Pope Pius XI - Casti Connubii: On Christian Marriage | Pt. 2

“The family is more sacred than the State... men are begotten not for the earth and for time, but for Heaven and eternity.”

Last week we began a three-part reading of Casti Connubii, Pope Pius XI’s encyclical on Christian marriage promulgated in 1930.

In the first part, Pope Pius discussed the nature and the dignity of marriage, and described as well marriage’s many benefits to family and society. In this second part, he addresses the errors and vices opposed to marriage.

Whatever the error, Pius observes that the fundamental principle animating it is the false notion that marriage is invented by man and is therefore subject to his will.

Pius addresses in detail the errors opposed to each of the three main blessings of marriage, which he outlined in the beginning of the encyclical as offspring, conjugal faith, and the sacrament.

In the end, Pius affirms that marriage’s religious character arises not from any idea imposed by religion, but rather from its very nature. Marriage is sacred in its divine origin and its divine purpose, and has been raised by Christ to the level of a great sacrament of the Church.

Links:

Casti Connubii Full Text: https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?id=3370

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Theme music: 2 Part Invention, composed by Mark Christopher Brandt, performed by Thomas Mirus. ©️2019 Heart of the Lion Publishing Co./BMI. All rights reserved.