GROUP STUDY
Questions:
A. What is the issue all about?
B. What is the intention, circumstance, and object of the moral agent?
C. How does one assess the morality of the moment? Is she committing a sin when she
divorces her husband and marries another for the sake of her family?
A. THE ISSUE
It is about a married OFW woman who is having a problem with regard to the morality of
her decision about her means to support the needs of her family.
B. INTENTION, CIRCUMSTANCE, AND OBJECT
The intention of the woman is to work longer in the States in order for her to sustain the
needs of her family. The circumstance is that, the married woman’s tourist has expired and thus
her stay in U.S. is no longer valid. The object of the woman is to have a “fake marriage” with
another man particularly an American citizen by separating with her current husband so that she
would be no longer renew her visa.
D. HOW DOES ONE ASSESS THE MORALITY OF THE MOMENT? IS SHE
COMMITTING A SIN WHEN SHE DIVORCES HER HUSBAND AND MARRIES
ANOTHER FOR THE SAKE OF HER FAMILY?
The intention of the married woman is no doubt good because she wants to help her family to
live a better life. But the way or the means that she wants to execute is something questionable:
Is her means morally good or bad? Understanding her situation some might say that there is
no offense in pursuing her good motive. On the contrary, other people might disagree with her
decision because her means is not acceptable especially in the context of the Filipinos. Wherein
divorce is against the nature of the couples in the Philippines. Jesus Christ Himself says, “If a
man divorces his wife for any cause other than her unfaithfulness, then he is guilty of making
her commit adultery if she marries again; and the man who marries her commit adultery also
(Matthew 5:32).” Consequently, what the married woman planning to do is wrong especially
in the eyes of the Church. “From a valid marriage arises a bond between the spouses which by
its very nature is perpetual and exclusive; furthermore, in a Christian marriage the spouses are
strengthened and, as it were, consecrated for the duties and the dignity of their state by a special
a special sacrament(CCC 1638).” Hence, no matter how good the intention is, but if the means
is morally wrong then it is no good at all. That is why there is this saying that goes, “The end
does not justify the means”. In other words, what is evil is evil and no one can change that fact.
However, the culpability of the action of the married woman will be lessened because of
her circumstance. The conscience that one might apply in her case is doubtful conscience, a
conscience in its effort to form a clear conscience in its particular attitude lack of sufficient
evidence to form an efficient judgment (Poulin, 1989). Linking this type of conscience in the
situation of the “TNT” woman, one cannot really blame her if her solely desire is simply to
raise the poor status of her family. She does not want to suffer her family in poverty that is
why she needs to make a firm decision in having a “fake marriage” to solve her problem. That
is why she is having a second thought of her action if it is good or bad, then she cannot
distinguish “which is which.”
Moreover, it is important to take note that her action does not only affects herself but it
affects other people also such her children, husband and the particular man whom she wants
to “marry”. This means that the consequence of her action has a domino effect. She does not
only hurt herself, emotionally and psychologically, but also the other significant people around
her. Recalling the main question in this topic is she committing a sin by when she divorces her
husband and marries another for the sake of her family? The obvious answer for this is yes.
This is because at the outset only God can separate a married couple. “The marriage bond has
been established by God Himself in such a way that a marriage concluded and consummated
between baptized persons can never be dissolved (CCC 1640).” In other words, the married
woman has no faculty to go against the will of God. Marrying another man despite a good
intention cannot be justified no matter what. To go against God is sin itself. Maybe there is
another way for the married woman to help her family. She can ask her husband to help her or
other friends. She must remember that “if there’s a will, there‘s a way.”