Part 1: 4 Elements of a Marriage
Sr. Melanie Reyes, MSBS, a canonist, posed the following question to the audience after showing a video clip of a couple exchanging their wedding vows underwater; “Is this a Catholic marriage?” On 14 July, Sr. Melanie Reyes a visiting nun from the Philippines gave an enlightening talk on marriage and Canon Law which was attended by 50 parishioners of NBVM and SCIC.
This write-up on the talk will be divided into 3 Parts: Part 1: Elements of a Marriage, Part 2: What makes a marriage Valid and Part 3 : Practical ways to care for marriage.
The 4 Elements of Marriage according to the canon 1055 of the Code of Canon Law:
A covenant between a man and a woman is not a mutual agreement or a contract but rather a “permanent resolve rooted in the natural inclination of the human person that calls for fidelity” (Mal 2:10-16). In other words, a contract is an agreement while a covenant is a perpetual promise ( a life-long decision of the heart).
Second it is a consortium– a partnership for whole life. Married couples are companions in life’s journey looking out for the good of the partner and procreation. Most broken marriages relate to one party breaching the partnership by pursuing one’s own interest.
Third, it is ordained in its very nature, meaning marriage is not an institution constructed by society but rather instituted by God. Hence we do not have the capacity to change its fundamental elements. As in Genesis, when God created Adam, He created Eve to be his companion.
Fourth, intrinsic purpose includes the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of the children. The latter concerns not only the physical but also the, emotional, intellectual and spiritual needs.
When 2 baptized individuals exchange their vows in Church, it is raised to the dignity of a sacrament.
Essential properties of Marriage according to Canonical 1056 are unity and dissolubility. Unity refers to a monogamous marriage and indissolubility means a permanent marital bond that cannot be dissolved.
