Sacraments: Privileged Encounters with Jesus Christ
Review Questions for Chapter 7 Matrimony
I. Christ Restored and Elevated Marriage (pp. 180-84)
1. What are three ways to understand Matrimony as more than a mere contract?
2. What does Scripture reveal about the marriage of our first parents?
3. In what ways did the disobedience of Adam and Eve disrupt their marriage?
4. What were the consequences of Original Sin for marriage?
5. What two reasons are given as to why Jesus instituted the Sacrament of Matrimony?
6. In what ways do the graces of God make the gift of self possible? Explain.
II. The Unitive and Procreative Dimensions of Marital Love (pp. 184-87; 200)
7. How does each spouse imitate Christ?
8. What is the fullest expression of the couple’s love? Explain.
9. What are the two aspects of the conjugal act in marriage? Explain each.
10. Explain what is means to say the marital act is a deception and corruption when practiced outside of marriage?
11. Explain how true love bears fruit between a husband and wife?
12. Fill in the blanks: Because the marital act (a) _____ is directed toward the unity of the spouses and the
(b) _____, any act that intentionally prevents this end violates the nature of marriage and is (c) _____. The use
of artificial birth control (d) _____ the meaning of the act, intentionally withholding the (e) _____ of one’s
entire being.
13. Below are the consequences that Pope Paul VI prophetically warned would occur as a result of the use of
contraceptives, in his encyclical entitled, Humanæ Vitæ (On Human Life). Fill in the information.
Prediction of Pope Paul VI (1969)
How it has come true in the 21st century
Adultery, as evidenced by the 50%+ divorce rate, has
indeed become more common. The divorce rate doubled
between 1965 and 1975 – just after the introduction of
the contraceptive pill.
Consider television, movies, music, magazines, fashions,
social media, the internet. Sexual messages saturate our
culture as never before. It’s a prime example of “the frog
in the water effect.”
Promiscuity among teenagers and college students has
increased dramatically. Cohabitation is widely accepted
and promoted even though 75% of people who live
together before marriage divorce within three years.
This goes along with promiscuity. Once the
consequences for premarital sex appear to have been
removed, there is simply more of it. There have been
more than 55 million abortions since 1973.
The explosion of pornography which overwhelmingly
exploits women more. Also, sixty percent of people in
poverty are women with children. Supreme Court:
“Abortion must be legal because contraceptives fail.”
Some governments dictate how many children a couple
can have, even rewarding couples with fewer children
with monetary benefits. “What becomes accepted
becomes expected.”
 Read the sidebar on page 200 and respond to the following questions.
14. Fill in the blanks: Prior to the 1930 Lambeth Conference, virtually every (a) _____ had actively opposed the use
of (b) _____. Those who advocated for contraceptives promised (c) _____ and fewer women and children
(d) _____. However, contraceptives for use in marriage could be used (e) _____ as well.
15. What are three ways in which the modern family has declined?
III. NFP and the Conditions for Marriage (pp. 187-91)
16. Fill in the blanks: The gift of self and (a) _____ does not mean every marital act must have (b) _____ as its
primary intention. In (c) _____ of Christ, spouses are asked to live a life of (d) _____. However, sometimes a
couple must accept that their (e) _____ in life may discourage the gift of another child.
17.
18.
19.
20.
What is Natural Family Planning? How is it fundamentally different than birth control?
For what are those preparing for marriage preparing? Explain.
What do all dioceses require? What is the purpose of this?
Fill in the blanks: The purpose of Canon Law is to ensure the (a) _____ of the Sacrament and the (b) _____ of
those seeking to get married. The first requirement is that the parties are of the (c) _____. Further, people must
enter into marriage as an act of their own (d) _____ and each party must have sufficient use of (e) _____.
21. What are the three requirements of a valid marriage listed in the sidebar? Explain the first and give examples of
the third.
IV. Celebration of the Sacrament of Matrimony (pp. 191-94)
22. Why is an unadorned ring is made of precious metal a fitting symbol for marriage?
23. When does the Sacrament begin? When is it completed? How do their bodies serve as symbols
24. Fill in the blanks: Matrimony normally takes place at (a) _____ because it is through the Mass that (b) _____ is
made manifest. Through the Sacrament couples are empowered to (c) _____ love and obtain the sacramental
graces needed to perfect (d) _____ and to live lives of (e) _____.
25. What questions does the priest direct to the couple? What is the purpose of these?
V. Lights and Shadows in Marriage (pp. 194-98)
26. Explain how God envisions marriage.
27. In the most general of terms, what is the vocation of every spouse and parent?
28. Fill in the blanks: Because the family is the first school of life the Christian home is called the (a) _____ – a
community of grace and prayer, a school of (b) _____ and Christian charity. The children will learn from the
way their parents live out (c) _____ to each other and to God: personal (d) _____ will be in order and life will
be seen as a (e) _____. Mutual (f) _____ will educate the children as to the true nature of love.
29. What does it mean for a family to endure trials with a Christian attitude? What is a Christian home?
30. Match the following sins to the situations they describe.
____ abortion
A. Mike and Stephen think they are in love and are considering going to Canada where they can get “married.”
____ cohabitation
B. Jose and Gloria just got married and do not want to have children for a few years. Therefore, they are using
artificial contraceptives.
C. Dimitri came to the U.S., having fled the former communist world some years ago, leaving a wife and child.
He had intended one day to return and bring them to America as well. Over the years, he has since lost any
feelings of obligation to them. He met an American girl and married her, thinking no one will ever know about
his former life.
D. Rhonda’s parents divorced when she was very young, and she spent her childhood going between her
parents’ homes. She has decided that before she ever gets married, she will live with her fiancé for a time
before the marriage to see if it will work out.
E. Cameron and his girlfriend often go way beyond kissing in their physical contact with one another. They
have rationalized that as long as they do not actually have sexual intercourse, anything else goes.
F. Bill and Sandra have had a rough time for the past few years in their marriage, so they are having it
dissolved by a judge.
G. Wendy and Mark have been living as husband and wife for years and are not even civilly married. They
think, “we love each other, and that is what counts. What difference would a piece of paper make anyway?”
H. After going to college, Greg finds that “hooking up” with girls, especially at bars, is fairly easy. He is able to
have sex with a different girl every weekend, if he wants to.
____ polygamy
____ trial marriage
____ adultery
____ divorce
____ premarital
sex
____ use of
contraception
____ improper
sexual intimacy
____ same-sex
unions
31.
32.
33.
34.
I. Erica recently discovered she was pregnant. A local “women’s health clinic” arranged for her to go to a
nearby town for a “procedure” whereby the pregnancy was terminated.
J. While at a business meeting in Las Vegas, Craig, who is married, pays for the services of a prostitute,
thinking “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.”
What effect does a civil divorce have on a sacramentally ratified and consummated marriage? Explain.
Explain what the Church teaches about the remarriage of persons who have a valid first marriage?
Explain what power civil government has in dissolving a valid marriage. The Church?
Explain what power the Church has in dissolving a valid marriage. What conditions must exist for an
annulment?
Note: Carefully review the vocabulary on pages 202-203 of the text prior to the exam.