This document discusses the Catholic sacrament of matrimony. It explains that marriage is a covenant between spouses that represents the bond between Christ and the Church. The key aspects of Catholic marriage highlighted include the consent and vows exchanged by the couple, the permanence and indissolubility of the marital bond, and marriage as a source of sanctifying grace for the spouses.

1. SACRAMENT of:
Matrimony is the sacrament of human love
that Jesus Christ raised to a real efficacious
symbol of His love for the Church.

2.  Marriage as a Sacrament
 Marriage as a Covenant
 Effects of Marriage
 Indissolubility of Marriage
 Impediments to Matrimony
 Symbols of Marriage
 Rite of the Sacrament of the Matrimony
 The Church Says…

4.  After God created man and woman, He blessed them
and shared with them His power to create.
 “ Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it
(Gen. 1:28)
 Jesus’ first public act was to sanction marriage and to
reaffirm its dignity (Marriage feast at Cana- Jn. 2:1-12)
 The mutual exchange of vows and the exchange of
rings are the sign of the sacrament:
● vows- proclaim their special love for each other publicly
and promise to be faithful to each other forever
● rings- signs of the nuptial vows and visual reminders of
the mutual promises of love and faith.

5.  The bond of union between husband and wife is an
image of the bond of union between and His Church ,
the bond is one of perfect unity, fidelity, and
indissolubility; St. Peter states the comparison as follow:
The husband is head of the wife
just as Christ is the head of the Church…
Even so, husbands ought
to love their wives as their own bodies.
He who loves his wife, loves himself.
Now no one ever hates his own flesh;
on the contrary, he who nourishes and cherishes it,
as Christ does the Church,
because we are members of His body (Eph. 5:23-30)

6.  Through the Sacrament of Matrimony, the
Catholic Church gives an effective sign of Jesus
transforming the couple’s mutual love into a
revelation of God’s love and n active participation
in the New Covenant.
It is a sacrament because it is a sign and
manifestation of God’s infinite love. The outward
and sensible signs of the sacraments are the
couple’s mutual exchange of vows and the giving
of the ring.

8.  It is a covenant or sacred agreement where the
partnership requires 100% effort from both parties
In this covenant, both parties give to each other
unconditional love- a love that last forever, is freely
given, and has no strings attached. Thus the couple
trust each other totally and give themselves without
holding back.
 Jesus makes this relationship clear to the Pharisees
when they ask Him about divorce. He tells them in no
uncertain terms:

9. Have you not read that at the beginning, the Creator
made them male and female and declared, “For this reason
man shall leave his father and mother and cling to his wife,
and the two shall become as one. Thus, they are no longer
two but one flesh. Therefore, let no man separate what God
has joined (Mt. 19: 4-6)
Through His answer to the Pharisees, Jesus teaches
that the state of marriage is characterized by three
qualities, namely:
● unity- which means that one man is united to one
woman

10. ● fidelity- which means that both parties keep the
promises of marriage by reserving their love
entirely and exclusively for the other
● indissolubility- which means that the marriage bond
is not broken until the death of one of the partners.
 In the marriage image used by the Old Testament, God
is the bridegroom, and His Chosen people, the bride
Jesus makes it clear that marriage has sacred status
with a supernatural dignity.
 It is a covenant because it is a sacred agreement of a
100% commitment from both contracting parties to
support each other all the way in all circumstances.

12. 1. THE MARRIAGE BOND
From a valid marriage, there arises a bond
between the spouses. By its very nature, this
bond is perpetual and exclusive because the
consent the spouses mutually give and receive is
sealed by God Himself. Thus, the marriage bond
can never be dissolved (CCC 1639-1640)

13. 2. INCREASE OF SANCTIFYING GRACE
Through their union with Jesus, the
marriage couple get the special help of God for
the wisdom, patience and faith needed to face
the problems, duties and responsibilities of
married life.
3. HELP FOR MARRIED PARTNERS TO BECOME BETTER
CHRISTIANS
Married couples are signs of God’s love.
Every act of concern, intimacy, and giving
between husband and wife is a grace by which
God manifests His Goodness.

14. Matrimony is an unending source of
the grace needed for the proper exercise of
the many functions of marriage- begetting
and bringing up of children; mutual
exchange of love, fidelity, and comfort; and
maintenance of a family.

16. St. Paul says:
To those who are married, not I, but the Lord
commands that a wife is not to separate from her husband,
and if she does separate, she must remain unmarried or
become reconciled to her husband. And let not a husband
put away his wife ( Cor. 7:10-11)
Jesus says:
What… God has joined together, let no man put asunder
(Mt. 19:6). He says further, Everyone who puts away his
wife and marries another commits adultery and he who
marries a woman who has been put away from her
husband commits adultery (Lk.16:18)

17. THUS, FOLLOWING THE TEACHING OF JESUS, THE
BOND OF MATRIMONY LAST UNTIL THE DEATH OF
ONE OF THE PARTNERS.
Some reasons for the indissolubility of marriage are:
 To preserve the unity and sacred character of
marriage
 To provide for the proper upbringing of children
which cannot be obtained if divorce were permitted

18.  However, a non-consummated marriage between
two baptized persons or between a baptized and an
unbaptized person may be dissolved for very grave
cause either by the solemn religious profession of
either party or by papal dispensation
 The Church does not force couples to continue living
together even if they cannot agree peaceably, the
Church may declare separation when there is a grave
cause like adultery, heresy, threats on the life of the
other, etc but it does not cut the valid marital bond

20. IMPEDIMENTS- are obstacles or restrictions imposed by
the law of God or the Church for the welfare of the
society and for the protection of the matrimonial bond
Some of the impediments to marriage are:
1. An existing marriage
2. Coercion
3. Below age requirement
4. Blood relationship
5. Close affinity
6. Holy Orders, solemn vows, simple vows
7. Disparity of worship

21. Some of the impediments to marriage are:
8. Spiritual affinity
9. Legal relationship
10. Other impediments
The Church has established impediments
whenever circumstances incompatible with the
Sacrament of Matrimony exist.

23. 1. WEDDING VEIL
It denotes a deep level of agreement – a sacred oneness. It
symbolizes the union of two matured individuals who vow to love
and respect each other for eternity.
The veil is pinned above the girl’s head representing submission of
herself to her husband’s leadership. While the other side of the
veil is pinned on the man’s shoulder symbolizing the responsibility
he has to bear as the caretaker of the family’s welfare.
2. WEDDING CORD
It represents strength. As it is being placed over the veil, it
strengthens the couple’s union and it also signifies the kind of
spirituality they should have as husband and wife, and as future
parents to their children.

24. 3. WEDDING CANDLES
It symbolizes the light of Jesus Christ, the same light that
we all should have within us. The lighting of the candles during a
wedding is a simple reminder that we should forever have the
light of Christ in our lives and that we should keep that holy fire
burning in our hearts.
There are two candles, one at the groom’s side and one at
the bride’s side. This is to remind the couple that it is their utmost
duty to remind each other of God’s light – that if there are
circumstances that might compromise one’s spirituality, the other
should bring him/her back to God’s light.

25. 4. WEDDING COINS
It simply means prosperity and wealth for the marrying couple. It
suggests that the bride and the groom should support each other
not only morally and spiritually but also financially.
Traditionally, we use 13 coins which stand for Jesus Christ and His
twelve apostles. These coins are blessed first, before the groom
gives it to the bride, which signifies his pledge of sincerely
providing for her and their future family’s welfare.
5. WEDDING RINGS
It represents the solemn promise of forever. Its round shape
personifies the eternal love of the marrying couple for each other.

26. 6. HOLY BIBLE
For Christians, the holy bible is considered part of the
wedding symbols as it represents the couple’s devotion and
commitment to learning more about God’s word. God
should always and forever be the foundation of marriage.

28. Marrying couples are encouraged to receive the
Sacrament of Marriage in the context of the Holy Mass
shat the relationship between married love and the
covenant that Jesus made can become more manifest.
I. INTRODUCTION
The priest addresses the bride and groom: my dear
friends, you have come together in this Church so that the
Lord may seal and strengthen your love in the presence of
the Church’s minister and this community. Christ
abundantly blesses this love. He has already consecrated
you in baptism and now He enriches and strengthens you

29. by a special sacrament so that you may assume the duties
of marriage in mutual and lasting fidelity. And so, in the
presence of the Church, I ask you to state your intentions.
II. STATEMENT OF INTENTIONS
Priest questions the couple: ______ and ______, have
you come here freely and without reservation to give
yourselves to each other in marriage?
Will you love each other as man and wife for rest of
your lives?
Will you accept children lovingly from God, and bring
them up according to the law of Christ and His Church?
(The couple will answer the questions separately)

30. III. CONSENT
The priest invites the couple to declare their consent.
PRIEST: Since it is your intention to enter into marriage, join
your right hands, and declare your consent before
God and His Church.
(They join hands.)
GROOM: I, (name), take you, (name), to be my wife. I promise
to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness
and in health. I will love you and honor you all days
of my life.
BRIDE: I, (name), take you, (name), to be my husband. I
promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in
sickness and in health. I will love you and honor you all
days of my life.

31. IV. RECEPTION OF CONSENT
The priest receives their consent for the whole Church: You
have declared your consent before the Church. May the Lord in
His goodness strengthen your consent and fill you both with His
blessings. What God has joined, men must not divide.
PEOPLE: Amen.
V. EXCHANGE OF RINGS
PRIEST: May the Lord bless these rings which you give to each
other as the sign of your love and fidelity
ALL: Amen
GROOM: (name), take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity,
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
BRIDE: (name), take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity, in
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

32. The Liturgy of the Eucharist follows the rite of
marriage. After the Our Father, the bride and the groom
are given the nuptial blessing. As newlyweds, they
receive communion and are sent forth with God’s
blessing.
The consent by which the spouses mutually give
and receive one another is sealed by God Himself. Thus,
the marriage bond between baptized persons can never
be dissolved. This bond, which results from the free
human act of the spouses is a reality, henceforth
irrevocable, and it gives rise to a covenant guaranteed
by God’s fidelity.

34. Marriage is a unique sacrament in that the
vocation of marriage itself is a foundational human
reality built into the very created nature of man and
woman with its own profound meaning, even before the
teaching of any specific religion. It is unique also in that
whereas other sacraments use material things like
water, bread, wine, oil, in marriage the “external sign” is
the love relationship between the spouses. Moreover,
among all human love relationships, none rivals the life-
long commitment of conjugal intimacy and self-giving of
the married partners.
cf. CFC 1881

35. God, ever faithful to His covenant of love,
included marriage and family in His redemptive plan.
The Old Testament prophets by using marriage as
symbol of God’s covenant with His Chosen People, had
already pictured marriage as a covenant which should
imitate God’s own fidelity…But it was only through Jesus
Christ that the “covenant of human love”, symbol of
God’s love for His people in creation, could be raised to
become the sacrament of the New Covenant of Christ’s
redemptive love with His people, the Church.
cf. CFC 1888

36. 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, strengthen their indissoluble unity, and
sanctifies them on the way to external life.
CCC 1661