Holy Matrimony: the Sacrament in which a baptized man and a baptized woman form with each other a lifelong covenantal communion of life and love that signifies the union of Christ and the Church and through which they are given the grace to live out this union (CCC 1601, 1603, 1613-1616; 1642)
- 1. Understanding the Sacrament: Jesus raises marriage to the dignity of a Sacrament.
- 2. Celebration
- a. Within Mass (CCC, 1621-1624)
- b. Within Liturgy of the Word
- 3. Essential elements
- 4. Effects (CCC, 1638-1642)
- 5. Requirements for reception
- 6. Ministers: The spouses before priest or deacon and two other witnesses (CCC, 1623, 1630) (N.B., In Eastern Churches, the priest is the minister of the Sacrament)
- 7. The requirements of marriage
- 8. Divorce, Declaration of Nullity, remarriages (CCC, 1650)
- 9. Implications
- 10. Appropriating and living this Sacrament (CCC, 1657)