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Chapter 21. The Sacrament of Marriage • 287
It can seem difficult, or even impossible, to bind oneself for life
to another human being. This makes it all the more important
to proclaim the Good News that God loves us with a definitive
and irrevocable love, that married couple share in this love, that
it supports and sustains them, and that by their own faithful-
ness they can be witnesses to God’s faithful love. Spouses who
with God’s grace give this witness, often in very difficult condi-
tions, deserve the gratitude and support of the ecclesial commu-
nity. (CCC, no. 1648)
DIVORCE AND PASTORAL CARE
Married couples have always experienced problems that threaten their
union: jealousy, infidelity, conflicts, and quarrels. Lust and arbitrary
domination can ruin a marriage. These issues arise from the impact of
sin, both Original and actual. The first sin disrupted the original commu-
nion of man and woman. Despite this, God’s plan for marriage persisted.
He never failed to provide mercy and healing grace to help couples sus-
tain their marriages. Sadly, some spouses fail to benefit from the Lord’s
help and from the many professional resources and support offered to
them.
The Church’s fidelity to Christ’s teaching on marriage and against
divorce does not imply insensitivity to the pain of the persons facing
these unhappy situations. When divorce is the only possible recourse,
the Church offers her support to those involved and encourages them to
remain close to the Lord through frequent reception of the Sacraments,
especially the Holy Eucharist. In the case of those who have divorced
civilly and remarried, even though the Church considers the second mar-
riage invalid, she does not want these Catholics to be alienated from her.
Toward Christians who live in this situation, and who often
keep the faith and desire to bring up their children in a Christian
manner, priests and the whole community must manifest an
attentive solicitude, so that they do not consider themselves sep-
arated from the Church, in whose life they can and must partici-
pate as baptized persons. (CCC, no. 1651)