Regarding Sacramental Marriage

[jmm08]

johnnyjoe:

First, sexual intercourse is only licit, or permissible within the confines of a sacramental marriage.

What if the husband is intending to join the church (waiting for RCIA) and the wife is thinking of staying Baptist (or is unsure yet)? Is there a sacramental marriage? For example, they both wanted and have had children together. And they were married by a protestant minister in a very simple religious ceremony?

 

[tee_eff_em]

I don’t know where the first quote came from, but sexual intercourse is also licit within *natural * marriage, which is the sort that occurs when at least one of the spouses is not baptized.

tee

 

[1ke]

jmm08:

What if the husband is intending to join the church (waiting for RCIA) and the wife is thinking of staying Baptist (or is unsure yet)? Is there a sacramental marriage? For example, they both wanted and have had children together. And they were married by a protestant minister in a very simple religious ceremony?

I’m not sure where this other quote came from, but it is inaccurate. Marriages come in two flavors, “good and natural” and “sacaramental”. A marriage between two baptized persons (regardless of denominational affiliation) is considered sacramental. A marriage between two non-baptized, or a baptized/non-baptized person is considered to be a “good and natural” marriage.

The situation you describe fits in one of these two categories. In either case, sexual intercourse is certainly licit.

In the case of a person who invalidly contracts a marriage (ie, because they were already validly married to someone else previously or for other reasons outlined by the church) then that is different. The person would be committing adultery.