Sacraments of commitment

Sacraments of Commitment

Married life is a vocation to which many people are called. Through their union in love, the partners assist each other to live out their discipleship. They may also share in God's creative work by handing on life.

For Christians who embrace marriage according to God's purpose, their union becomes a sacrament. It is a sign of the fruitful union between God and his people that is life-giving and that forms community. The Sacrament of Matrimony offers the couple the graces they need to live out their commitment to each other and to raise a family. For this reason, sacramental marriage is an indissoluble and lifelong union.

Within the life of the Church, some are called to serve in particular roles of leadership. The Sacrament of Holy Orders consecrates bishops, priests and deacons to serve the people of God. The bishop is entrusted with a threefold ministry of teaching, sanctifying and governing a local church in communion with the church universal. The priest is a co-worker with the bishop and usually serves a community known as a parish. The deacon, who has a more limited liturgical role, assists in the practical works of charity the local church undertakes.

Commitment

The Rites of the Church that relate to commitment (e.g. Matrimony), feature a question that enquires whether the participants understand what is asked of them and are free to make a commitment. The Church treats the life commitments of people seriously and asks them to do likewise. That is why it has the Celebrant pose the question. The Church teaches that major commitments, such as marriage, are for life. This is for sound pastoral reasons such as for the good order of society. More importantly, there is a theological belief that marriage between a man and a woman reflects the covenant relationship between Christ and the Church and between God and humankind. Commitments are not only real, that is they are observable; they are also symbolic, that is they point to something beyond themselves. A commitment is normally made to another person, to a group, or to a community. It is a promise and can create obligations between parties to the agreement. The legal system refers to such promises, agreements or exchanges of services and obligations as contracts. People either keep to their contracts, or pay the consequences through the impact of the law. Thus, common sense alone suggests that commitments knowingly and freely entered into are to be honoured.

Ordination

Only men can be ordained as deacons, priests or bishops in the Roman Catholic Church. Ordination follows a period of study and spiritual development. Both deacons and priests share in the ministry of the bishop of the diocese. Vatican II restored the permanent ministry of deacon and some dioceses have encouraged men to explore this vocation. Normally, the diaconate is the final stage before priesthood. Permanent deacons may be married. The Sacrament that celebrates commitment to the ordained ministry is called Holy Orders. Vowed religious life, while not a Sacrament, calls forth special gifts and charisms.

As indicated earlier, Vatican II restored a range of ministries in the Church. Some of the internal ministries of the Church relate to its liturgical and spiritual life. For example, Acolytes (those who serve at the altar) and Lectors (those who publicly read the Scriptures) are important ministries. The call to all the baptised is to minister in their daily lives in the world, be they ordained, single or married.

Marriage

The Catholic sacrament of commitment through marriage is called Matrimony. Not all Christian Churches teach that marriage is a sacrament. The Catholic Church officially defined marriage as a sacrament around 1000 C.E. Church teachings on marriage have developed as the Church has engaged with different cultures. The characteristics of sacramental marriage between a man and a woman that are upheld by the Church are: unity, indissolubility and openness to fertility. The ministers of the sacrament are the couple. The presiding minister i.e. priest, deacon or in some instances (e.g. in mission lands) a designated lay-person, is the official witness of the Church. When acting in this role in Australia, the presiding minister is also the official witness of the government. Catholics in Australia marry according to both civil and Church law and are bound by the consequences of each.