Can Catholics get married if they cannot have children?

[Wesrock]

I am not a canon lawyer, moral theologian, priest, or formally educated in these matters. But my understanding is that the only moral way to conceive children requires the marital act. Children have a right to be conceived from that type of embrace between a husband and wife. Based on that, there is not a moral way for an impotent couple to have children.

 

[Wesrock]

I’m disappointed in myself that I forgot about adoption in such circumstances.

 

[littlebird]

My apologies, I did not intend to change the context of the OP.

I was asking this because of this reply;
FrDavid96

“In that case, you have not been reading the discussion here.”

"As I have said on at least a dozen occasions now, there are 2 ways that the words “cannot have children” can be interpreted. (at least 2 ways, but 2 ways relative to canon law on the matter of contracting marriage).

A person is incapable of performing the marital act. Addressed in Canon 1084.1
A person is still capable of performing the marital act, but is sterile. Addressed in Canon 1084.3"

I was asking this question because of the above statement. In the OP, the people have not been married as of yet. I was wondering if they can get married if they cannot have children. If the couple can still have children while being unable to perform the marital act, then that statement( 1.) is not relevant to the OP. Apparently , the statement “cannot have children” means to some that they can have children by science or other means. That’s why I simply and clearly stated that they cannot have children. The OP does not suggest adoption. I was hoping that the OP was suggesting that it is permanently physically impossible for this couple to produce children ever. I dint know that “cannot have children” can be interpreted as “can have children”. I have already apologized for not knowing how to ask a simple and clear question. I will try to improve.
littlebird6h goout
If someone is unable to perform the marital act, can they still have children ?

 

[acanonlawyer]

I dint know that “cannot have children” can be interpreted as “can have children”.

I don’t think that’s the point. The point others have made is that “cannot have children” is an incomplete statement. To get a clearer answer to your question “can Catholics get married if they cannot have children”, you’d need to add to the question. “Can Catholics get married if they cannot have children because of sterility?” would suggest a “yes” answer. “Can Catholics get married if they cannot have children because of impotence?” would suggest a “no” answer. (These simple yes or no answers could be qualified and particularized down to minute detail.)

Your statement that the inability is due to “physical impossibility that cannot be fixed” only begged the question: what is the nature of the physical impossibility? Is the physical impossibility sterility or impotence?

Dan

 

[babochka]

In other words, in a family-friendly way, without describing too many details, what do you mean when you wrote “cannot have children ever. It is physically impossible and cannot be fixed.”

I assumed, based on the information given, that it was something along the lines of “lacking a uterus or ovaries”. But I see how the question was not detailed enogh.

 

[FrDavid96]

I was asking this question because of the above statement. In the OP, the people have not been married as of yet. I was wondering if they can get married if they cannot have children.

…

You keep insisting that the question, as you pose it, has a simple yes or no answer.

ONE MORE TIME I am going to say that your question, as you phrase it, does not have a yes or no answer.

Instead, the Church asks two questions:

1. Is one party (or both) completely incapable of performing the marital act? (c 1084.1)
2. Is one party (or both) still able to perform the marital act, but is sterile? (c. 1084.3)

For some odd and inexplicable reason, you refuse to tell us which of those 2 questions applies to your question.

The question “if they cannot have children?” is not found anywhere in canon law. That is NOT a question that the Church asks. Instead, it is 2 separate questions that I keep repeating.

 

[acanonlawyer]

In fairness, canon 1084 does not explicitly say “divine law.” The phrase “of its very nature” is understood to refer to the divine law but that reference is not an obvious thing to everyone.

Dan

 

[FrDavid96]

In fairness, canon 1084 does not explicitly say “divine law.” The phrase “of its very nature” is understood to refer to the divine law but that reference is not an obvious thing to everyone.

Dan

True. But the OP still will not tell us if 1084.1 or 1084.3 applies to the original question.

Insisting on a “yes or no” answer to a question that cannot possibly be answered that way doesn’t help anyone.

 

[Joe_5859]

@littlebird, do you understand the answers that have been given so far? Of course, you don’t necessarily have to tell us which applies in the situation in the OP (whether impotence or sterility). But you can take the answer Father and others have given and apply it if you understand which camp the couple falls into. Is there something you are still not understanding, or do you feel like your question has been answered?

 

[goout]

It’s good to keep in mind that natural form is important in sexuality. The way we are physically made and the way man and woman physically interact is indispensable to sexual morality. (should be obvious, but alas…)

Consideration of results (like conception) is a separate but related issue to whether the natural physical form of the act can be participated in.

this is why…
even though one of the ends of marriage is to bring children into the world, having a test tube conception is immoral: because it does not use human equipment in the natural way God has ordered it.

The reflex response is that this is overly legalistic etc…but consider the exhortation to feed the hungry.
That morality is based on the fact that real people have real stomachs that need real food.
It is not moral to separate the physicality of human beings from these considerations. Likewise in sexual morality.

 

[nodito]

You are the 3rd person I have used that phrase on.

You are the only one to take offense.

During the 80s and 90s during the Nuclear Power Plant circuit I worked, I used “Yo Munchin Power” and she would respond “Yo Giant Power”.

Currently I address another co-worker with the same greeting. She takes no offense either. And she knows I mean no disrespect by it.

That two other people you have said this to did not take offense (or alternatively, did not let on that it bothered them) does not mean that many would not consider it rude or distasteful.

 

[DeniseNY]

I’m disappointed in myself that I read through this entire thread.

 

[ahs]

@DeniseNY , Maybe you’ll get time off out of purgatory for it.

 

[ahs]

This answer really sums it up. Can the couple be Married if it is impossible to have children? That depends on WHY.

Instead, the Church asks two questions:

Is one party (or both) completely incapable of performing the marital act? (c 1084.1)
Is one party (or both) still able to perform the marital act, but is sterile? (c. 1084.3)

For some odd and inexplicable reason, you refuse to tell us which of those 2 questions applies to your question.

The question “if they cannot have children?” is not found anywhere in canon law. That is NOT a question that the Church asks. Instead, it is 2 separate questions that I keep repeating.

And there is the answer.

 

[cmjmevans]

FrDavid96, I don’t feel anyone would answer your question in this format. You’ve been very thorough and are excused from this particular discussion. Perhaps the OP could message you privately.

 

[stinkcat_14]

FrDavid96, I don’t feel anyone would answer your question in this format. You’ve been very thorough and are excused from this particular discussion. Perhaps the OP could message you privately.

To be honest, I don’t think anyone needs to answer the question because the answer seems pretty straightforward. Either part A applies, or part B applies. The problem is the OP keeps coming back and asking more vague questions and to answer questions further, more information is needed.

 

[joeybaggz]

“Oh well, if so, I guess any single woman who is post menopausal is out of luck.”

What leads you to that conclusion?

What leads me to that conclusion? The title of this thread. “Can Catholics get married if they cannot have children?” The inference being that if one cannot have children they cannot get married. Simple

 

[cmjmevans]

Thank for replying.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

It might be instructive to read some of the responses, not just the title of the thread. Simple.

 

[joeybaggz]

Then again, an OP might just be looking for a simple answer to his/her question. What a strange thought!!