marriage question

[billcu1]

I might’ve asked this before but I can’t remember the response. Will the church allow two people to marry that don’t want children? For financial reasons or because the woman may be too old for having children?

 

[thewanderer]

So long as they are open to having kids if they become able to have them then they can get married. Financial reasons are likely to change, lack of fertility due to old age… not so much. But either way, they can’t just go into marriage saying “I don’t want kids”. They can go in saying “I currently can’t afford kids, but would love to have some when I can”. If they are infertile due to old age thats no different than being infertile due to other medical conditions. It is not an impediment to marriage so long as they are open to having children should it turn out they actually are capable of it.

 

[Steveabrous]

I am Married and My wife and I do not “want” anymore children. However if we were to have another child then that’s o.k. We wouldn’t abort or give it up for adoption we would raise it as we have the other 5.

It’s not an issue of “Want”, It’s an issue of refusal. If they refuse to have children then they are most likely going to take steps to ensure they don’t. And anything beyond abstinence to ensure they have no children would be against church teaching.

 

[robwar]

I might’ve asked this before but I can’t remember the response. Will the church allow two people to marry that don’t want children? For financial reasons or because the woman may be too old for having children?

There is a difference between “don’t want” and can’t due to infertility and age. When one goes through the marriage prep and met with the priest, you are asked and I remember being told that the couple must be open to life and not use contraception. What do you mean by “financial reasons” because in actuality no one is ever truly “financially ready”. If there is big debt or joblessness then one may not even be ready to marry on that alone. One of the reasons for marriage is the raising of children. It is a vocation and call from God. If you are struggling with this, you need to have an honest discussion with your priest.

 

[nodito]

One of the vows that Catholics make during marriage is to answer in the affirmative the question “Will you accept children lovingly from God, and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?” If a couple has decided beforehand that they will not accept children, they cannot validly marry.

 

[1ke]

I might’ve asked this before but I can’t remember the response. Will the church allow two people to marry that don’t want children? For financial reasons or because the woman may be too old for having children?

A permanent intention against one of the essential properties of marriage renders the attempt at marriage invalid.

A person incapable of having children does not have a permanent intention against children. A person who may need to postpone children for a period of time does not have a permanent intention against children. A person who rejects children entirely is a different story.

 

[Rau]

One of the vows that Catholics make during marriage is to answer in the affirmative the question “Will you accept children lovingly from God, and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his Church?” If a couple has decided beforehand that they will not accept children, they cannot validly marry.

That question may be interpreted in various way. My interpretation has always been - “should you become pregnant, will you have the baby…” etc. I don’t believe the meaning is “will you seek to have children…”. So, while the teaching on contraception is clear, and the teaching is that there must be a good reason to use even NFP, nothing **in that question **suggests one can’t use NFP continuously.