Family, Marriage, sacrament of matrimony, Catechism, Catechism of the Catholic Church, Compendium of the Catechism, arguments.es

1. The sacrament
of marriage
CHAMPAIGNE, Philippe de
The Marriage of the Virgin
c. 1644
Oil on panel, 71,5 x 143,5 cm
Wallace Collection, London
Taken from:
http://www.arguments.es/portfolio/compendium-of-the-catechism/

2. Compendium of the Catechism
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338. For what ends has God
instituted Matrimony?
1659-1660
The marital union of man and
woman, which is founded and
endowed with its own proper
laws by the Creator, is by its
very nature ordered to the
communion and good of the
couple and to the generation
and education of children.
According to the original divine
plan this conjugal union is
indissoluble, as Jesus Christ
affirmed: “What God has joined
together, let no man put
asunder” (Mark 10:9).

3. Introduction
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The way parents love
their children, and the
way they care for each
other, makes us think of
the greatness of the
sacrament of marriage.
Do we properly thank our
parents for all they do for
us? Do we help them
when in need? Do we try
to make them happy? Do
we pray for them every
day?
DAVID, Gerard
The Marriage at Cana
c. 1500
Oil on wood, 100 x 128 cm
Musée du Louvre, Paris

4. 1. The institution of marriage in the Garden of Eden
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"God created them male and
female. He blessed them, saying to
them, ‘Be fruitful, multiply, fill the
earth’”(Genesis 1:27-28). This is
the institution of marriage:
its main purpose consists in having
children and educating them ;
 Its secondary purpose is the
mutual help of the spouses: "It is
not right that the man should be
alone. I shall make him a helper"
(Genesis 2:18).
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Therefore, marriage is something
sacred by nature, and the spouses
are God’s co-operators: they
participate in God’s power to give
life.
BOUCICAUT Master
The marriage of Adam and Eve from 'Des Proprietes De Chozes‘
c.1415
Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge, UK

5. 2. Marriage is a Christian sacrament
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Jesus Christ raised marriage,
instituted at the beginning of
humanity, to the dignity of a
sacrament. Marriage between
Christians is an image of the
union between Christ and His
spouse, the Church.
Thus, Catholics cannot marry
by means of so-called “civil
marriage”, because it is only a
legal ceremony before the
State. Among Catholics,
marriage is only valid when
contracted within the Church.
MYUNG-BO SIM
St. Patrick's Cathedral
1990
New York, Private Collection

6. 3. The properties of marriage
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Unity means that marriage is the
union between one man and only
one woman: “A man shall leave his
father and mother and become
attached to his wife, and they
become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24).
Indissolubility means that the
marital bond can never be
dissolved: “What God has united,
human beings must not divide” as
is written in the Gospel (Matthew
19,6; 5,32). Divorce therefore is
prohibited.

God wanted it that way for several
reasons: for the good of the
children and for the good and
happiness of the spouses; It is also
a good for the whole human
society, because humanity is made
up of families.
ALMA – TADERNA, Sir Lawrence
The honeymoon
Private collection

7. 4. The effects of the sacrament of marriage
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Marriage increases the sanctifying grace in
those who marry. It has to be received in
the state of grace; if not, even though the
marriage is valid, it becomes a sacrilege.
Marriage also confers on the spouses the
help necessary to sanctify themselves in
married life, to educate their children and to
carry out their other marital duties.
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concerning each other: to love and respect
each other, to be faithful to each other and
to help each other mutually;
concerning their children: to feed them, to
clothe them, to educate them religiously,
morally and intellectually, and to provide for
their future.
The contracting parties are themselves the
ministers of the sacrament; however,
marriage ought to be celebrated before
witnesses and in the presence of the parish
priest or his delegate; if not, it is invalid.
CABRERA, Miguel
A Spaniard and his Mexican Indian Wife and their Child
Museo de America, Madrid

8. 5. Marriage, a path to sanctity
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The sacrament of marriage
grants to the spouses the
graces necessary to sanctify
themselves and others.
It is the duty of the whole family
– of the children too – to foster
in a natural way the Christian
atmosphere of a bright and
cheerful home, sacrificing
themselves to obtain the
human and supernatural
virtues proper to a family which
was made holy by a sacrament
from its beginning.
GRECO, El
The Marriage of the Virgin
1613-14
Oil on canvas, 110 x 83 cm
National Museum of Art of Romania, Bucharest

9. Resolutions for Christian life
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Make an effort to make life
more pleasant for those who
live with us.
Have great regard for this
sacrament, and help others to
understand it and thank God
for it.

10. BATTEN, John Dickson (1860-1932)
The Family
Oil on canvas, 1886
Collection of Fred and Sherry Ross
The fourth commandment:
Honour your father and your mother
http://www.arguments.es

11. Compendium of the Catechism
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455. What does the fourth
commandment require?
2196-2200
2247-2248
It commands us to honor and
respect our parents and those
whom God, for our good, has
vested with his authority.

12. Introduction
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God wishes that, after him, we
honour our parents.
But this commandment also
includes those members of our
family, such as grandparents and
ancestors, to whom we owe
honour, affection and recognition.
This commandment also includes
the duties of students towards
teachers, employees towards
employers, subordinates towards
superiors, citizens towards their
country and those who rule and
govern.
BERGAMINI, Francesco (1815-1883)
Family Time in the Kitchen
Oil on canvas
27 7/8 x 17 7/8 inches (71.1 x 45.7 cm)
Public collection

13. 1. Meaning of the fourth commandment
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BLOMMERS, Bernardus Johannes (1845-1914)
The Family Meal
Oil on canvas
15 1/2 x 20 inches (39.5 x 51 cm)
Private collection
The fourth commandment
reminds us of our obligations to
our parents: love, respect and
obedience. The conduct of
Jesus towards Mary his
mother, and towards Joseph
who acted as his father, is an
example that should be
imitated by all.
The fourth commandment also
includes the respect and
obedience due to those who
occupy positions of authority,
such as teachers, ecclesiastical
and civil authorities, the leaders
of one’s country, etc.

14. 2. Duties of children towards their parents
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Love: We have to pray for them, to give
them motives to be happy and cheerful,
and to help them within our
possibilities, particularly when they are
sick or old.
Respect and gratitude: If parents have
some defect or peculiarity, especially
when they grow old, or if they do not
behave properly, we have to pray,
understand and excuse them, hiding
their defects and trying to help them to
overcome those defects, without ever
making any critical comments.
Due obedience, as long as their wish is
not against God’s will.
VON DEFREGGER, Franz (1835-1921)
The Happy Family
Oil on panel, 1884
17 3/4 x 10 1/2 inches (45.1 x 26.7 cm)
Private collection

15. 3. Other obligations of the fourth commandment
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The fourth commandment
includes, besides parents,
other persons to whom
obedience, love and
respect are due:
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BERGAMINI, Francesco (1815-1883)
The School Room
Oil on canvas
20 x 32 inches (51 x 81.3 cm)
Private collection
Brothers.
Relatives and friends.
Teachers and benefactors.
Pastors of the Church.
Duties towards our country
and civil authorities.

16. 4. Duties of parents towards their children
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Parents should love, sustain and
educate their children: provide for
their spiritual and material needs,
giving them a solid human and
Christian formation.
In order to achieve this, they ought
to pray for them and employ
adequate means such as:
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giving them good example,
counselling them, taking them to
good schools, being watchful over
their friendships, etc.
Once they have counselled their
children, parents ought to respect
and encourage their offspring’s
vocation, both on the human and
supernatural planes, when they
choose their path in life.
L’HERMITTE, Léon-Augustin (1844-1925)
La Famille [The Family]
Oil on canvas, 1908
Private collection

17. 5. To observe with love the duties of this commandment
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MENGS, Anton Raphael (1728-1779)
The Holy Family
Oil on canvas, 1769
44 x 35 3/4 inches (112 x 91 cm)
Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest
Observing the fourth
commandment brings with it
a reward: “Honour your father
and your mother so that you
may live long in the land that
Yahweh your God is giving
you" (Exodus , 20:12).
God blesses with spiritual
and material blessings of
peace and prosperity. On the
contrary, not keeping this
commandment entails
serious harm, not only for
individuals, but also for the
community.

18. Resolutions to move forward
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Examine your conscience to
see if you fulfil your duties
towards your parents, brothers
and superiors.
Pray every day for your
parents, brothers and
superiors.