many-sided and united material, emotional, educational and
spiritual concern for every child that comes into this world should always constitute a distinctive,
essential characteristic of all Christians, in particular of the Christian family: thus children, while
they are able to grow "in wisdom and in stature, and in favor with God and man," offer their own
precious contribution to building up the family community and even to the sanctification of their
parents. Every child should be esteemed and loved, especially in a Christian family.

51. A number of achievements and good practices by religious communities that are in keeping
with children’s rights and are producing results for the well-being of children in many parts of
the world. It will also lay out practical recommendations for religious leaders and religious
communities to help strengthen protection for children. It states that: “Because religious leaders
are highly influential in their communities and many are well-respected public figures, they can
also serve as strong advocates on policies and programs regarding child well-being— such as in
the areas of health, education, child protection and child participation.”

Rape

52. The Bible speaks forcefully against sexual exploitation. Throughout Scripture, sexual
relations are portrayed as holy, ordained of God at the time of Creation, not to be indulged
frivolously, and certainly not to involve violent trampling of the rights and dignity of the
marriage partner.
Provide a ministry of support
53. Catching and punishing the rapist may be the objective of law enforcement, but that hardly
restores the dignity and personhood of the victim. Rape victims need empathy and a sense of
control over what has happened to them. The church has the responsibility and the capacity to
assist victims in dealing with hospitals, law enforcement agencies, and perhaps the media. The
church can also find help and healing in crises of confidence and self-worth that victims of
violent crimes frequently experience long after the event, but remain unable to recognize them as
such.

Conduct educational program in rape awareness.

54. Given the society we live in, the church owes its members an educational program that
facilitates awareness of rape and its personal, psychological, sociological, legal, and moral
consequences. Rape generates tremendous traumatic reactions for victims and their families. The
church can guide them to available support systems.

Mixed Marriages
55. The Holy Father notes that the growing number of mixed marriages between Catholics and
other baptized persons calls for special attention. Couples living in a mixed marriage have
special needs. In the first place, attention must be paid to the obligations that the faith imposes on
the Catholic party as to the free exercise of the faith and the Baptism and upbringing of the
children in the Catholic faith. There are particular difficulties inherent in the relationships
between husband and wife with regard to respect for the religious freedom of both. With regard
to the liturgical and canonical form of marriage, Ordinaries can make wide use of their faculties.
Marriage Preparation.
56. Good-quality marriage preparation is essential in helping couples work through the questions
and challenges that will arise after they tie the knot. Questions that the engaged couple should
consider include in what faith community (or communities) the couple will be involved, how the
couple will handle extended family who may have questions or concerns about one spouse’s
faith tradition, and how the couple will foster a spirit of unity despite their religious differences.
The Wedding Ceremony.
57. Because Catholics regard marriage as a sacred event, the church prefers that ecumenical
interfaith couples marry in a Catholic church, preferably the Catholic party’s parish church. If
they wish to marry elsewhere, they must get permission from the local bishop. He can permit
them to marry in the non-Catholic spouse’s place of worship or another suitable place with a
minister, rabbi, or civil magistrate – if they have a good reason, according to the U.S. Conference
of Catholic Bishops. This permission is called a “dispensation from canonical form.” Without it,
a wedding not held in a Catholic church is not considered valid.
Conclusion
The institution of marriage is today experiencing profound changes. But the nature of those
changes—their causes and consequences—is very much in need of explication. Marriage is a
sacrament. As a sacrament, it is a sign not only the love of the couple for each other, but of the
love of God for the couple and the love of God for his people. Marriage is also the natural basis
of the family and thus of the care of children and the continuation of human society. Properly
understood, marital love 'demands indissolubility and faithfulness in definitive mutual giving'.
Before getting married, couple should think carefully if they should get into it because it is a very
serious matter, most marriage couples end up into divorce because they are not ready for a
lifetime commitment, by entering into marriage you should know that you have to love your
partner unconditionally, that both of you should remain faithful with each other. Without love,
the family is not a community of persons and, in the same way, without love, the family cannot
live, grow and perfect itself as a community of persons.
Each person - every member of the human family - has value; no one can be dismissed,
ignored, mistreated, or abused as if their humanity means nothing. Dignity means that each
person’s humanity means something and has worth. Each person has a right to live as if his or
her life matters and each person has a right to be treated “as a person”. Also, each person’s worth
is equal to every other person. No one’s life is more important than any other persons. If each
person’s right to agency, to self-development, to choose one’s life course is the same as every
other’s, then no one can determine another person’s choices, treat another as an object, or treat a
person as if his or her life does not matter. Despite our differences, in our humanity, we are all
equal. It is in dignity that we are united.

SUMMARY OUTLINE
Contemporary Views on Marriage:
Rape-Marriage Law [2-4]
Denegation of Same Sex Marriage [7]
Ubiquity of Mixed Marriages [9]
Incessant Pre-Marital Sex [11-13; 34]
Definition of Marriage in Sociology [23]
Evangelical Discernment [30]
Marital Rape [19-21]

Other Major Issues:

Acceptance of Church in Same-sex Civil Union [5-6]
When does life begin? [ 16]
Annulment as norms [21-25; 33]
The Dubiety on the Scripture Towards Abortion and the Fifth Rule [14-16]
Modern Practicality [37]
Head of the Family [31]
Civil Marriage [32]

Pastoral Directives and Actions:

Offenses Against Women’s Dignity [43-45]
The Rights and Role of Women [46-47]
Men as Husbands and Fathers [48-49]

The Rights of Children [50-51]

Rape [52]

Provide a ministry of support [53]

Conduct Educational Program in Rape Awareness [54]
Mixed Marriages [55]
Marriage Preparation [56]
The Wedding Ceremony [57]
 References
Arcanum Divinae (February 10, 1880) | LEO XIII. (1880, February 9). ARCANUM ENCYCLICAL OF
POPE LEO XIII ON CHRISTIAN MARRIAGE.
http://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiii/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_l-xiii_enc_10021880_arcanum.html
Augustine, On the Good of Marriage - published by Oxford University Press. (1930). Augustine, De Bono
Coniugali (On the Good of Marriage). https://www.pathsoflove.com/texts/augustine-de-bono-coniugali-
oup/
Casti Connubii (December 31, 1930) | PIUS XI. (1930, December 31). CASTI CONNUBII.
http://www.vatican.va/content/pius-xi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xi_enc_19301231_casti-
connubii.html
Catechism of the Catholic Church - The sacrament of Matrimony. (1652). THE CELEBRATION OF
THE CHRISTIAN MYSTERY. https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c3a7.htm
Familiaris Consortio (November 22, 1981) | John Paul II. (1981, November 22). Familiaris Consortio.
http://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-
ii_exh_19811122_familiaris-consortio.html
Humanae Vitae (July 25, 1968) | Paul VI. (1968, July 24). HUMANAE VITAE.
http://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-vi_enc_25071968_humanae-
vitae.html

Biblical Basis
Deuteronomy 22:28-29
Leviticus 20:13
Mt 5:27-28
Ephesians 5:32
1 John 4:8
1 Corinthians 6:18-20
1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
Genesis 2:7
Psalm 139:13
Luke 1:39-44
Exodus 21:22-25
1 Corinthians 7:1-40
Genesis 1:26-28
Prov. 2:17; Mal 2:14
Genesis 1:27
Genesis 2:21-25
Acts 2:17-18; Rev 19:10

In hardwork and collaboration of following students:

Ballon, Ericka Mae
Torrente, Erika Mae
Mestidio, Kesiah Lee
Gregorio, Carla Mae
Gr. 12- St. Louise de Marillac

Submitted to:
Mr. Rodnel Christian Andrada