BEFORE YOU ENTER THAT MARRIAGE, READ THIS
You’re in love.
You’ve prayed.
You’ve found “the one.”
And now, you can’t wait to walk down the aisle.
That’s beautiful. Truly beautiful.
But before you enter that marriage, pause… and ask yourself: “Is this union valid in the eyes of the Church?”
Because in the Catholic Church, not every relationship, no matter how emotional or romantic, can become a sacramental marriage.
There are things called impedimentis, spiritual and canonical walls that can make a marriage invalid even if both parties love each other deeply.
Let’s walk through them carefully.
1. Already Married to Someone Else (Prior Bond)
You cannot marry someone who is already bound by a valid marriage.
Love cannot erase a sacrament.
Even if the civil court grants a divorce, the Church still recognizes the first valid bond, unless it’s annulled.
(Canon 1085)
2. Holy Orders or Religious Vows
A priest, deacon, or religious bound by solemn vows cannot marry.
He has already given his “I do” to Christ and His Church.
Until that bond is dispensed, no other can stand beside the altar.
(Canons 1087–1088)
3. Blood Relation (Consanguinity)
Yes, love has limits.
You cannot marry your sibling, cousin in a close degree, or anyone with whom you share a prohibited blood relationship.
The Church protects both nature and dignity.
(Canons 1091–1092)
4. Spiritual Relationship
Did you know?
A godparent cannot marry his or her godchild.
That baptismal bond is sacred — it’s not just a ceremony; it creates a spiritual family.
(Canon 1094)
5. Difference of Worship (Disparity of Cult)
A baptized Catholic cannot validly marry an unbaptized person without a dispensation from the bishop.
Why? Because faith is not just personal, it’s the very foundation of Christian marriage.
(Canon 1086 §1–2)
6. Abduction or Force
No true marriage can be born from fear or coercion.
If anyone was pressured, threatened, or deceived into saying “I do,”
that “I do” means nothing before God.
(Canons 1089, 1103)
7. Age and Immaturity
The Church sets a minimum age (16 for men, 14 for women),
but beyond numbers, she asks:
“Are you mature enough to love, forgive, sacrifice, and stay, even when the feelings fade?”
(Canon 1083)
8. Incapacity to Fulfill Marital Duties
Marriage is not just romance, it’s a covenant that demands emotional, psychological, and physical readiness.
If one is unable to live that reality, the bond cannot stand.
(Canon 1095)
9. Public Propriety and Affinity
There are also cases where a man cannot marry his deceased wife’s close relative or a woman her deceased husband’s brother without Church permission.
The Church guards family order with sacred boundaries.
(Canons 1092–1094)
10. Impediment of Crime
If someone kills his or her spouse (or the other person’s spouse) in order to marry that person,
no wedding can ever wash away that sin.
No love can grow from blood.
(Canon 1090)
Love Needs Light, Not Just Fire
Marriage is holy ground.
It’s not built on emotions alone, but on truth, consent, and divine grace.
Before you enter that marriage, talk to your parish priest.
Seek spiritual and canonical guidance.
Because it’s better to discover the truth now than to cry later before a tribunal.
When love walks in light, it leads to heaven.
When it ignores truth, it walks into darkness.
So before you say, “I do,” make sure Heaven can say, “Amen.”
“Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” — Psalm 127:1