Divorce

What does the Church teach about divorce? Marriage, again, is a sacrament in the Church. Assuming the couple was free to marry, and had the correct intentions (wanting to be married, knowing what they were entering, etc), they are married until natural death. Once the sacrament occurs, it is only ended in the death of one of the spouses. When a couple divorces, it only ends a legal marriage, and does not affect the sacrament. This means that they are presumed to be married until it is shown that the sacrament did not occur. A divorced man or woman (who remains unmarried) remains in good standing with the Church and can receive the sacraments. The Church treats them as if they are little more than legally separated. See the next weeks’ articles for more on this.