On the nature and dignity of Christian marriage.
By matrimony, therefore, the souls of the contracting parties are joined and knit together more directly and more intimately than are their bodies, and that not by any passing affection of sense of spirit, but by a deliberate and firm act of the will; and from this union of souls by God's decree, a sacred and inviolable bond arises. Hence the nature of this contract, which is proper and peculiar to it alone, makes it entirely different both from the union of animals entered into by the blind instinct of nature alone in which neither reason nor free will plays a part, and also from the haphazard unions of men, which are far removed from all true and honorable unions of will and enjoy none of the rights of family life.
From this it is clear that legitimately constituted authority has the right and therefore the duty to restrict, to prevent, and to punish those base unions which are opposed to reason and to nature; but since it is a matter which flows from human nature itself, no less certain is the teaching of Our predecessor, Leo XIII of happy memory: "In choosing a state of life there is no doubt but that it is in the power and discretion of each one to prefer one or the other: either to embrace the counsel of virginity given by Jesus Christ, or to bind himself in the bonds of matrimony. To take away from man the natural and primeval right of marriage, to circumscribe in any way the principal ends of marriage laid down in the beginning by God Himself in the words 'Increase and multiply,' is beyond the power of any human law."
Therefore the sacred partnership of true marriage is constituted both by the will of God and the will of man. From God comes the very institution of marriage, the ends for which it was instituted, the laws that govern it, the blessings that flow from it; while man, through generous surrender of his own person made to another for the whole span of life, becomes, with the help and cooperation of God, the author of each particular marriage, with the duties and blessings annexed thereto from divine institution. - Casti Connubii 7-9, Pius XI
What I find amazing is that every marriage I've run across seems to be an entity unto it's self and that no two marriages appear to be alike. - That "Is" the very sort of thing that comes from the mind of God. God's handiwork.., giving individuality to billions of unions.
ReplyDeleteWasn't it Pius XI?
ReplyDeleteYes - thanks Merc! I'll fix it!
ReplyDeleteHere's something that's never been adequately explained: How is the Catholic hierarchy's understanding of "matrimony," or sacramental marriage, undermined or threatened by expanding civil marriage rights to gay couples?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI think Bernard Schlager's words are worth reflecting on:
ReplyDelete". . . Let's be clear about what [Archbishop] Nienstedt and the other Minnesota Catholic bishops are doing as they try to derail any momentum for marriage equality in their state and, in the process, change the Minnesota constitution. . . . The bishops' activities . . . are nothing other than a brazen – and unwise – attempt by religious leaders of one denomination to impose their views on everyone (regardless of religious affiliation, if any) throughout an entire state. It is one thing to prohibit marriage equality for Catholics in terms of the Catholic sacrament of marriage; it is quite another thing for a bishop (or two or three) to work to restrict the rights of all lesbian and gay Minnesotans – non-Catholics and Catholics alike – who may seek civil marriage.
"It is important to point out, of course, that there are many, many churchgoing American Catholics who believe in marriage equality, as has been demonstrated by recent surveys that show significant support for gay marriage among Catholics in the US . . ."
Schlager's entire commentary can be found here.
"Here's something that's never been adequately explained: How is the Catholic hierarchy's understanding of "matrimony," or sacramental marriage, undermined or threatened by expanding civil marriage rights to gay couples?"
ReplyDeleteMichael - you can find that out here:
CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING PROPOSALS
TO GIVE LEGAL RECOGNITION
TO UNIONS
BETWEEN HOMOSEXUAL PERSONS
I said adequately explained.
ReplyDeleteI said adequately explained.
ReplyDeleteIn other words, screw what the Church says - I AM my own authority.
"It is important to point out, of course, that there are many, many churchgoing American Catholics who believe in marriage equality, as has been demonstrated by recent surveys that show significant support for gay marriage among Catholics in the US . . ."
Whoop-de-doo. So a lot of people can be wrong about something. Tell us something we don't know.
'...What I find amazing is that every marriage I've run across seems to be an entity unto it's self and that no two marriages appear to be alike..."
ReplyDeleteEach Angel is a complete different species from all other Angels.
Even though there are millions of consecrated hosts in tabernacles around the world, it is only one Christ present.
God is wonderful in His creation.
The reason God did not kill Satan is because killing is evil, and to kill something would make God the Author of Death.
Man has caused perversions of God's will for which man is judged by God and placed into Hell for eternity.
God created man and woman to procreate; man invented homosexuality and all its subsequent perversions to oppose God's will.
The reward for this is the fires of Hell.
This perversion does not decrease the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony, it increases the sin for which man condemns himself.
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ReplyDeleteMichael - LOL! I don't think the Church can ever 'adequately' explain it for you.
ReplyDeleteFor those that believe, no explanation is necessary.
ReplyDeleteFor those that don't, no explanation is possible.
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I remember reading something one time, and I don't know where it came from, but it stated that even the demons cannot stand the sight of sodomy, and after they bring two men together and tempt them to commit the act, they flee the scene, because even to the demons who retain the "imprint" from their previous angelic status, find it disgusting. But of course, they then return and foment all manner of delusions and entrench the souls even further in their sin.
ReplyDeletePaul - the demons may flee, but the Guardian Angels remain. And weep, I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteFunny timing given the new study by the Williams Institute that show lesbian parents are actually better when it comes to rates of child abuse than hetero families:
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/233aodm