Marriage

The Sacrament of Matrimony

Are you and your future spouse wishing to receive the sacrament of marriage? If so, glory to God! Please call our office at 870-772-1115.

You and your future spouse will undergo a journey of marriage preparation, usually lasting around six months, preparing your souls for your marriage and getting all the proper documentation in order before your wedding day.

More information on marriage, married life, and parenting can be found here.

Questions about Marriage

What is the Sacrament of Marriage?

From the beginning, God has willed that through marriage, a man and woman become partners for life. And later, Jesus Christ transformed marriage into a sacrament, into a means of grace for baptized Christians (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1601).

And so, marriage exists in two forms: natural marriage ("non-sacramental marriage") and supernatural marriage ("sacramental marriage," or "Christian marriage"). A marriage between two non-baptized persons (or between a baptized Christian and a non-baptized person) is a natural marriage. A marriage between two baptized Christians is a sacramental marriage.

Sacramental marriage forms a spiritual bond between the man and woman, fusing them together for life. This sacramental bond is a source of grace, uniting the man and woman more closely to Jesus Christ throughout their lives.

Because sacramental marriage is a symbol of God's "marriage" with the human race—that is, of God uniting himself forever with us on the Cross—sacramental marriage is "indissoluble," meaning that nothing but the death of one of the spouses can "dissolve" the marriage. This means that marriage is for life, and that divorce does really not exist (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1640), even if physical separation between the spouses might be necessary for some reason. While it's true that, in our day, divorce is recognized legally by most states of government in the world, divorce is nevertheless not real: neither for Christians nor for non-Christians. A person who is validly married remains married to that spouse until one of them dies.

So, to summarize: The sacrament of matrimony is a symbol of of Christ's marriage to his Church, and gives spouses the grace to love each other with Jesus' own love, strengthening their indissoluble unity, and making them holy as they walk together toward eternal life (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1661).

What is an Annulment?

An annulment is a declaration from the Catholic Church saying that a person who attempted marriage with another person was never in fact really married to that person, and is thus free to enter into a marriage with another person.

The reasons why someone's marriage (or what seemed to be a marriage) might be deemed "null" are varied. One reason why a marriage might be "annulled," or deemed invalid, is because one or both of the persons lacked the maturity that is necessary to say the "I do" of marriage and really mean it. Another reason might be that one of the persons felt forced to enter into the marriage and thus wasn't free in saying the vows. Each of these persons, after receiving an annulment, would be free to enter into a marriage with another person.

More information regarding annulments and the annulment process can be found here.

What is Marriage "In the Church"?

Any Catholic who wants to marry is required to get married under "canonical form" (or what is commonly referred to as being married "in the Church"). This means that, for a Catholic to be validly married (even if the spouse is non-Catholic), he or she must be married before a bishop, priest or deacon, along with two witnesses. If a Catholic attempts marriage not under canonical form (such as at a civil ceremony in a wedding venue, or at a ceremony in a non-Catholic church) without receiving a dispensation to do so, the marriage is invalid.

The fact that such a marriage is invalid (i.e., not an actual marriage) in no way minimizes the relationship between the two persons. Almost always, their love for each other is real!

Nevertheless, it is the case that such persons are not married, even if they appear to be married "on paper." Catholics living in this state are encouraged to speak to a priest and pursue the validation of their marriage (usually through a "convalidation"). 

What is a Convalidation?

In a convalidation, two persons who attempted marriage, but who were not in fact married for some reason, now enter into marriage, forming an indissoluble spiritual bond between each other. Their marriage, which was previously invalid, is now valid. Their "irregular" marriage situation is now regularized.

I'm in an Irregular Marriage: What Do I Do?

In the first place, remember God's mercy, and that by his grace, we can get things worked out!

Many people are in irregular marriages without even knowing it, and often our ignorance is not our own fault. Come talk to a priest (call the office at 870-772-1115 to schedule a meeting), explain to him your situation, and he will help you find a path forward.

And if you are a Catholic in an irregular marriage knowingly and freely, and are ready to take a step back towards Jesus Christ, the doors of God's mercy are open wide to you in confession.