Marriage in the Catholic Church is also called matrimony. This is than the legal marriage that most people think of. The Sacrament of Marriage involves two baptized Catholic people who become husband and wife through a sacred covenant with God and each other. By saying their "I do's", the husband and wife pledge that their marriage will be permanent (unto death), faithful (no adultery), and fruitful (open to possibility of children).

In the legal system and secular culture, matrimony is a contract between two people in order to share their life, resources, and have responsibility for each other. Unfortunately, in the upside-down perspective of our culture marriage does not even necessitate that two people be male and female because it is simply understood as a contract. Like any civil contract, it is vulnerable to loop holes and being dissolved; in addition, the contract is only honored and respected as-long-as the parties involved think that they are receiving a benefit. Is the life commitment of marriage simply a mutually beneficial arrangement?

For Catholics, we see marriage and human life as much more than simply a contract but of value and importance beyond the civil community having rather a spiritual and eternal significance. "Then God said: 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness'" (Genesis 1:26). For this reason Christ tells us that "what God has joined together, no human being must separate" (Matthew 19:6).

God has raised the dignity of Marriage for Catholics to the sacramental level.

The universal goal of every human being is directed towards Holiness and to be called back into eternal union with God, who is Love. Divine Love is not consumed with itself but rather is continually loving more and calling forth the other into unity. From this understanding sacramental marriage mirrors the realty of God and is established on the principles of unity and fruitfulness. This means the Marriage unites a man and a woman in a uniquely special commitment of love with each other and unites that man and women with any children born from the couple’s committed union of love.

Matrimony is there for the mutual help of the spouses and the increase of the people of God. Devotion to his twofold end is the way of salvation for married couples, a way sanctified by the sacrament. "Yet she shall be saved through childbearing; if she continues in faith, and love, and sanctification, with sobriety" (1 Tim: 2:15).