1. What are the sins against marriage?
The following are all mortal sins:
a) Not fulfilling the marriage duty
b) Adultery
c) Unlawful separation
d) Divorce
e) Birth control, doing something to keep from getting pregnant
f) Abortion, killing an unborn baby
g) Sterilization, tying the Fallopian tubes and so on.
2. What is the “marriage duty”?
By the ‘marriage duty” is meant that a married person is obliged, under pain of mortal sin, to give his, or her, partner sexual intercourse whenever it is reasonably asked for.
The obligation ceases when the person asking for intercourse is drunk or insane. A wife may refuse her husband intercourse if he does not support the family, or if, during pregnancy, there would be any danger to the life of the unborn child.
3. What does the Bible say about the marriage duty?
“Let the husband render the debt to his wife, and the wife also to her husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband. And in like manner the husband also hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud not one another, except, perhaps by consent, for a time, that you may give yourselves to prayer; and return together again, lest Satan tempt you for your incontinency” (Ist Corinthians 7:3-5).
4. Should a married person always insist on his right to intercourse?
No, a married person should not insist on his, or her, right to intercourse but should always be thoughtful of the other person.
“For they who in such manner receive matrimony as to shut out God from themselves and from their mind and to give themselves to their lust as the horse and mule which have not understanding, over them the devil has power’ (Tobias 6:17).
5. What is adultery?
Adultery is sexual intercourse which a married person has with someone to whom he (or she) is not married.
“Fornicators and adulterers God will judge” (Hebrews 13:4).
Adultery was punished in the Old Testament by Death (See Deuteronomy 22:22).
7. What is fornication?
Fornication is sexual intercourse between two unmarried persons.
“Fly fornication. … He that committeth fornication, sinneth against his own body. Or know you not that your members are the temple of the Holy Ghost, who is in you?… But for fear of fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have ber own husband” (1st Corinthians 6:18, 19 & 7:2).
8. Why is fornication a mortal sin?
Fornication is a mortal sin, because ALL USE OF SEX OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE IS ALWAYS A MORTAL SIN.
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are fornication, uncleanness, immodesty … they who do such things shall not obtain the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19, 20).
9. Why is it a mortal sin to separate from your husband or wife?
It is a mortal sin to separate from your husband or wife because —
1) God said: “…. a man shall cleave to his wife, and they shall be two in one flesh” (Genesis 2:24).
2) To separate means to refuse the marriage debt, and this is a mortal sin.
3) Because a separated person is then tempted to commit adultery or some other sin of sex.
4) Because the children cannot be properly trained.
“Return together again lest Satan tempt you” (1st Corinthians7:7).
10. Is a married person ever allowed to separate?
Yes, a married person is allowed to separate, but only for a very serious reason and only with the permission of the Bishop.
11. Why is it a mortal sin to divorce and marry again?
It is a mortal sin to divorce and marry again because it is clearly against the Law of God.
“Every one that putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery: and he that marrieth her that is put away from her husband, committeth adultery” (Luke 16:18).
12. Why does God forbid divorce?
God forbids divorce –
1) Because He knows that the children suffer since they cannot be raised properly by one parent,
2) Because divorce hurts the happiness of husband and wife,
3) Divorce is harmful to society
13. May a separated or a divorced person keep company with another?
No, A SEPARATED OR A DIVORCED PERSON IS ABSOLUTELY FORBIDDEN TO KEEP COMPANY WITH ANOTHER, because such a person is still married, and a married person is never allowed to keep company with another.
If you are separated or divorced, find out from the Priest who is instructing you what your duties are.
14. What is the sin of birth control?
In general birth control is doing anything before, during or immediately after sexual intercourse to keep a wife from becoming pregnant.
“Marriage honorable in all, and the bed undefiled” (Hebrews 13:4).
15. Is the sin of birth control forbidden in the Bible?
Yes, the sin of birth control is forbidden in the Book of Genesis.
“Juda said to Onan his son: Go into thy brother’s wife and marry her that thou mayest raise seed to thy brother (who was dead). He, knowing that the children should not be his, when he went into his brother’s wife, spilled the seed on the ground, lest children be born in his brother’s name. And the Lord slew him … because he did a detestable thing” (Genesis 38:7-10).
16. Is birth control ever allowed?
Birth control is never allowed; it is always a mortal sin.
“This is the will of God… that every one of you know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor; not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles that know not God” (1st Thessalonians 4:3, 4).
17. How soon after intercourse may a wife use a douche?
A wife may use a douche only one hour after intercourse; to do so before one hour is a mortal sin.
18. What is the sin of abortion?
The sin of abortion is killing an unborn baby in the womb.
19. Is the sin of abortion always mortal?
Yes, the sin of abortion is always mortal.
Thou shalt not kill” (5th Commandment).
20. Is abortion ever allowed to save a mother’s life?
No, abortion is never allowed to save a mother’s life because to take away the life of any innocent human being, even that of an unborn human being, is murder.
21. What happens to a Catholic who knowingly causes an abortion?
A Catholic who knowingly causes an abortion is automatically excommunicated from the Church. This means that such a person cannot receive the Sacraments nor have a Catholic funeral. This sin is reserved to the Bishop.
22. Can an excommunicated person get back into the church?
Yes, an excommunicated person can get back into the Church if he is truly sorry for having committed the crime and promises not to do it again.
However, ordinarily the Priest who hears bis confession has to get special power from the Bishop to take away the excommunication. The Bishop then will give the person a suitable punishment.
23. What is sterilization?
Sterilization is making the reproductive organs unfruitful, usually by tying or cutting the Fallopian tubes or seminal vescicles or by removing the womb or ovaries.
24. What kind of a sin is sterilization?
Sterilization is always a mortal sin unless the organs are diseased and are a danger to the health of the whole body.