THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE - Fr. George J. Willmann, SJ

through day-to-day fidelity to their marriage promise of
total mutual self-giving”(FC 19). This human communion is
confirmed, purified, and completed by communion in Jesus
Christ, given through the sacrament of Matrimony.
1. Unity. The unity of marriage, distinctly recognized by
our Lord, is made clear in the equal personal dignity which
must be accorded to man and wife in mutual and unreserved
affection”(GS 49, 2). Unity as property of marriage means
that marriage is an exclusive relationship between one man
and one woman. In marriage, a man and a woman mutually
give and accept each other. To include anyone else within
privileged sphere of marital intimacy violates the unity proper
to marriage. Thus polygamy, whether simultaneous or serial,
is a violation of the unity of marriage. Polygamy is contrary to
conjugal love which is undivided and exclusive (FC 19).
Further reflection on the nature of marriage as a consortium
of the whole of life has amplified our understanding on the unity
of marriage. Violations on this essential property of marriage
may not only involve extramarital sexual relationships. For
example, a man may marry to have a wife for sexual relations,
children, and companionship, but continue an unhealthily
“close emotional relationship to his mother after marriage
with even daily visits, frequent telephone conversations,
dependence in decision making, intimate aspects of marital
life, often unknown to his wife”. In such a case, the man may
be judged to have violated the unity of marriage. Remember
what the Lord said: “For this reason a man will leave his father
and mother and unite with his wife, and ‘the two will become
one.’ So they are no longer two, but one”(Mt. 19:5-6).
2. Indissolubility. To say marriage is indissoluble means
that it is a perpetual relationship which not only “should
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