The document discusses the Catholic sacrament of marriage. It describes marriage as a symbol of Christ's love for the Church, with two ends of being unitive (mutual love and support) and procreative (propagating humanity). It outlines biblical foundations for marriage from Genesis and states marriage images Christ's covenant with the Church. The goods of marriage are described as Christ's love, fidelity between spouses, offspring, and it being a sacrament.

1. Matrimony Sacrament of Christ’s Love

2. Nature of the Sacrament Sacrament of human love that Christ raised as an efficacious symbol of his love for the Church.

3. Biblical Foundation “God created man in his image… male and female He created them… He blessed them saying ‘Be fertile and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it.’” (Gen 1:27f). “It is not good for man to be alone. I will make a suitable partner for him… that is why a man leaves his father and mother and clings to his wife, and the two of them become one body” (Gen 2:18, 24)

4. Genesis Teaching on Marriage The two basic ends of marriage: Unitive Procreative The fall from conjugal unity and equality Genesis 3 sketches the origin of sin and its basic consequences in human marriage: infidelity, adultery, divorce, broken families, etc. God promising a savior It is through Jesus Christ that the “covenant of human love” was raised to become the sacrament of God’s new and eternal Covenant with His people, the Church. (CFC 1997)

5. Two Basic Ends of Marriage Procreative propagating the human race; sharing in God’s own creativity social purpose of marriage Unitive mutual love, support and unity of the couple personal purpose of marriage

6. Image of the New Covenant The marriage covenant between husband and wife images the covenant between Christ and his Church. Therefore husbands and wives should love each other as Christ loves the Church, “deferring to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Eph 5:21).

7. Goods / Values of Marriage Sacrament of Christ’s love for his people Mutual love and fidelity of spouses Offspring

8. Marriage as 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. “ The love of man and woman is made holy in the Sacrament of Marriage, and becomes the mirror of your everlasting love.” 3rd Preface of the Wedding Mass

9. Marriage Fidelity/ Indissolubility Authentic married love should be marked by total permanent fidelity “till death do us part,” following Christ’s own prophetic proclamation: “let no man separate what God has joined” (Mt 19:6). While recognizing the great obstacles to the Christian ideal, the Church is convinced of the transforming sacramental grace of Christ and the Spirit which makes possible permanent conjugal love. (CFC 2007)

10. Offspring “By their very nature, the institution of marriage and conjugal love are ordained for the procreation and education of children, and find in them their ultimate crown” (GS 48).

11. Responsible Parenthood The Church teaches the grave need for responsible parenthood which involves bringing into the world only those children whom they can well support and educate. The Church advocates only Natural Family Planning, rejecting all artificial means of contraception. CFC 2009

12. Why Get Married in the Church? Catholic spouses get married in the church: To have their binding commitment of love to each other before God and the Christian community, Blessed through, with and in Christ their Lord and Savior, as he blessed the wedding at Cana, where he performed the first of his “signs” revealing his glory to his disciples. CFC 2001

13. Essential Elements MINISTERS Bride and Groom A priest or a deacon presides at the celebration in an official capacity for the Church (as witness) but is not the minister of the sacrament. MATTER The mutual consent of the couple FORM The exchange of “I do’s.”