A Theological Paper on the Sacrament of Marriage and Divorce

In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements in

THEO 400 – MORAL THEOLOGY

Submitted to:
Michael Anthony Abangan
Professor

Submitted by:
Baylan, Joanah Paula M.
Cleofas, Kathlyn Sheen B.
Funa, Krisha Diane B.
Moreno, Moriel Andrea B.
Navales, Audreia
Sanchez, Alan Miguel R.

Group 8
BSPHARM-3E

Date Submitted:
October 29, 2021
Introduction

“So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one
separate”, Matthew 19:6. Marriage is a lifelong commitment, it is when two people establish their
decision to live together by legal commitments or religious ceremonies. Marriage is more than just
a physical union, rather, it also involves spiritual and emotional union as marriage gives
opportunity for one to become selfless. Selfless in a way that you put your partner and children
first more than yourself. Hence, putting your partner first in sickness and health, and in good and
bad times. But what if the marriage has more bad times than the good ones? Is it still acceptable
to continue and fix the marriage even if one doesn’t feel happy anymore?

Divorce on the other hand, is a process on which it terminates marriage or marital union. Several
grounds are provided on law for the court to look at which is needed for the final decision of the
court. And as provided for unhappy marriage, there are two options to legally leave a marriage:
divorce and annulment. The catechism of the Catholic Church considers divorce a great offense
and immoral against natural law and it conveys disorder to the family and society. Nevertheless,
many countries still legalize divorce. In majority of cases, divorce gives the opportunity for one
person to change their life and their family’s life. Sometimes it is better to let things go that are
broken far beyond repair, rather than wasting your time trying to fix it. Divorce is difficult, but in
several cases, it is necessary. But legalizing divorce would mean marriage can be easily broken.
Thus, making unhappy couples lessen their will to put effort in making their marriage last.

The group decided to choose this topic since now, the Philippines’ lower house of Congress has
passed a divorce bill on the third reading, moving the country closer to legislation. And as of
August 17, 2021 the Philippine government announced that the proposal of legislation of Divorce
in the Philippines had been approved by the Committee on Population. And this house bill passed
a vote of 134 to 57 which makes it significant as no divorce legislation has ever made it this far in
the Philippines. This clearly shows that the supremacy of the Catholic Church when it comes to
political matters and private moral affairs is becoming weaker and weaker in the country. The
Philippine constitution is supposed to be pro-family in order to protect and strengthen the
household, thus divorce is not a good law to be legalized. The church recognizes annulment but
never divorce. Separated couples can get a civil divorce but they will never remarry in the eyes of
the Church. Marriage is an everlasting covenant, but today it lost much of its unique status in
public policy. “The Philippines should be a secular state where there should be separation of church
and state” legislatives must put in mind that passage of law shall not outstrip the religious beliefs
of the people. Legalizing divorce is not the best solution for broken marriages, even though having
freedom from unhappy marriage may look like the best thing, the negative impacts of it can make
you think over. Ending a relationship may never be easy, but one can choose an easier alternative
to divorce to protect oneself and family.
The Current Situation of the Chosen Moral Issue

The Sacrament of Marriage is a long-term commitment made by a man and a woman to a lifetime
partnership for the advantage of each other and the parenthood of their children. The continuing
pandemic has influenced social and mental behaviors. Lockdowns of nearly every form of public
place, as well as stay-at-home measures implemented to stop the transmission of the virus, have
caused many families and marriages to live in much closer and continuous contact than they would
otherwise have. It has impacted adults who live alone, whether they chose not to marry, married
and separated or divorced, or those who are deemed "seniors" and are living alone due to the death
of a spouse. This has essentially been a global issue, with certain countries and cultures being more
severely impacted than others. The following articles shows a deeper look at marriage and divorce
in the midst of a COVID pandemic.

According to an article published by The Project Life headlined "Why the Pandemic is Causing
Spikes in Break-Ups and Divorces," divorce rates are climbing over the world, and relationship
specialists warn that the pandemic-induced break-up curve may not have peaked yet. There was
an interview with a couple who had been married for seven years and filed for divorce; one of
them mentioned that the reason they filed for divorce was because they were more stressed,
especially in the current scenario, and that is when they decided to have a trial separation. Their
stories are becoming more prevalent, as divorce applications and break-ups soar in the UK and
around the world. When compared with the previous year, leading British law firm Stewarts had a
122% rise in enquiries between July and October. A comparable pattern was observed in China,
which experienced one of the world's tightest lockdowns at the outset of the outbreak. The same
is true in Sweden, which has mostly depended on voluntary recommendations to try to restrict the
spread of Covid-19 until recently.

It is no secret that the pandemic is impacting many of our most important relationships. For some
couples, the rise in mental health issues associated with the pandemic and even solid couples who
were not having problems prior to the pandemic and avoided dramatic shifts in home health or
dynamics may be vulnerable and may contribute to reasons for breakups. However, relationship
specialists feel that this is because the pandemic has taken away well-established patterns that
brought comfort, stability, and rhythm, and relationship specialists believe that the financial impact
of Covid-19 is likely to play a significant role in break-ups, as people find themselves unemployed.
Despite anticipation that the vaccine roll-out in early-to-mid 2021 will allow many of us to resume
our pre-pandemic lifestyles, many divorce specialists say there is no certainty that this will put an
end to the break-up trend.

In a headline “COVID-19 Impacts on Marriage and Divorce” of Impakter stated that traditional
notions of love and marriage will not go together like a "horse and carriage" unless they are
buffeted by marital stress and the possibility of separation or divorce. The pandemic seems to have
been with us for a long period, and given the complexities of human nature, obtaining and
interpreting evidence of its impact has proven to be a minefield of misunderstandings. Common
perspectives on marriage in the era of COVID-19 have been all over the place. COVID puts a
pressure on homes. Rachel Sheffield, senior policy advisor to the US Congress Joint Economic
Committee, assessed the American Family Survey (AFS) in December 2020 and concluded that
"Marriages and families in America are doing well and may be stronger in some ways than before
the pandemic began."

Given the lockdown and subsequent rises in unemployment and economic insecurity as a result of
COVID-19, it is not surprising that marriage license applications fell drastically in 2020. 7% of
unmarried people aged 55 and under said they were delaying marriage. Because of the epidemic,
the United States' marriage rate, which is already at an all-time low, is quite likely to plummet
much further in 2020. Furthermore, according to the AFS poll, 34% of married men and women
under the age of 55 reported that the epidemic has raised stress in their relationships. The poor and
working-class spouses were the most stressed, as they were the ones that suffered the most
monetarily from COVID. Almost half (45%) of individuals whose finances worsened indicated
new difficulties in their relationship. However, there was some good news. Couples who saw their
financial fortunes plummet as a result of COVID demonstrated greater dedication and
appreciation. According to 65 percent of married adults whose financial status has worsened, the
pandemic has made them respect their partner more, and 60 percent have reinforced their
dedication to their marriage.

In Turkey, The coronavirus pandemic is thought to have contributed to the decrease by causing
many couples to postpone their weddings while also pushing many couples to hurry their
weddings. According to reports, the government aimed to encourage marriage and children by
providing incentives to married and childless couples. It remains to be seen how successfully such
efforts will operate. However, there will be a significant drop (10%) in the number of couples
marrying in 2020, as well as a nearly 14 percent decrease in the number of divorces. Furthermore,
in Brazil a huge number of divorces were recorded even during the second half of 2020 as married
couples became weary of one another after being cooped up at home for long periods of time
during the coronavirus epidemic. Nearly 44,000 divorces were filed in the last six months of 2018,
a 15% increase over the same time in 2019, and the largest amount since records began in 2007.

In the Philippine setting, marriage is incredibly significant and sacred, this is why the country is
one of the few in the world where divorce is outlawed, keeping toxic marriages with no way out.
In an article published by abc.net.au headlined “The Philippines is one of two countries where
divorce is illegal, trapping women in marriages”, according to a survey released this year by the
Philippine Statistics Authority, one out of every four married women in the Philippines has been
abused by their partner or husband. According to one of the victims, "I was battered physically,
mentally, sexually, and financially by my former spouse for 24 years, beginning at the age of 16."
This statement shows how cruel a marriage can be. Divorce is illegal in the Philippines and Vatican
City, but in the Philippines a bill legalizing divorce was passed in the country's Lower House of
Congress this March, despite objections from President Rodrigo Duterte, who also had a failed
marriage but during a press conference following the move in March of this year the Presidents’
spokesperson declared said that President is against the divorce.

In the article published by The Manila Times in March this year, they stated that during the
American colonial period, Act 2710 of the Philippine Legislature permitted absolute divorce on
the only grounds of adultery or concubinage given proof of prior conviction. So, despite the various
factors in the United States, this restricted grant was a compromise to the Catholic hierarchy, which
opposed absolute divorce. Only relative divorce or legal separation are permitted under the
Philippine Civil Code of 1950, and remarriage is prohibited. Muslim Filipinos, on the other hand,
have the right to an absolute divorce. Lots of new bills have been introduced to recognize absolute
divorce. However, it was only during the 17th Congress that House Bill 7303, titled "An Act
Instituting Absolute Divorce and Dissolution of Marriage in the Philippines," was overwhelmingly
adopted on third and final reading by the House of Representatives on March 19, 2018, but the
Senate was unable to act. The Manila Times concluded that complete divorce becomes a viable
choice because once love and respect are irretrievably lost in marriage, their recovery cannot be
forced by social norms, habits, or even law. True, abandoned, abused, and troubled spouses
deserve a second opportunity at marital joy, even if many divorcees have no intention of
remarrying. These women are simply trying to get out of a bad marriage. We should learn more
frequently as new generations and SAR-CoV-2 variations enter our lives. The Sacrament of
Marriage and Divorce is currently one of our society's most contentious subjects; you may have
seen it in the news, publications, and TV shows, but what distinguishes it is that every faith has a
distinct perspective on it. The above-mentioned typical concerns show how beautiful and
frightening marriage and divorce is, especially now that we are in the midst of a pandemic.

The Church’s Moral Stand

Catholic Church considers marriage to be a sacrament, an effective, visible sign of God’s grace
which tells of God’s faithful and creative love and makes it real in that couple’s lives. As a
sacrament of the Church, ‘holy matrimony’ consecrates human love, sexuality and procreation to
a higher purpose. It unites the couple to God and makes them a sign of his covenant with his
people. It identifies the couple with Christ who has made their marriage a sign of his faithful and
unbreakable love for his Church. It makes their family a ‘domestic church’. Although divorce had
been permitted with Judaism, Christ restored God’s original order of creation with its high ideals
for marriage and family. Christ gave married couples the example and the strength to live marriage
in “the reign of God” (Catechism 1615). As St Paul says: “Husbands, love your wives as Christ
loved the Church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her.” (Eph 5:25). Just as
God’s covenant with his people is ‘for keeps’, so, Jesus insisted, Christian marriage is indissoluble:
“what God has united, man must not divide”(Mt 19:6).

A marriage is as much a journey of faith and trust, as it is of love. A complete marriage is normally
the adventure of sharing all the stages of one’s adult life youthful romance, parenthood, middle-
and olderage – with the one person to whom one dares to entrust one’s heart. Like every lifelong
commitment, marriage is a journey into the unknown, which involves constantly letting go of the
past to embrace the future; it is a journey into the truth of who one is, and the truth of who one’s
spouse is. Christians recognise in this journey the Easter pattern of death and resurrection, and the
mystery of Jesus Christ in their lives. Indeed, many couples find that it is only when they have
reached a point of weakness, crisis or failure of crucifixion in their marriage that they truly
surrender to God’s grace present in the sacrament, and then begin to live their marriage at a new
depth. While the current acceptability of divorce has enabled some individuals, especially women,
to escape from destructive situations, it has also made it easier for many people to leave their
marriage for less serious reasons. The Church urges people to remember that the stable, life-long
commitment of marriage will protect the integrity of a couple’s sexual intimacy and enable their
union to symbolise the faithful love of Christ for his Church.

The Catholic Church does not recognize divorce as it goes against the teachings of Christ - No
human being must separate, then, what God has joined together. The Catholic Church has a stance
on relationships. Explore what the Church teaches about the role of men and women and family
life. Christians believe that children should be brought up in a loving and supportive family,
founded on marriage and that the Church should be a model of family life. Christian love is
sacrificial. As Jesus demonstrated this by dying on the cross, parents and children are called to
make sacrifices for each other. Family is the first place where children can find out about love,
companionship and forgiveness. Parents can set children a good example of how to live a Christian
life.
Jealousy, adultery, disagreements, and quarrels have always posed a threat to married couples'
relationships. A marriage can be ruined by lust and arbitrary dominance. These problems occur as
a result of original and actual sin. The first sin destroyed man and woman's primordial connection.
Regardless, God's purpose for marriage continued. He never failed to shower couples with mercy
and healing grace in order to help them maintain their relationships.

Divorce is issues- times in the Bible, Christians' key source of authority and guidance. Despite
Jesus teaching that divorce is adultery, as defined by the Ten Commandments, he did allow for
divorce in the case of a partner's infidelity.
Families can play an important role in the community. They can provide support for other families,
care for the elderly, and adopt children. Responsibility towards elderly family members is
especially important. Toward Christians who live in this situation, and who often keep the faith
and desire to bring up their children in a Christian manner, priests and the whole community must
manifest an attentive solicitude, so that they do not consider themselves separated from the Church,
in whose life they can and must participate as baptized persons, because again The Catholic Church
does not recognize divorce as it goes against the teachings of Christ - No human being must
separate, then, what God has joined together, ‘The Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be
alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’- Genesis 2:18
The Pastoral Approach

Marriage, also known as holy matrimony in the Catholic Church, is the "covenant by which a man
and woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life and which is ordered
by its nature to the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring," and which
"has been raised to the dignity of a sacrament between the baptized by Christ the Lord." Catholic
matrimonial law, founded on Roman law in its emphasis on marriage as a free mutual agreement
or contract, provided the foundation for marriage law in all European countries, at least until the
Reformation. Lifelong marriage, on the basis of this promise, is capable of bringing out the best in
people since it is the source of so much hope and joy, as well as the framework in which many
individuals must respond to the challenges and suffering of the human condition.

As a result, the Second Vatican Council defined marriage as "an intimate union of life and love
founded by the Creator and endowed by him with its own suitable laws" (Gaudium et Spes 48).
Marriage is defined not just by societal customs, but also by "the basic nature of man and woman
as they came from the hand of the Creator" (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1603). God's
intention from the beginning of time was for man and woman to become "one body" as a symbol
of unity amongst people (Gen 2:24). The sexual union of a husband and wife confirms and
celebrates their marital vows as well as their desire to accept new human life. Marriage is also the
natural foundation of the family, and consequently of child care and the survival of human society.
Marital love, properly understood, "requires indissolubility and faithfulness in final mutual
offering" (John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio: Apostolic Exhortation on the Family (1981) 13).
Marriage, according to Catholics, is a sacrament - effective, visible evidence of God's grace – that
tells of God's faithful and creative love and makes it tangible in the lives of the couple. 'Holy
matrimony,' as a Church sacrament, consecrates human love, sexuality, and procreation to a higher
cause. It brings the couple closer to God and makes them a symbol of God's covenant with his
people. It connects the couple to Christ, who has made their marriage a symbol of his steadfast and
unbreakable love for his Church. It turns their household into a "domestic church."

Although divorce was legal in Judaism, Christ restored God's original order of creation, complete
with high standards for marriage and family. Christ provided married couples with the example
and strength to live marriage under 'God's kingdom' (Catechism 1615). 'Husbands, love your wives
as Christ loved the Church and gave himself up for her, that he may sanctify her,' says St Paul.
(Ephesians 5:25) Just as God's bond with his people is "for keeping," so, according to Jesus,
Christian marriage is "for keeps": "what God has united, man must not split" (Mt 19:6).

Even if divorcees cannot be admitted to the sacraments due to their inherent character, it is all the
more important to show pastoral concern for these members of the faithful in order to guide them
clearly towards what theology of revelation and the Magisterium have to say. The Church's road
is not an easy one for those involved. They should, nevertheless, be aware that the Church, as a
community of salvation, is accompanying them on their journey. Insofar as the parties make an
effort to comprehend the Church's practice and refrain from receiving communion, they bear
witness to the indissolubility of marriage. Clearly, caring for divorcees cannot be reduced to the
issue of receiving the Eucharist. It entails a much broader pastoral approach that attempts to do
justice to the many situations. It is critical to recognize that, aside from sacramental communion,
there are other ways to be in fellowship with God. One can approach God through turning to Him
in faith, hope, and charity, as well as in repentance and prayer. Even if they are in a paradoxical
life position, God can provide his proximity and salvation to those on diverse pathways. Pastors
and Christian communities are called, as recent Magisterium publications have highlighted, to
openly and truly welcome individuals in irregular situations, to stand by them sympathetically and
constructively, and to make them aware of the Good Shepherd's love. If pastoral care is founded
on truth and love, it will continually explore new roads and techniques.

In his much anticipated apostolic exhortation "Amoris Laetitia" ("The Joy of Love"), Pope Francis
presents an elegant elaboration of his vision for the Church as a supporting and loving guide to
common Catholics navigating the sometimes smooth and often stormy waters of marriage. Pope
Francis lays the basis for his key remarks by describing the difficulties and obstacles that families
face in terms of economy, cultural pressures and mores, consumerism, and the deterioration of
faith and religious practice in some nations. His pastoral voice, however, shines in Chapter Four,
and what is discovered there deserves a prominent and lasting position in Catholic dialogue,
homilies, and marital preparation programs. The chapter, titled "Love in Marriage," begins with
St. Paul's famous phrase from Corinthians, which says, "Love is patient, love is kind," to emphasize
that patience does not imply allowing oneself to be mistreated or abused. Rather, it means refusing
to assume that relationships or people must be ideal and expecting everything to go our way. He
discusses the destructive forces of envy, jealousy, and boastfulness, as well as the beneficial
qualities of civility and gentleness; sexual desire in marriage and the enduring warmth of
friendship; and long-term relationships. The pope believes that the joy of love in marriage must be
developed and that communication is crucial for experiencing and fostering that delight. "Marital
joy can be experienced even in the midst of suffering," the pope said, adding that marriage is an
unavoidable mix of satisfaction and challenges, stress and calm, annoyances and joys, but always
on a path to friendship that leads couples to "care for one another."

Conclusion

God’s kingdom is built not only through natural acts but with the aid of the church and her
sacraments. These are expressed as an act of faith bringing us closer to God and are valued as
visible signs of His grace. In relation, moral obligations are met with virtue and holiness at the
same time fails to achieve the canonical and sacramental standards. In the Natural Law, these
obligations have challenges involving God’s authority and being in an amoral environment. That
is why we are formed with awareness and behaviour that represent these obligations. The involved
sacraments are valued equally but we intend to focus on the Sacrament of Marriage because one
of the tasks of faithfulness is making the right person from being wrong which involves patience
together with the community of the church which holds the commitment.
In human reality, we are fond of the idea and essence of love as it reaches to a point that we
romanticize it, creating an illusion involving excitement, mystery, and intimacy in relationships.
Where in fact, romantic love in a profound sense mainly involves life-long commitment, and
accepting the person especially once marriage is involved. Marriage is not the answer to the needs
and loneliness of humans; instead a vocation as calling in the church is the same with singleness.
In the Holy Bible, it was stated that during Christ’s public Ministry, He elevated the establishment
of marriage, dignifying the sacrament. During a wedding (John 3:1-11), He said that marriage
itself in the New Covenant is considered holy and at the same time permanent (Matthew 19:3-9).
Therefore, Marriage as a relationship complementary of a man and woman reflects the Triune
God’s own life consisting of self-giving love. As expressed in The 10 Commandments, specifically
from 5 to 8, shows the urgency to protect human life and the communion of persons in marriage.
Therefore, Marriage is not just a private decision but a public commitment done together with the
church as we are all brothers and sisters in Christ. But we cannot deny the fact that with
commitment, the attitude toward sex in marriage involves realism, romantism, and physcial
interaction as it all coexist.
The holiness that the Sacrament of Marriage possesses is what makes it predominant and unique
in comparison with ordinary love-based relationships. Keeping in mind that it is not just a simple
act of affection but its sacredness alone is enough to strengthen relationships between couples as
it is passed to their own family and to the next generation. The dedication of bonding a relationship
is never enough without God’s presence in it. As any challenges that a married couple takes will
always be surpassed since its foundation is God and His undying love bonded with the Sacrament.
Like God, as He is married to the church, it truly shows the true essence of love and commitment
which should be marked in the minds and hearts of every single one of us until the end of time.

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