To understand why the Catholic Church so vigorously defends marriage and so steadfastly opposes "same-sex unions," it is important to understand the Church's official teaching on marriage itself. The Church bases its teaching on holy scripture and the word of Christ himself. You need not agree with it. But at least try to understand it and respect it.
So . . . . .
What does the Catholic Church teach about marriage?
Basing her teaching on God’s revelation in Scripture and the meaning of the human person, created male and female in the image of God, the Catholic Church teaches that marriage is the lifelong partnership of mutual and exclusive fidelity between a man and a woman ordered by its very nature to the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of children (see CCC, no. 1601; CIC, can. 1055.1; GS, no. 48).
The bond of marriage is indissoluble – that is, it lasts “until death do us part.” At the heart of married love is the total gift of self that husband and wife freely offer to each other. Because of their sexual difference, husband and wife can truly become “one flesh” and can give to each other “the reality of children, who are a living reflection of their love” (FC, no. 14).
Marriage between a baptized man and a baptized woman is a sacrament. This means that the bond between husband and wife is a visible sign of the sacrificial love of Christ for his Church. As a sacrament, marriage gives spouses the grace they need to love each other generously, in imitation of Christ.
(From FAQ #3 in The Meaning of Marriage and Sexual Difference FAQs; see all FAQs
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2 comments:
Dan, I definitely respect your beliefs and those of the Catholic church. But I personally don't think marriage should be looked at strictly as a means to an end - having children and procreating. Does that mean that the marriage of a man and woman who, for whatever reason, don't have children is somehow weaker or less meaningful? Is there something wrong with the idea of marrying simply for the sake of having a companion you care about to share your life with? Can marriage be something unto itself and not just a step that must be completed to "be fruitful and multiply?"
Josh: The Catholic Church has answered these questions, and many more:
Does the Church think that marriage is a mere “instrument” for having children?
Certainly not. The Church does teach that the “proper mission” of husband and wife is having children and raising them (GS, no. 50). But spouses should never “use” each other in order to have a child, and even marriages not blessed with children can be fruitful through loving service to others. A child is neither a product nor a trophy, but a gift - a human person with great dignity and worth. Spouses are not the ultimate source of their children, but are called to receive them lovingly from God by exercising responsible parenthood (which can mean welcoming many children, as well as postponing pregnancy for serious reasons).
What’s the difference between a husband and wife who can’t have children, and two persons of the same sex, who also can’t have children?
Only a man and a woman, as husband and wife, can enter into the two-in-one-flesh communion of persons. Only a man and a woman are able to conceive a child through each other. That is to say, only a man and a woman can be joined so intimately that their bodies work together in the common task of procreation. Even when a husband and wife do not in fact conceive a child (due to infertility, age, and so on), their sexual acts are still the kind of acts by which children are naturally conceived. In contrast, two persons of the same sex may be perfectly healthy, but will never be able to enter a one-flesh communion and thus unite in such a way that a child is conceived.
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