Yes a particular person does not have to marry.
No, they can marry, they just do not need to have kids if they don’t want them.
If they are called to Marriage though - they must be open to life - that is part and partial to the vocation.
Open to life means accepting a child once a child is conceived and not aborting them. Open to life does not mean each time couple has sex, they must be willing to get pregnant.
Also want to mention that, Eve was created because “it is not good for the man to be alone” (Genesis 2:18). There is no mention of procreation as the purpose of Eve’s creation; rather, her purpose was to provide a suitable companion and helper, because it’s not good for one to be alone.
Yes, God did tell to Adam and Eve, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number’” (Genesis 1:22, NIV), however, that was a command to Adam and Eve not the rest of mankind. Plus, it’s only logical that in order for the human race to flourish, the first 2 people had to reproduce. Not to mention, the small tribe of Israelites and their bloodline needed to be preserved to ensure the birth of Jesus as prophesied.
Though sexual intercourse may create children, procreation is not the sole reason for sex. The Bible never names procreation as a condition of marriage. Sex is more than baby-making; it’s “marriage glue.” Marriage bonds are deepened and strengthened through the intimate and exclusive sexual relationship.
I’ve read people use eating and how it’s for pleasure and nourishment then talk about how bulimia defiles the purpose of eating by separating nourishment from pleasure, for you get pleasure of eating without nourishment. Well, what do people say about those with G-tubes? They don’t eat with there mouths so the enjoyment of eating is removed from the equation for the sole purpose of nourishment.
No one is mandated to make babies. It’s the couples body, there life. If they want to bring children into it that’s ok. If they want to stay childless that’s ok too.
People get married because they want to spend the rest of there life with another person. What the couple chooses after marriage is between them and God.
Also, a childless couple is not hurting anyone. A childless couple is just as capable as a couple with kids, of making a positive contribution to society. Some people are called to marriage AND children, while some are called to marriage but NO children. Please don’t make assumptions of knowing Gods intentions for people. The Catholic Church can say what it wants but that doesn’t mean they actually know Gods will for each individual person.
What’s even more selfish is bringing children into the world who grow up never being wanted. It’s the couples life, to each there own. If they want no kids, they don’t have to have any and they shouldn’t feel pressured to, and like there marriage is incomplete and unfulfilled without kids.
