Foundations of Marriage
According to the Catholic Church, what are the three “homes” for the good life?
Marriage, family, and the civic community (state).
How does the Catholic Church describe marriage in one phrase?
An intimate partnership of life and love.
Which stage focuses on inherited expectations from family backgrounds?
Beginnings
Marriage creates a new _______ within society.
Social cell
What term describes the lifelong permanence of sacramental marriage?
Indissolubility
Marriage is considered a vocation and a privilege rather than what?
A lifestyle.
Marriage is not merely a contract but a _______.
Covenant.
Which stage is marked by intimacy, closeness, and emotional intensity?
Romantic love.
Why do societies publicly recognize marriage through licenses and ceremonies?
Because marriage affects the common good.
What is an annulment?
A declaration that a valid marriage never existed.
In which book of the Bible is the first encounter of human companionship found?
Genesis.
Marriage is ordered toward the good of the spouses, children, and what else?
Society as a whole.
Around 4–5 years in, which stage often involves conflict and negotiation?
Power struggle
According to the Church, does marriage pre-exist the State?
Yes
Can civil divorce dissolve a sacramental marriage in the Church?
No
What realization leads God to create Eve for Adam?
Adam realizes he has no “helper as his partner.”
Which two forms of love describe the growth of marital love?
Eros (romantic love) and agape (self-giving love).
What stage follows successful conflict resolution and deep reflection?
Stability
Marriage is considered a rite of passage because it marks what?
A personal and social transition into a new stage of life
Why can separated or civilly divorced Catholics still receive the sacraments?
Because the sacramental bond remains
What does “becoming one flesh” mean in Catholic teaching?
A total union of life—bodily, emotional, spiritual, and social—through marriage.
What allows spouses to grow in holiness through daily forgiveness and sacrifice?
The Holy Spirit through the sacrament of marriage.
Which stage emphasizes wisdom, mentorship, and growing old together?
Growing Old Together.
Why is marriage considered an institution, not just a private relationship?
Because it involves society, law, community, Church, and God.
Marriage is a sacrament because it becomes a visible sign of whose love?
Christ’s love for the Church