Matrimonial exceptions? - Sexual morals
Love and Marriage
Proof of invalidity
Usually, such a process takes a long time, since a marriage is always assumed to be valid and it is up to the married couple to unquestionably prove invalidity. A validly concluded and consummated marriage cannot be declared invalid by the Church unless there are reasons for invalidity such as fraudulent marriage intentions, force, deception, or when partners are too closely related.
With reference to the Gospels, the Church is certainly right in maintaining that a marriage is insoluble. But the question is: what can the Church do when a marriage does not succeed, perhaps without any personal fault? Is it not beyond the strength of many people to have to go through life alone, perhaps after having been married for just a few years? Are there not clauses for exceptions in the writings of Paul and Matthew (see Cor 7, 12-15; Mt 5,32)?
However, on the other hand: does not every exception weaken the stability of a marriage? Looking at the whole picture, does a divorce not bring more suffering than the tragedy of an unsuccessful marriage? The possibility of legal separation takes away the support a married couple needs, especially in a crisis situation.
For many years the Church has been facing these pressing questions. She must, without any doubt, follow Christ's demand: "preach the word, be it urgent in season and out of season..." (2 Timothy 4,2). But when a marriage has finally failed and a new civil marriage been concluded, should the Church in these cases refuse to give the strength of the Sacraments to the persons involved who need it so urgently? The Church has seriously concerned herself with this problem and there are suggestions that this issue should be cleared worldwide. God does not abandon anybody who turns toward Him and no man will be written off by the Church either. There is always a way of faith out of a ruined life. A personal conversation with a priest is recommended in cases like this.
Matrimonial and sexual morals
Apart from the position of the Church regarding divorce, it is above all her attitude toward the questions of matrimonial and sexual morals which causes the most heated discussions. Here, the discrepancies between generally accepted social opinions and those of the Church become particularly evident. What is right ... being socially "in" or agreeing with what the Church says?
We cannot and do not want to discuss every single question, so we will limit ourselves to the basics: Man's conscience needs points of orientation. These are the regulations of the Church which no one may ignore as long as he or she wants to Popes Paul VI and John Paul II do not intend to make final, authoritative and binding decisions. Furthermore, the Church resolutely defends any personal decision of conscience. She knows that every human being is a unique and distinct person with freedom, responsibility, conscience and an individual life history.
