Catholic Church

====Matrimony====
{{Anchor|Sacrament of marriage}}
{{Main|Marriage in the Catholic Church}}
{{See also|Catholic teachings on sexual morality}}
[[File:Jf9694Wedding San Nicolas Church Tolentine Marriage Pampangafvf 02.JPG|right|thumb|Wedding mass in the [[Philippines]]]]
The Catholic Church teaches that marriage is a social and spiritual bond between a man and a woman, ordered towards the good of the spouses and procreation of children; according to Catholic teachings on sexual morality, it is the only appropriate context for sexual activity. A Catholic marriage, or any marriage between baptized individuals of any Christian denomination, is viewed as a sacrament. A sacramental marriage, once consummated, cannot be dissolved except by death.<ref>{{Cite CCC|2.1|1601,1614|quote=The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament.}}</ref>{{refn|Marriages involving unbaptized individuals are considered valid, but not sacramental. While sacramental marriages are insoluble, non-sacramental marriages may be dissolved under certain situations, such as a desire to marry a Catholic, under [[Pauline privilege|Pauline]] or [[Petrine privilege]].<ref name="Gantley"/><ref name="Doors"/>||group="note"}} The church recognizes certain [[Marriage (Catholic Church)#Conditions for a valid marriage of Catholics|conditions]], such as freedom of consent, as required for any marriage to be valid; In addition, the church sets specific rules and norms, known as [[Marriage (Catholic Church)#Canonical form|canonical form]], that Catholics must follow.<ref>{{Cite CCC|2.1|1631}}</ref>

The church does not recognize divorce as ending a valid marriage and allows state-recognized divorce only as a means of protecting the property and well-being of the spouses and any children. However, consideration of particular cases by the competent ecclesiastical tribunal can lead to declaration of the invalidity of a marriage, a declaration usually referred to as an [[annulment (Catholic Church)|annulment]]. Remarriage following a divorce is not permitted unless the prior marriage was declared invalid.<ref>{{Cite CCC|2.1|1629}}</ref>