Matrimony

Man is by nature both gregarious and political. And, as Aristotle says (Ethic. viii 12), he is more strongly inclined by nature to connubial society than to political society. In a word, man has not only a tendency (as all living bodies have) to propagate his kind, and (as herd animals do) to live with his kind, he has a tendency to the stable unions of marriage,family, and state. Thus, marriage belongs to the domain of the natural law. The conjugal union of marriage is an institution of nature.

The majority of men are called to this conjugal union, but it is not imposed upon each individual as a duty. That many should marry is necessary for the common good. Yet the same common good requires that some should be devoted to the contemplative life, to which marriage with its duties is a great obstacle. Besides, we have ample teaching in scripture of the excellence of virginity; chastity is one of the counsels of perfection. Hence, not all individuals are required to marry. The natural law is observed if a sufficient number marry to maintain and propagate the race.

The conjugal act of man and wife is by no means sinful. Scripture (I Cor. 7:3) says: “Let the husband render the debt to his wife.” The opinion that the marital action is sinful is both mistaken and heretical.

The marital act rightly performed by man and wife is an act of virtue, and therefore is a meritorious act.