Yep. Why would you marry if you can’t consummate it or ever have kids?
It’s true. If you are not capable of consumating the marriage, you cannot get married. It doesn’t matter how old you are.
Yes.
The term as used in Canon Law has a wider definition then what is normally considered. It also must be remembered that it is different from Infertile.
They did not contract a valid marriage if they attempted marriage in the Church. They might be legally married, but not sacramentally.
Is this also true of women who have had hysterectomies…?
Mike, Impotency and infertility are not the same thing. Infertility is not an impediment, hence marriage beyond the child bearing years is not invalid. Impotence, the inability to have sexual intercourse, IS an impediment.
Bella, a hysterectomy does not make a woman impotent but only infertile. Infertility is not an impediment. Inability to complete the sex act (impotence) is an impediment.
To meet the criteria for the impediment of impotence, the impotence must exist at the time the marriage is attempted (not afterwards, so for example if someone were paralyzed in a car wreck after they were married this does not invalidate the marriage) and it must be what is called “legally perpetual” meaning it cannot be cured or overcome. Impotence may be absolute, meaning the person is impotent with all members of the opposite sex or the impotence may be what is called relative-- meaning they are impotent only with the chosen spouse. This could occur when there is a large physical disproportion in size of the sex organs rendering a completed act of intercourse impossible.
I don’t now but I’ve been told that if you can’t satisfy your partner’s needs you are in essence leading them into temptation by not providing them with a viable alternative.