Assistance to the Catholic Married Couples by Women Religious: An Analysis based on CCEO and Amoris Laetitia

Abstract

In the Catholic Church, marriage is a covenant that originates from God and is elevated to sacramental dignity by Christ. Hence, preparation is needed to ensure a valid celebration and attain perfection, i.e., family wholeness and holiness. Catholic married couples play a key role in the family because having completed their requirements for a valid and licit Catholic marriage, they become responsible for each other and for achieving a holy life in order for them to fulfil the goals and properties that married life presents. The purpose of this article is to explore the integration of the Church's juridical-pastoral concern for Catholic married couples through the service of women religious. The canonical norms which indirectly speak of the assistance given to Catholic married couples by the religious are can. 783 §3 and can. 415 §§1&3 of CCEO. By analysing these two canons in CCEO and the recent apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia, we arrive at the conclusion that women religious have a participatory role as pastoral assistants to Catholic married couples.