Title: Catholic Marriage FAQs - For Your Marriage
Headings: Catholic Marriage FAQs
Catholic Marriage FAQs
Why does the church teach that marriage is a sacrament?
Do Catholics ever validly enter into non-sacramental marriages?
What is the difference between a valid and an invalid Catholic marriage?
If a Catholic wants to marry a non-Catholic, how can they assure that the marriage is recognized by the Church?
Why does a Catholic wedding have to take place in a church?
If a Catholic wishes to marry in a place outside the Catholic church, how can he or she be sure that the marriage is recognized by the Catholic Church as valid?
If two Catholics or a Catholic and non-Catholic are married invalidly in the eyes of the church, what should they do about it?
When a Catholic marries a non-Catholic, must the non-Catholic promise to raise the children in the Catholic faith?
Is it required that a wedding celebration have expensive flowers, clothes and other accompaniments?
How much does it cost to get married in the Catholic Church?
What is a Nuptial Mass and when can a couple have one?
Are weddings permitted on Sundays or during Lent?
What should a couple do when they decide that they want to marry in the Catholic Church?
Why does the church require engaged couples to participate in a marriage preparation program?
What kinds of marriage preparation programs does the church offer?
What key issues are covered in marriage preparation?
Is there a cost for marriage preparation programs?
Does the church offer any programs to help couples to improve their marriage?
What can a couple do if their marriage is in trouble?
What is an annulment?
How can a couple married 20 years get an annulment?
If a marriage is annulled are the children from it considered illegitimate?
Are annulments expensive?
How long does it take to get an annulment?

Content: Catholic Marriage FAQs - For Your Marriage
Catholic Marriage FAQs
Why does the church teach that marriage is a sacrament? The sacraments make Christ present in our midst. Like the other sacraments, marriage is not just for the good of individuals, or the couple, but for the community as a whole. The Catholic Church teaches that marriage between two baptized persons is a sacrament. The Old Testament prophets saw the marriage of a man and woman as a symbol of the covenant relationship between God and his people. The permanent and exclusive union between husband and wife mirrors the mutual commitment between God and his people. The Letter to the Ephesians says that this union is a symbol of the relationship between Christ and the Church. Do Catholics ever validly enter into non-sacramental marriages? Yes. Marriages between Catholics and non-Christians, while they may still be valid in the eyes of the Church, are non-sacramental.