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. (CCC 1601)

In the Sacrament of Matrimony, a man and a woman enter into a sacred covenant that reflects Christ’s faithful and life-giving love for His Church. United by God and strengthened by sacramental grace, husband and wife are called to a lifelong partnership of love, fidelity, and openness to life. Marriage is a path to holiness in which spouses sanctify one another through daily sacrifice, forgiveness, and joy. Their union becomes a visible sign of God’s love in the world and a foundation for the domestic Church within the home.