Natural vs. sacramental marriage

[Persuader]

Hello, guys. My gf and I are considering marriage, and since I am not baptized, it will probably be a natural marriage. I just wanted to know if there was any practical differences between natural and sacramental marriage. The information I have found is not entirely clear. For instance, is natural marriage treated differently in respect to an annulment? Some of the information I have found suggest there is no difference, but I have also read that it is easier to get an annulment if the marriage is non-sacramental.

Me and my gf have an appointment with a priest where we will discuss this marriage-business, but it might not be appropriate for me to mention this to him, especially not in our first meeting.

 

[cameron_lansing]

Hello, guys. My gf and I are considering marriage, and since I am not baptized, it will probably be a natural marriage. I just wanted to know if there was any practical differences between natural and sacramental marriage. The information I have found is not entirely clear. For instance, is natural marriage treated differently in respect to an annulment? Some of the information I have found suggest there is no difference, but I have also read that it is easier to get an annulment if the marriage is non-sacramental.

Me and my gf have an appointment with a priest where we will discuss this marriage-business, but it might not be appropriate for me to mention this to him, especially not in our first meeting.

I do not think it is appropriate to evaluate whether one is “easier” or not to “get free” of later, especially while anticipating marriage at all. If I were the cleric assisting you, it would raise red flags in my mind about the true intentions of the parties to enter marriage.

However, to the point, a decree of nullity is no easier to receive in a natural marriage than it is in a sacramental marriage. (I say this as a canon lawyer working in a tribunal. But as colleagues sometimes say, what do I know?)

Unlike consummated sacramental marriages however, natural marriages, consummated or not, can be dissolved by Pauline privilege or by a privilege from the Roman pontiff in favor of the faith.

Nullity of marriage is different from the dissolution of marriage although both establish a freedom for subsequent marriage. I will not comment on the distinction as it can be easily found by browsing the website of almost any Catholic tribunal in the U.S.

Valid marriage, sacramental or not, contains exactly the same rights and obligations. There is no distinction except for the moral duty of a Catholic partner to witness to the faith and do all in his or her power to continue the practice of the faith and to all in his or her power to see that the children are baptized and raised Catholic. Those, in fact, are attached to the granting of a dispensation from disparity of cult that would be needed for the valid marriage of a Catholic to a non baptized person. One would hope that this example will invite the baptism of the non baptized party some day. Apart from that, sacraments confer grace. Natural marriages would receive blessing from God apart from the sacramental economy since God is the author of all marriage.

 

[Persuader]

I do not think it is appropriate to evaluate whether one is “easier” or not to “get free” of later, especially while anticipating marriage at all. If I were the cleric assisting you, it would raise red flags in my mind about the true intentions of the parties to enter marriage.

However, to the point, a decree of nullity is no easier to receive in a natural marriage than it is in a sacramental marriage. (I say this as a canon lawyer working in a tribunal. But as colleagues sometimes say, what do I know?)

Unlike consummated sacramental marriages however, natural marriages, consummated or not, can be dissolved by Pauline privilege or by a privilege from the Roman pontiff in favor of the faith.

Nullity of marriage is different from the dissolution of marriage although both establish a freedom for subsequent marriage. I will not comment on the distinction as it can be easily found by browsing the website of almost any Catholic tribunal in the U.S.

Valid marriage, sacramental or not, contains exactly the same rights and obligations. There is no distinction except for the moral duty of a Catholic partner to witness to the faith and do all in his or her power to continue the practice of the faith and to all in his or her power to see that the children are baptized and raised Catholic. Those, in fact, are attached to the granting of a dispensation from disparity of cult that would be needed for the valid marriage of a Catholic to a non baptized person. One would hope that this example will invite the baptism of the non baptized party some day. Apart from that, sacraments confer grace. Natural marriages would receive blessing from God apart from the sacramental economy since God is the author of all marriage.

I am not entering in to a marriage intending a divorce, but looking at the statistics of the matter, I think it is responsible to be well informed.

If I understand you correctly, you are saying that there is no difference as far as nullity is concerned, but it could be a difference as far as getting the marriage dissolved. I have read about the Pauline Privilege, and according to Canon law (as I understood it), it did not apply if one of the partners was Catholic or Christian at the time of marriage (which is the case).

Can the Petrine Privilege be understood as saying that it is possible for a Catholic to dissolve her marriage with a non-baptized person if she wants to marry a Catholic? Let’s say they have a legal divorce, and after some time the Catholic finds another Catholic man she wants to marry. Could this situation result in dissolution of the first marriage?

 

[Sina]

Maybe you can ask in Ask an Apologist Section?

I am in a non Sacramental Marriage. My husband is not baptized, and I am a baptized Catholic. If my husband ever gets baptized ( in any Christian, recognized religion), then the marriage will automatically become Sacramental.

I don’t think there is too much of a difference between a Natural and a Sacramental. I did ask my priest about it, and his answer ( in my opinion is wrong), was that it was his church, and he said it was Sacramental. Maybe there was a language/communication problem.

I think it just can’t be Sacramental, because you cannot receive any other sacraments from the church unless you have been baptized first. And because a marriage is a Sacrament shared by two people, both have to be baptized in order for it to be Sacramental.

I wouldn’t worry too much about it. I pray my husband will one day be baptized, but I am not, nor is our priest, pushing him into anything. We want it to be all his own free will of course. I pray the same for you

 

[iamrefreshed]

I am not entering in to a marriage intending a divorce, but looking at the statistics of the matter, I think it is responsible to be well informed.

If I understand you correctly, you are saying that there is no difference as far as nullity is concerned, but it could be a difference as far as getting the marriage dissolved. I have read about the Pauline Privilege, and according to Canon law (as I understood it), it did not apply if one of the partners was Catholic or Christian at the time of marriage (which is the case).

Can the Petrine Privilege be understood as saying that it is possible for a Catholic to dissolve her marriage with a non-baptized person if she wants to marry a Catholic? Let’s say they have a legal divorce, and after some time the Catholic finds another Catholic man she wants to marry. Could this situation result in dissolution of the first marriage?

Your are not baptized, why do you care about the Pauline Privilege?

If you can’t enter into marriage without thinking about divorce then you shouldn’t marry.

 

[that_name]

Your marriage will not have the sacramental graces that are so important. In case no one ever told you, marriage is hard. It is not always roses and bunnies and pink fluffy clouds - there are times of illness and lonelyness and anger and hurt, there are times when the only thing that keeps two people together is the sacramental graces that flow from heaven.

 

[Persuader]

I have this pretty much figured out. I already knew it wouldn’t be sacramental if both partners were not baptized. So unless I will be baptized, and I won’t, the marriage will be natural. A natural marriage seems to be for the best anyway.

The Petrine Privilege applies to the kind of marriage we can have, so it would give my gf a second way out (in addition to annulment). I cannot be entirely sure of how easy it is to get the privilege, but it is certainly possible. I have been told it is a very technical issue.

As I have said, I am not entering in to a marriage intending divorce, but I think information is a good thing. Obviously, interfaith marriage is in general more challenged than the norm, and this is reflected in the numbers. Fortunately, there is other factors which improves the numbers for us. As you probably know, education is a factor in determining likelihood of divorce. So the more educated you are, the better. Research has also shown that gender equality is a positive factor in maintaining a marriage (as well as improving the quality of life). Given this, and how we have reached a compromise on practically every issue, I think we have excellent chances.

 

[Just_Lurking]

The Petrine Privilege applies to the kind of marriage we can have, so it would give my gf a second way out (in addition to annulment). I cannot be entirely sure of how easy it is to get the privilege, but it is certainly possible. I have been told it is a very technical issue.

Correct. One factor in granting Petrine Privilege is who is at fault for the divorce. For example, if you gf/future wife committed adultery leading to the break up of the marriage, chances are she would not qualify for Petrine Privilege.

However, once the innocent party is granted (and uses) the Petrine Privilege, the marriage is considered dissolved for both parties, including the guilty party.

 

[monicatholic]

As I have said, I am not entering in to a marriage intending divorce, but I think information is a good thing.

information is a good thing. so here’s some information: stats indicate that couples who do not use artificial contraceptives have better success. couple who ***share commitment ***to their faith have a much better success rate. couples who pray together, worship together etc.

you see where i’m going with this.

why enter a marriage with only a few of the tools you’ll need to be a good spouse? if you love her, why?

 

[Persuader]

information is a good thing. so here’s some information: stats indicate that couples who do not use artificial contraceptives have better success. couple who ***share commitment ***to their faith have a much better success rate. couples who pray together, worship together etc.

you see where i’m going with this.

Well, I am not sure if those numbers are applicable for my country. Anyway, I would guess it has something to do with that those types of relationships often have the female financially (and maybe socially) dependant on the husband in addition to having strong religious motivations for staying married. This is not unequivocally good things IMO. I don’t think my gf would like just being the wife of a man, and just being the one shouldered with the biological burden of childbearing.

why enter a marriage with only a few of the tools you’ll need to be a good spouse? if you love her, why?

We are speaking of statistics here, yes? We are not speaking of tools. I don’t think that is the correct term to use. I have already conceded that interreligious marriages are statistically more likely to divorce, but that is only one of many different factors contributing to the probability of divorce. I have already stated some numbers going in our favor.

Anyway, we have accepted our religious differences, and have been able to compromise on them. In this way we are trying to prevent problems further down the road. There is many good things with this relationship which makes it easier to deal with problems. I am not going to elaborate on them now. Safe to say, our communication, passion, and intimacy is better/stronger than what I thought was possible to have.

Actually, we went to see the priest today, and it went really well. My gf has been studying the faith, and was able to answer his religious questions. We also explained our compromises, and in the end he said we seemed better prepared than most couples he marries! (although he did say we needed to have more meetings)