Explain how Roman Catholic beliefs concerning married life are reflected in the rituals and vows of the marriage ceremony.

The second belief is Permanent. The Church teaches that marriage is forever because it’s Gods work that joins the couple together, Jesus said in Mark 10:9 that human beings can’t undo Gods work. The couple are married until one of the partners die. Death ends a marriage and the remaining partner is free to marry again. The Church does not recognise divorce because the couple promised to stay together until death when they made their vows before God. However, in certain circumstances the Church will grant an annulment if it can be proved that it was never a true marriage. The permanent belief is shown in the opening prayer, ‘May their lives always bear witness to the reality of that love.’, the second question of the bride and groom declaring their intention to marry, ‘Will you love and honour each other for the rest of your life?’, the wedding vows, ‘to have and to hold from this day forward’, acceptance of consent and the nuptial blessing, ‘May he always honour her’.

The third belief is Exclusive. Marriage is an exclusive relationship between a man and a woman. Marital love is sexual love which is only for the couple to enjoy. Other people can share in the marriage in some ways by being welcome in the house, but the deeper union between husband and wife is only for them to enjoy. This exclusively requires complete faithfulness and fidelity. People must resist all temptation in terms of being attracted to another person, there should be no affairs, adultery, or any form of open relationship. Out of all the beliefs this is reflected most in the service, in the opening prayer, ‘With faith in you and in each other’, ‘they pledge their love today’, the first and second questions in the bride and groom declaring their intentions to get married, the wedding vows, ‘I…do take thee…’, ‘ till death do us part’, the acceptance of the consent, the blessing of the rings, the exchange of rings and the nuptial blessing.

The final belief is Life-Giving. As marriage involves sexual intercourse there is the possibility of children. The Catholic Church believes that children are a gift from God and Gods ‘crown and glory’ to a marriage. Therefore sex should always be open to the possibility of conception. This means that the Church forbids any methods of contraception. It also means that abortion is condemned once conception has taken place. This belief is so important to the Church that the couple are actually asked in the wedding service if they will accept children. Finally marriage is also life giving for the couple themselves because the experience of being in love makes people feel fully human and fully alive. This belief only comes up once throughout the whole service and that’s the third question when the bride and groom declare their intention for marriage, ‘Will you accept children lovingly from God?’