Commitment and attitudes with respect to marriage
and the family
Dear collaborators,
Conscious of the burden that you, as priests, carry together with us, your Bishops, in our role as teachers and guides of our Lord’s disciples and those who are seeking the truth with respect to the beauty of marriage, we wish to present to you this doctrinal and pastoral note.
As outlined in our latest Pastoral Letter, we view our present circumstances as a moment of grace. By means of catechesis and pastoral work, we can contribute towards a renewed culture which favours marriage. We hope that this “doctrinal and pastoral note” will assist you in your mission.
The nature of marriage
By its very nature, marriage is stable and permanent. Its stability and permanence serve for the good of the spouses themselves and their children. The aim of the civil law regulating marriage is to provide a public and social framework for that which is expected out of married spouses in their private life: love and fidelity and the bearing and nurturing of children. With divorce, marriage no longer remains permanent. Therefore divorce impinges upon and alters the very nature of marriage. Divorce legislation is a juridical solution which destroys the permanence and stability of the institution of marriage because it changes its very nature.
There is a difference between a declaration of nullity and divorce. Marriage is established through the consent which the engaged couple, out of its own free will, offers to one another for evermore. A declaration of nullity recognizes that there exists in such a consent, a significant defect which does not allow union to be established; divorce, on the other hand, is a decision based upon choices which the spouses take during their married life; therefore, divorce severs the marital union which is already in existence.
Unmarried persons in a stable relationship
The state is duty-bound to regulate rights and duties of a man and a woman who are in a stable relationship, albeit such a relationship cannot be legally acknowledged and approved. In this respect, legislators should be careful not to create any juridical constructs which affect the permanence of marriage; having said that, it is commendable that persons who are in a stable relationship are legally protected from particular consequences of a civil nature, even though their relationship is not officially approved.
The benefits and fundamental rights of children, the family and permanent marriage
Above all other experiences, the human being is born – son or daughter – from the union between a man and woman. The person receives a sense of self-security which flows from the love of the parents, and with the help those same parents, becomes part of a society which is very complex. Such is the valuable patrimony which we have all inherited, or at least hope to inherit, from our family.
Everlasting marriage not only serves for the benefit of the spouses themselves; it is also the natural environment which is conducive for the good of the children because it offers them love and a holistic upbringing. Apart from this, love, when it is authentic, is in itself everlasting. It is in the interest of society and the state that a family is stable, lives in harmony and is open to life. For society, these incalculable benefits guarantee the future of that same society. For this reason, the Church is asking the legislator to defend and strengthen the family which is based upon permanent and stable marriage.
Marriage in God’s plan
Jesus Christ’s words with regards to marriage are clear and they confirm God’s will: “from the beginning of creation…. that which God brought together, let no put asunder (see Mark 10, 6-9). This makes it obvious that marriage is in itself, permanent.
The Christian believes that for every man, marriage is a call from God and a mission to be undertaken. For the baptized, it is a sacrament. Those who desire to enter into marriage should comprehend the magnitude, the beauty and the dignity of marriage, with all its impending commitments. They should feel the need to participate fully in the life of the Church and live according to their Christian beliefs.
When we say that Jesus elevated marriage between baptized persons to the dignity of a sacrament, we understand that those who celebrate it – the spouses themselves – are receiving from the Redeemer, the strength, which we call grace, by which they can enjoy their married life in all its fullness. When we celebrate the sacrament of marriage, the spouses in Christ’s name, bestow upon one another the grace of the sacrament and this bestowal is undertaken as a commitment for the whole of their life. Christ has chosen to bind himself to Christian spouses in their unbreakable bond in a special way – by likewise establishing a similar bond with the Church. In other words, the Christian couple is the sacrament of the love of Christ for his own Church; that is, an effective sign of Christ’s love and complete self-giving to man. In such a way, Christ himself becomes a model and a guide for the Christian married couple in the manner they should love and give themselves to one another.
The Word of God, as written in Holy Scripture, provides further understanding of the nature of mankind and his call and the realities he experiences. This knowledge confirms that insight which man can arrive at through human reason.
It is the duty of the Church to enlighten consciences
The Church bears the responsibility to enlighten the Catholic conscience as well as that of those who are seeking the truth that they may embrace the Christian vision of mankind and society in their daily commitments, both personal and social. The Church must present valid reasons and teachings which are grounded in faith in order that every person will be able to live a life which is concordant with his dignity in relation to others.
The Church has always held the family close to her heart. It is her duty to contribute actively in the field of the family for the benefit of the spouses, their children and society in general.
The Christian and individual conscience
The decision of the Christian to vote in favour or against divorce legislation must be taken in the light of his faith. For the Christian, a law which renders marriage dissoluble goes against the will of the Father. Therefore, the Christian who is in favour of divorce is creating a dichotomy between that which he believes in and that which he is choosing. His choice can have irreparable consequences.
As priests, in our pastoral work, we are duty-bound to help the Christian make the right judgment according to his conscience with respect to God’s Word about marriage, in the light of the teachings of the Church Magisterium; this includes the social teachings of the Church about the authentic good of the person and of society. When a Christian notices that his judgment is not in accordance with the teachings of Christ as presented to us by the Church, he is not free of guilt. Unless he brings his judgment in line with such teachings, he would be consciously and freely offending the moral law and violating his relation with God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Politicians and Catholic legislators
It is advisable to recall the words of Pope Benedict XVI in his Exhortation Sacramentum Caritatis: “Catholic politicians and legislators, conscious of their grave responsibility before society, must feel particularly bound, on the basis of a properly formed conscience, to introduce and support laws inspired by values grounded in human nature” among those related to marriage between a man and a woman (n.83). The legislator who is not guided by a fundamental code of ethics in the creation of new law, brings about damage to mankind and to society.
A divorce-mentality corrodes in no uncertain terms the bond of marriage and the introduction of divorce through the enactment of civil laws weakens our understanding of everlasting marriage. This opens a social wound and has harmful effects on society, as has been the case with other countries.
Unbelievers and the objective moral order
As far as possible, we should also reach out to those who are not members of the Church, or feel that they are on its peripheries and those who are seeking the truth; we are to help them understand that when making proposals with regard to marriage and the family, they are duty-bound, within the context of the objective moral order, to choose in favour of the human being, marriage, the family: such values form a substantial part of our country’s heritage.
The need to pray
In concluding, we recommend that your ministry and ours, as teachers and guides, should be sustained by a life of prayer. Before we speak with people, we need to speak toGod about His people and all that constitutes their lives: this includes marriage and the family. As his children, we must heed what is telling us about this situation.
We impart upon you heavenly blessings.
+ PAUL CREMONA O.P.
Archbishop of Malta
+ MARIO GRECH
Bishop of Gozo
+ ANNETTO DEPASQUALE
Auxiliary Bishop of Malta