Sacrament of Matrimony and state of grace

[beckycmarie]

Split from another thread:

One must be in the state of grace to receive the sacrament of matrimony, so this, as well as any other gravely sinful condition or habit, must be resolved before the sacrament can take place.

I found this from a Q&A on EWTN:

With respect to validity, however, someone who is married while in a state of mortal sin may be validly married (as they would be validly confirmed, ordained, or validly celebrate Mass). But he/she would not receive the grace proper to this sacrament and indeed commits a further grave sin of sacrilege and renders the sacrament objectively illicit.
Source: EWTN

So if someone who is not in a state of grace receives the Sacrament of Marriage, the marriage was valid, but illicit? Is there anything that can be done to repair the situation, or is what’s done is done, and the only thing the couple can do is go to Reconciliation?

 

[JimG]

The sacrament is valid even if received in the state of mortal sin. (The same would apply to Confirmation.) All one needs to do to resolve the issue is to go to confession. Once the sin is absolved, all the graces of the sacrament of marriage or Confirmation are immediately received.

In other words, the sacraments still work even if impeded by sin. When the sin is absolved, the sacramental graces again flow from the sacrament.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

The sacrament is valid even if received in the state of mortal sin. (The same would apply to Confirmation.) All one needs to do to resolve the issue is to go to confession. Once the sin is absolved, all the graces of the sacrament of marriage or Confirmation are immediately received.

In other words, the sacraments still work even if impeded by sin. When the sin is absolved, the sacramental graces again flow from the sacrament.

I have only heard of this applying to Confirmation and Ordination, but not to repeatable Sacraments. However one must always remember to intentionally and willfully receive a Sacrament in a state of Mortal Sin is also another grave sin of sacrilege.

 

[puzzleannie]

Split from another thread:

I found this from a Q&A on EWTN:

So if someone who is not in a state of grace receives the Sacrament of Marriage, the marriage was valid, but illicit? Is there anything that can be done to repair the situation, or is what’s done is done, and the only thing the couple can do is go to Reconciliation?

as with Confirmation, if someone contracts the sacrament of matrimony while in a state of mortal sin the sacrament is both valid and licit (the licity depends on the actions of the celebrant, not the candidate), but as the EWTN answer clearly states does not benefit from the sacramental graces of the sacrament until they confess and are absolved and so return to the state of sanctifying grace.

 

[Seatuck]

Split from another thread:

I found this from a Q&A on EWTN:

So if someone who is not in a state of grace receives the Sacrament of Marriage, the marriage was valid, but illicit? Is there anything that can be done to repair the situation, or is what’s done is done, and the only thing the couple can do is go to Reconciliation?

The couple( one or both depending on each person’s individual state) needs to go to confession and that will allow the flow of grace into that marriage.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

as with Confirmation, if someone contracts the sacrament of matrimony while in a state of mortal sin the sacrament is both valid and licit (the licity depends on the actions of the celebrant, not the candidate), but as the EWTN answer clearly states does not benefit from the sacramental graces of the sacrament until they confess and are absolved and so return to the state of sanctifying grace.

Where or on what is this based. I can find in the Fathers discussions about the “revival” of Confirmation and Holy Orders but I have nnever found anything on Marriage reviving.

 

[AHapka]

The couple( one or both depending on each person’s individual state) needs to go to confession and that will allow the flow of grace into that marriage.

I only wish there had been some discussion of this in my marriage prep.

I had been baptized Catholic, made my First Communion when I was younger, but things ended there. I was very poorly catechized by the time I was older, since I remembered very little.

Then weeks of classes, meeting with other couples, and all kinds of workbooks when it was time for me to get Confirmed and married. Never once was it suggested to go to Confession for a good decade and then some of sins.

I still remember speaking with the priest about a week before Confirmation and I asked when Mass began on Sunday (again, returning to the church here and nobody talked about “obligation”). He said “9 o’clock, but you don’t have to go.”

I feel sad about this and him now, because in trying to be more open he really didn’t bring me into the church, it was more of a come if you want attitude.

When I finally began to catechize myself (funny enough thanks to protestant friends who insisted I actually practice a faith somewhere), and began going to Confession I found myself drawn to priests who actually demanded I do something.

In fact, I just went to a rather rough Confession this past weekend. I had been struggling with a sin, and he basically said that God was allowing such temptations in my life to make me decide if I would chose Him or sin. And that that could be why I was feeling distant from Him (I obviously chose the sin or I would have not been in Confession). Well, every time I have been tempted to sin this week I have resisted under the “choose the sin or choose God” attitude.

I have far more respect when it gets told like it is. When someone wanted to make me feel good in getting married without having to go to Confession or Mass for that matter what it really did is delayed my spiritual development.

 

[Seatuck]

I only wish there had been some discussion of this in my marriage prep.

I had been baptized Catholic, made my First Communion when I was younger, but things ended there. I was very poorly catechized by the time I was older, since I remembered very little.

Then weeks of classes, meeting with other couples, and all kinds of workbooks when it was time for me to get Confirmed and married. Never once was it suggested to go to Confession for a good decade and then some of sins.

I still remember speaking with the priest about a week before Confirmation and I asked when Mass began on Sunday (again, returning to the church here and nobody talked about “obligation”). He said “9 o’clock, but you don’t have to go.”

I feel sad about this and him now, because in trying to be more open he really didn’t bring me into the church, it was more of a come if you want attitude.

When I finally began to catechize myself (funny enough thanks to protestant friends who insisted I actually practice a faith somewhere), and began going to Confession I found myself drawn to priests who actually demanded I do something.

In fact, I just went to a rather rough Confession this past weekend. I had been struggling with a sin, and he basically said that God was allowing such temptations in my life to make me decide if I would chose Him or sin. And that that could be why I was feeling distant from Him (I obviously chose the sin or I would have not been in Confession). Well, every time I have been tempted to sin this week I have resisted under the “choose the sin or choose God” attitude.

I have far more respect when it gets told like it is. When someone wanted to make me feel good in getting married without having to go to Confession or Mass for that matter what it really did is delayed my spiritual development.

Yeah, me too.I was very poorly catechized and ignored my inner promptings to make this better with God. I just went to 3 years of CCD and it was the often criticized Color Cut and Draw type. I just barely made the sacraments.Went to confession once or twice .Knew enought to seek marriage in the church. I didn’t go to confession again until it was time for our first born child to go to his first. That was a long time without grace in our marriage. We are still suffering for it 24 years later. Thanks be to God that he used the circumstances of my sons religious education to get through to me.