The Sacrament of Marriage in the Catholic Tradition and the Culture of the Temporary

Abstract

Pope Francis calls today’s culture a culture of temporariness. With regard to marriage, it is resulting in a decline in marriages and an increase in divorces. One notices an increasing tension between the sacrament of marriage in the Catholic tradition, which is understood as a lifelong relationship. The purpose of this article is to analyze the meaning and stabilizing role of marriage in the face of these changes. This article consists of four parts. It presents the theological and legal–canonical vision of the sacrament of marriage in the Catholic Church (1), the manifestations of the culture of temporariness in society and marriage (2), the stability offered by the sacrament of marriage (3), and the strengthening of the stabilizing role of the sacrament of marriage (4). The sources for this research are the teachings of the modern Catholic Church and scientific studies on the sacrament of marriage and the culture of temporality. The monographic method, the method of source analysis, and content analysis were used. The analysis carried out in this article shows that the sacrament of marriage is a kind of sign of opposition to the culture of temporariness. It reminds us of values such as fidelity, responsibility, and generosity.

1. Introduction

The sacrament of marriage plays a key role in the Catholic tradition, constituting the foundation of long-lasting relationships, spiritual life, and social stability. The Catholic Church emphasizes its indissolubility, love, and the mutual devotion of the spouses as the essential elements of the sacramental covenant. On the other hand, the current culture of the temporary promotes individualism, moral relativism, and relationship impermanence and poses numerous challenges to marriage.

The aim of this article is to analyze the meaning and the stabilizing role of marriage in the face of these changes. It will present the theological and legal bases of the sacrament, as well as its meaning in the context of the current culture of the temporary, which will be analyzed mainly on the basis of the rich teachings of Pope Francis. The analysis will prove that marital permanence and fidelity can counteract the fragmentation of interpersonal relationships, offering stability and spiritual rooting in the dynamically developing world. Moreover, it will discuss the activity of the Catholic Church, which aims to strengthen the role and meaning of the sacrament of marriage. The leading method used in the preparation of this article is the monographic one. The other methods used in writing this article are the method of source material analysis and contents analysis, as well as activities of a synthetic nature.

This article is divided into four parts. The first part presents the theological vision of the sacrament of marriage in the Catholic Church, the second part enumerates the manifestations of the culture of the temporary in society and in marriage, the third part presents the stability offered by the sacrament of marriage, and the fourth part presents the strengthening of the stabilizing role of the sacrament of marriage by the Catholic Church.

2. The Theological Vision of the Sacrament of Marriage in the Catholic Church

The Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes, promulgated by the Second Vatican Council, teaches that marriage is: “the intimate partnership of married life and love has been established by the Creator and qualified by His laws, and is rooted in the conjugal covenant of irrevocable personal consent [of the spouses]” (Second Vatican Council 1965, no. 48). Drawing upon biblical revelation and tradition, the Catholic Church understands marriage as a covenant (Lat. foedus)—a permanent and faithful relationship of love between a man and a woman, which is a response to God’s calling and forms part of His salvific plan (Witte 2012, p. 25).

At the heart of the Christian vision of marriage lies the theological dimension of the covenant, which refers to the biblical image of God’s love for His people, which is repeatedly presented throughout the Scriptures. From this perspective, marriage appears not merely as a human and social institution, but above all as a spiritual reality, rooted in God’s will and in the free and conscious consent of the spouses.

The Catholic Church, in reading this dimension, emphasizes the indissolubility and permanence of the marital covenant as a sign of God’s faithful love for humanity. Accordingly, its teaching affirms that marriage—as a community of life and love—assumes a sacramental character for the baptized, introducing spouses into the mystery of Christ’s love for the Church (cf. Eph 5, 25–33).

The marital covenant thus fulfills a special role, both in the spiritual and social spheres. Theologically, it symbolizes the unbreakable love of Christ for His Church, as well as the mutual self-giving of the spouses. Saint Paul, in his Letter to the Ephesians (Eph 5, 21–33), presents marriage as a mystery in which the relationship between Christ and His people is manifested, and in which spouses participate in God’s salvific plan by bearing witness to love and unity (Rychlicki 1997, pp. 54–65).

This symbolic dimension of marriage is also present in the Old Testament, where the relationship between God and Israel is depicted through the image of the bridegroom and bride—with God as the faithful Bridegroom and His people as the Bride (Is 54, 5; Oz 2, 19–20). Marital love finds its source in God’s love for His people, and the analogy between the love of Christ for the Church and the love of husband and wife reveals the unity of man and woman as the beginning and foundation of the marital covenant (Rychlicki 2015, pp. 25–27). Thus, marriage becomes a reality in which God actualizes human will, offering it a model of love and complete self-giving.

Marriage is based on the mutual and personal gift of self of the spouses, which leads to their deep union. This union is not limited only to the sexual life but encompasses the totality of matters and duties proper for marriage. The marital covenant does not reduce the individual nature of a person, their character, emotions, and feelings, but it integrates these elements with the bond of love, binding the individual nature of a spouse with the individual nature of the other spouse. Thus two separate “I”s make a common “us” (Gen 2, 24), realizing the marital unity (Borowski and Lipiec 2024, p. 848).

Marriage is connected with mutual commitments, the key one being fidelity, which results from love—the foundation of the covenant. Love requires fulfilling the commitments because the spouses give themselves to each other fully and irrevocably. Fidelity, which is emphasized in the marriage vow, not only strengthens the bond between spouses but also reflects God’s fidelity to His People, referring to the idea of a covenant. It is a spiritual commitment that strengthens the marital love (Maciejko 2018, p. 243).

The spouses participate in God’s plan of creation. Paul VI noticed that marriage and the family originate in God and correspond to His plan, which continues despite the changing conditions (Paul VI 1966). The spouses, while conferring the sacrament upon each other, receive God’s grace, which consecrates their consent and unites their love (Grandos 2014, pp. 25–26).

Pope Francis reminds us that in the sacrament of marriage, the spouses receive the gift of indissolubility, which is not only the fruit of their own efforts but mainly a promise of God, whose fidelity is the foundation of existence and of interpersonal relations (Francis 2025). Man, supported by God’s grace, receives the strength to overcome the difficulties that appear in the way of marriage and to persevere in their love despite the changeability of the human condition. This promise of God reminds us that genuine marital unity is not based solely on emotions or on mutual benefits but rather on faith in the presence of God, who accompanies the spouses and enables them to participate in mutual forgiveness, sacrifice, and constant growth in the community of life and love (John 1983, no. 11).

Fidelity and the indissolubility of marriage thus become the sign of God’s love for man and a testimony for the world about the fact that permanent love is possible owing to God’s grace. The marital covenant goes beyond the limits of purely human relations and achieves a supernatural dimension. Through their persistence and the faithful fulfillment of mutual commitments, the spouses realize God’s plan, thus becoming a sign of His presence in the world and contributing to the good of the whole community.

The marital covenant has not only an individual dimension but also a community dimension, playing a key role in society. Sacramental marriage constitutes the basis of the permanent family, which is the foundation of society. Through responsible parenthood and educating children, the spouses contribute to maintaining the stability and development of the community, transmitting moral, ethical, and spiritual values that shape future generations (John 1983, no. 36–38).

The family, which is the source of the marital covenant, has a particular mission to provide testimony about Christian love (Second Vatican Council 1965, no. 48). This mission consists of promoting love, solidarity, and forgiveness both in the family and in communities (John, no. 21). The marital covenant, strengthened by the sacrament, gives the spouses strength to overcome difficulties and to become the witnesses of the values that build a sustainable society. Their example of faithful love inspires others to discover the beauty of family bonds and to take responsibility for the common good.

3. The Manifestations of the Culture of the Temporary in Society and in Marriage

Marriage and the family play a significant role in society. However, in the face of the current dynamic socio-cultural changes, their functions and structures undergo transformations. The contemporary transformations influence the way the roles of the spouses, family models, and the values connected with marital and family life are perceived. These changes include many aspects, from technology to social values, evolving gender roles, and economic conditions. The contemporary challenges and possibilities that the family and marriage are facing result from the dynamic transformation of the realities (Przygoda 2023, pp. 2–4; Sarah 2017, pp. 277–79).

One of the important phenomena influencing these transformations is the so-called culture of the temporary. This is a social and cultural phenomenon characterized by the preference for what is temporary, ephemeral, and unstable, both within interpersonal relations and in the approach to values, moral principles, or spirituality. The culture of the temporary results from the influence of postmodernism, consumerism, and relativism, which promote hedonism, individualism, and a lack of engagement in permanent commitments (Sproncel 2022, pp. 40–46).

Pope Francis, while analyzing contemporary conditions, indicated a series of disturbing phenomena that make up the culture of the temporary. He notices that the life of man in the age of postmodernism is immersed in the following: “We live engrossed in the so-called culture of fragmentation, of the provisional, which leads us to live in an “à la carte” way, and to be slaves to what is fashionable. This culture fosters the need to always have “side doors” open to other possibilities; it feeds consumerism and forgets the beauty of the simple and austere life, very often causing a great existential emptiness” (Francis 2017).

There has been a widespread rise in strong practical relativism, where everything is evaluated through the lens of self-realization, which is often detached from the values of the Gospel. Contemporary man lives in a society where economic rules replace moral ones, dictate laws, and impose their own systems of reference at the expense of life’s deeper values. It is a society where, as Pope Francis observed, “the tyranny of money and profit promotes a vision of existence in which those who do not produce are discarded” (Francis 2017).

The term “the culture of fragment and provisional nature” refers to the contemporary socio-cultural tendencies that are dominated by temporariness, a lack of permanent commitments, and the superficial nature of interpersonal relations. In such a context, some individuals prefer life “à la carte”, choosing only the elements that are attractive for them at a particular moment, which leads to addictions to temporary fashions and trends.

As a result, life becomes a collection of fragmentary experiences, deprived of consistency and a deeper meaning, which can lead to the feeling of existential emptiness. Sociologists directly indicate that “a new concept of identity as instability, diversity and discontinuity” appeared right now. Randomness replaces what used to be permanency and fragmentation appears in the place of unity. Nobody is encouraged to consistency of personality, inconsistency is now preferred (Kociuba 2012, p. 67).

This new approach to identity manifests itself in everyday life through, among others, the flexibility of social roles, the easiness of changes in values, and the shortness of relationships. People more and more often change their professions, their social roles, or even their family roles, adapting to current needs and circumstances. Traditional values are replaced by individual preferences, which can dynamically change depending on the situation. Interpersonal relations become less permanent, and the engagement of the parties is often very superficial, which leads to frequent changes in circles of friends or life partners. Owing to the multiplicity of networks and connections created this way, identities become more and more shallow, superficial, provisional, and temporary (Melosik 2013, p. 69).

This type of culture fosters hedonistic attitudes in which the quest for immediate gratification and seeking new experiences become the priority, often to the detriment of deeper values and permanent relationships. The culture of relativism, according to Pope Francis, “is the same disorder which drives one person to take advantage of another, to treat others as mere objects […] The same kind of thinking leads to the […] abandonment of the elderly who no longer serve our interests” (Francis 2015a, no. 123; Brzeziński 2024, pp. 1–2).

This is the result of consumerism, which shapes contemporary societies as spaces of constant striving for novelties and flexibility in life. Consumption becomes not only a means for satisfying material needs but also a tool for building and redefining identity. Due to this, individuals more often perceive themselves and others in terms of “products”, with certain features that can be modified, upgraded, and, when necessary, exchanged for a better model. Pope Francis directly indicates that man becomes a participant in “a throw-away culture at work that considers humanity in itself, human beings, as a consumer good, which can be used and then thrown away” (Francis 2014b).

Under the influence of the logic of consumerism, the approach to social roles is also changing—they are no longer seen as stable and they began to function as “projects” that are realized during a certain period of time in order to pass on to the next “challenge”. Social values are fragmented as the culture of consumerism promotes individual desires and ongoing changes, invalidating constancy and stability. In the postmodern world, people avoid everything associated with stability and continuity. Everything that is permanent and enduring is rejected, and identity becomes a process of ongoing transformations (Cybal-Michalska 2006, p. 88).

Sociologists emphasize that for young people, it is crucial not to “build their identity” but to preserve the possibility of ongoing modification. When there is a trace of dissatisfaction or the impression that the current identity ceases to satisfy expectations, it should be easy to reject. The contemporary identity should be easily removable—ready to exchange when it becomes obsolete in comparison to the new “improved” patterns. The ideal identity should be simply “biodegradable” (Baumann 2010, p. 155).

In this context, interpersonal relations also become a commodity—they are subject to selection, evaluation, and modification like the goods in an Internet basket. Dating apps or social media reinforce this trend by enabling the quick establishment and breaking off of relations. Superficiality and “looks” play a more and more important role—aesthetic photos and an attractive narrative about oneself, which can easily be adapted to the expectations of the recipients.

In these postmodern times, the shaping of identity takes place in a sphere of constant tension between two opposite processes: striving to resemble others and being different from others and standing out. This dualism results in the fact that an individual balances between independence and dependence. Man can succumb to the ideology of individualism, considering one’s self perfect and building one’s identity solely on subjective emotions and convictions. On the other hand, the temptation to resign from one’s freedom for the sake of full assimilation within the group often leads to getting addicted to its norms and values (Kociuba 2016, pp. 25–26).

Both paths are risky. Individualism can lead to alienation and egocentrism, while subordination to the group results in losing autonomy and the freedom of thought. In the postmodern reality that rejects the idea of permanence, man is facing an ongoing challenge—how to build a stable identity (Kociuba 2016, p. 26).

In the era of postmodernism, the media plays a crucial role in shaping identity. Social media has become so important that it has become not only the main and most important source of information but also a tool of formation that often turns into deformation (Borowski 2024, p. 253). Contemporary media often reinforces the tensions between conformity and the need to stand out. Social media and the Internet constantly impose certain patterns of individuals’ behaviors, lifestyles, and ideologies that suggest who they should be, what they should look like, and what values they should profess.

On the one hand, the media promotes conformity, creating mass trends and cultural norms. These include the latest challenges, beauty canons, or popular content formats, forcing users to adapt in order to remain visible and relevant in the media. “Likes” and comments, as well as the number of followers, have become a tool of social confirmation for one’s identity (Jarczyńska 2021, pp. 130–31, 342–45). Such a trend reinforces dependence on the opinions of anonymous members of digital communities and not authorities, which leads to a revaluation of traditional sources of knowledge and reliable experts. As a result, there is a fragmentation of information and promotion of the so-called “wisdom of the crowd”, which is often based on subjective convictions and not on objective facts (Jarczyńska 2021, p. 155).

On the other hand, at the same time, the media encourages people to stand out by creating “a unique image”. These manifestations are referred to as ”authentic”, ”living according to one’s own principles”, or “being yourself”, which often leads to self-aggrandizing behaviors. Influencers and digital makers build their brands on the narratives of individualism, thus putting pressure on other users to be unique and inimitable as well. As Pope Francis notices, “Freedom of choice makes it possible to plan our lives and to make the most of ourselves. Yet if this freedom lacks noble goals or personal discipline, it degenerates into an inability to give oneself generously to others”. (Francis 2016a, no. 33).

However, this tension between conformity and individualism is superficial because these attitudes are manipulated by the logic of the media and commercial algorithms. Even “authenticity” becomes a commodity sold on social media platforms. Finally, an individual experiences the identity trap—the ongoing redefinition of oneself, depending on what is currently popular and accepted in the media system. This process is strongly connected with the ongoing reconstruction of one’s identity through drawing from various cultural sources. Young people “assume” newer and newer identity gadgets; at the same time, they experiment with their core identity, which gradually loses its original shape, stability, and distinctiveness (Melosik 2013, p. 157).

Creating relations solely in a virtual reality leads to the distortion of the authentic image of the identity of an individual. Young people, while striving to satisfy their unrealistic and often artificial social norms, systematically modify their images, concealing their authentic identity behind created masks and false representations. Such processes lead to a weakening of the consistency and authenticity of their identity. We often notice that the value of an individual is measured by the number of “likes”, which leads to a deep feeling of uncertainty and inadequacy. This kind of dependency strengthens the phenomenon of social comparison and can have a negative influence on self-esteem (Francis 2018). The fear of rejection, which results from immersion in the virtual world, leads to the marginalization of an individual and ever-increasing social isolation, “involving withdrawal from their families and from their cultural and religious values” (Francis 2019, no. 90), until the total uprooting and the loss of the inner compass which indicates the meaning and goals of life (Francis 2013).

Pope Francis, analyzing the current culture of the temporary and the ephemeral, notices that it is not favorable for building stable relations based on love and sacrifice. Instead, it promotes attitudes marked by fear of long-term engagements and the dependency of interpersonal relations on profitability. Relations are often treated instrumentally and maintained only when they remedy loneliness, provide protection, or offer other concrete benefits. According to the Pope, such an approach transfers consumerist patterns into social life, in which both objects and people become elements of “use and throw away” (AL no. 39).

This phenomenon results from the absolutization of freedom of an individual, as well as of the extreme individualism that fosters the narcissistic focus on one’s needs, weakening the ability to build permanent bonds (Kućko 2024, pp. 48–49). The culture of the temporary leads to treating relationships like contracts that can be broken in cases when the expectations of an individual are not met (Lacroix 2008, pp. 247–52).

In response to these challenges, Pope Francis emphasizes the need to build bonds based on lasting values: love, fidelity, devotion, and mutual trust. Love, as he underlines, is not an ephemeral exultation but a conscious decision and an everyday choice that requires engagement and care, even in the face of difficulties (Francis 2016b).

Pope Francis, during the World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia in 2015, pointed out that the contemporary “throwaway culture” infiltrates human relationships, making many people “reluctant to make definitive choices which bind them for life”. He warned that fear of long-term commitment deprives people of the chance for true happiness and deeper, more meaningful relationships, reducing them to shallow and temporary interactions (Francis 2015b).

The Pope also indicates the cultural pressure put on young people nowadays. In contemporary narratives, marriage is presented as a threat to autonomy instead of a way for the fuller discovery of oneself in marital and family relations (Francis 2016a, no. 40). The culture of the temporary fuels man’s need to have “side options”—alternative options that help people avoid full engagement. Such an attitude leads to a lack of permanence in the relationship, an unwillingness to undertake long-term commitments, and the superficiality of family bonds. This results in an escape from responsibility and failure to make significant decisions (Francis 2016a, no. 41).

In his teachings, Pope Francis expresses deep concern toward the fiancés’ attitude as they presume, already at the stage of considering marriage, that their relationship will last only “as long as love lasts” (Francis 2014a). Such an approach is a typical manifestation of the culture of the temporary in which decisions are changeable and dependent on ephemeral emotions. It is presumed that love, which is the foundation of the relationship, is something unstable that can easily be changed. Such a perspective indicates a lack of permanent commitment, which is crucial for building a deep and complete marital bond.

Instead of perceiving marriage as a lifelong choice based on mutual support, responsibility, and striving for the good of the other, fiancés treat it as a conditioned contract dependent on changing emotions. Thus, they ignore the truth that marriages require everyday engagement, working on oneself, and readiness to fight difficulties together.

Thus, the Pope refers to the idea of a marital covenant. He underlines that marriage should be treated as a permanent, indissoluble sacrament, the essence of which does not depend on changeable conditions but is based on the constant choosing of love and fidelity, which are guaranteed by God Himself (Francis 2014a).

According to Pope Francis, the destabilization of interpersonal, family, and social bonds results from uncertainty in the sphere of basic human feelings. This phenomenon is based on weakening or rejecting the relationship with God, who entrusted responsibility for the world and for history to men and women (Francis 2013). Such a situation leads to an increase in individualism, in which “I” is prioritized over “us”, and an individual gains an advantage over the community.

The influence of the culture of the temporary on man results in redefining fundamental terms such as “God is love” (1 J 4, 8.16), which is replaced by “love is a god” (Sproncel 2022, pp. 150–51). Such a change means limiting love to a feeling, which subordinates all decisions, and its essence is reduced to a psychophysical state. Such an understanding of love—as a feeling and not as a permanent commitment—is another manifestation of the culture of the temporary, which promotes volatility and impermanence (Francis 2014a). As a result of this redefining, the way marriage is perceived also changes as it is no longer treated as a permanent and exclusive marital union but rather as a relationship that can also be as ephemeral and changeable as love itself.

The culture of the temporary has far-reaching results, not only for individuals but also for society. It leads to weakening family and social bonds, the fragmentation of community life, and the isolation of individuals. Contemporary challenges require not only a diagnosis but also seeking solutions that will help families and marriages to fulfill their fundamental roles in society.

4. Stability Offered by the Sacrament of Marriage in the Catholic Tradition

In the face of the culture of the temporary, the sacrament of marriage offers stability in the relationship of a man and a woman. The lifetime perspective of a lasting marital bond constitutes the basis for building deep relationships. Mutual trust, which is unconditional, is beneficial for getting rid of fears and uncertainties concerning the spouse’s attitudes. As the marriage continues, the trust deepens. It is enhanced by the fact that the spouses get to know each other better and better; thus, they know not only what to expect from each other but also what their strong and weak points are. They become convinced of what they are capable of and what their spouse is capable of. The mutual trust deepens; at the same time, the mutual gift of self of the spouses also increases. Such a gradual increase of the “gift of self” and of “entrusting oneself” to the spouse is the manifestation of deeper mutual love, while being the means for deepening this love at the same time. Thus, the bond between the spouses is established, and they continue to live “one common life”, being more and more with each other and less and less next to each other (Parysiewicz 2017, p. 260).

The increasing unity between spouses has practical consequences. This volitional striving for unity is accompanied by the feeling of closeness and intimacy. Emotional intimacy is also deepened as the mutual gift of the self of the spouses is proceeding. It results in a stronger emotional bond. It should be noticed that the emotional bond in marriage is evolving. We can claim that the bond matures as the relationship and the spouses mature. Therefore, it is not proper to maintain the emotional bond in its original form from the day of the wedding. It seems obvious that emotional intimacy matures as the other dimensions of the marital bond mature. The same can be said about the physical intimacy between the spouses. From the point of view of the Catholic tradition, there is no point in maintaining the form of sexual intercourse from the beginning of marriage, especially its intensity, as opposed to the opinion given by contemporary pop culture.

Emotional stability, which is facilitated by the sacrament of marriage, has practical consequences in the form of satisfying emotional needs, the main ones being the need to belong and the need for safety. The need to belong is characteristic of human beings, who are, by nature, social beings. In some models of social life, the belonging of man to a bigger community is indicated as the basic form of satisfying the need to belong, for example, some tribal communities, local communities, or even, contemporarily, some virtual communities. In the Catholic tradition, the marital and family community is the basic community; therefore, the need to belong is mainly realized within the marital bonds. The marital community of a man and a woman can provide them with literally everything they need, and they count on the total acceptance of themselves as the way they really are (Smoljo-Dobrovoljski 2025, pp. 7–8).

Such a form of belonging is the foundation of satisfying the need for safety. The mutual satisfying of these needs by the spouses takes the form of various types of care: from material care to mental and spiritual care. The sense of security provided by the spouse who assumes the “pro” attitude enables undertaking activities beyond marriage and the family by the spouses, which is beneficial for their individual development and, as a consequence, for the development of their marital and family bond. The sense of security is beneficial for building mutual trust and vice versa—mutual trust is beneficial for satisfying the need for safety. It should be noted that one of the results of deepening the mutual trust of the spouses, including the sense of safety, is also mutual support of each other in difficult situations. The problems of each of the spouses are not perceived solely as their own problems, but as a common problem; therefore, both spouses strive to solve it. They provide each other with multiple support: spiritual, organizational, or material (Landwójtowicz 2017, pp. 276–77).

The sacrament of marriage is also beneficial for the stability of marriage in the social dimension. Strong and stable relations between the husband and wife often contribute to building strong bonds between parents and children. Thus, the children build their sense of security, and the love provided to them by their parents is reciprocated and then given to siblings, other family members, and other people. The model of the bonds between the parents, which are characterized by permanence and devotion, is passed on to the younger generation. The children learn that marital love is meant as Christian marital love. They not only gain information about such love, they learn it from the example of their parents. Thus, the model of Christian love appears not only as an ideal that is beautiful but impossible to implement in real life but rather as a standard that is necessary for creating a successful relationship.

The model of the bond in marriage and the family, which is supported by the sacrament of marriage, is connected with the models of roles realized in marriage and in the family community. Children who grow up in a family based on the sacrament of marriage have clearly presented roles of a husband and a wife, of a father and a mother. These roles are presented to them in a spontaneous way by their parents, and the attitudes are assumed by the children as their own. There is a strong likelihood that, in the future, the children will tend to realize these attitudes in their marriage and family lives. The clear and precise way of determining the roles in the family results in the fact that children from sacramental marriages who contract marriage and start their own families know what to expect from the candidates for marriage who come from the same type of families. They have precise and specific expectations from their fiancés. It concerns not only the way of realization of social roles but also of the system and the hierarchy of values (Bień 2015, pp. 63–64).

The irrevocable, lifetime, and total gift of self of the spouses in the sacrament of marriage results in building a permanent community in the economic dimension as well. What the spouses possess before the wedding and what they bring to their marriage as a kind of dowry, as well as what they gain during the time of their marriage, is considered by them as shared ownership. Possession of a common account and common property is the manifestation of their mutual trust and of offering the spouse oneself and everything one possesses. Contemporarily, many spouses consider personal only what is necessary. They consider all other possessions as common. This is connected with their common concern for maintaining the family. It does not only mean that the spouses work and earn the living of the family, because the paid work of the woman is not always considered necessary, and it is more about the common decisions concerning the investments and earnings, as well as the skill to save money, which the children are taught. The economic property of the spouses and of the family allows them to schedule far-reaching investment plans. The plans concern both the issue of maintaining the family, including the rent for the flat, the equipment, and furniture, as well as bringing up and educating children, which is very expensive nowadays. This fact directly influences the spouses’ decisions with regard to the number of children because they are able to plan—at least approximately—the reserve of funds necessary to prepare and equip their children for their independent adult life (Skreczko 2013, pp. 277–78).

In many societies rooted in the Christian tradition, sacramental marriage and the family based on it are still appreciated and meant as a basic institution of social life. Living in such marriages, women and men enjoy acceptance and recognition. Being aware of the threats that concern contemporary marriages and the challenges of life resulting from the sacrament of marriage, such spouses can often obtain support from their religious community and from the local community. These communities consider the sacrament of marriage to be valuable and try to provide help to spouses who live in the sacrament of marriage, especially in the case of a crisis.

5. Strengthening the Stabilizing Role of the Sacrament of Marriage by the Catholic Church

Having noticed that many sacramental marriages break up and that some Catholics resign from receiving this sacrament while building their life together, the Catholic Church takes measures that aim to strengthen the meaning of the sacrament of marriage, thus opposing the culture of the temporary. The deepening of religious faith meant as a personal relation with God is the basic direction for this activity. In the Catholic Church, more and more attention is paid to the teaching of kerygmatic characteristics, i.e., one that is not teaching about God and the supernatural reality connected with Him, nor a lecture on the principles of faith and Christian morality but which aims at the personal meeting with God, at establishing a deepened relation with Him, and at the ongoing development of this relation. In the teaching of the Church, such relations are called personal because they aim at personal commitment, which includes the intellectual, emotional, and volitional spheres of man and all of his existence. It is emphasized that the faithful should be “with” God and not “next to” God (Polak 2018, pp. 242–44).

A deep bond with God is perceived as a strengthening factor for building marital bonds. Marital bonds are built in the image of the bond with God. They are to be unique, deep, tender, and intimate. The respect of the faithful for God should be reflected in the respect for the spouse, and faithfulness to God should be continued in the faithfulness to the spouse.

The deepened religiousness of Catholics is characterized by the awareness of sacrifice. The Catholic Church teaches that fidelity will require sacrifice. It regards fidelity to God because, among others, it can be perceived with confusion and, in extreme cases, even with persecution, as well as adhesion to principles that sometimes require crossing one’s own boundaries and weaknesses. Similarly, faithfulness to man in marriage can require sacrifices, such as overcoming one’s weakness and the weakness of the spouse, as well as opposing the disapproval of the community. The Catholic Church teaches that marriage is a great value that is worth the effort required to protect and develop it (Francis 2016a, no. 118).

In the Catholic Church, there is a conviction that people should work on their marital relations. This work is intended to be systematic, and it requires the engagement of both spouses. The sacrament of marriage cannot replace the work put into the relationship. It is not understood in a magical way but as God’s help to people who want to cooperate with Him for the good of the relationship (Second Vatican Council 1965, no. 51). The Church is aware that despite efforts, crises happen that can be overcome. Among the methods for overcoming these crises is dialogue, which is a means of aiding in mutual understanding and the deepening of empathy. Another important means for overcoming crises is, according to the teaching of the Church, mutual forgiveness. It is often connected with the sacrament of penance in which, as Catholics believe, they are being forgiven by God (Francis 2016a, no. 105–8). Another tool for overcoming crises in a marriage is the mutual support of the spouses. This tool results from the fact that they experience not only the successes of their marriage but also difficult situations together. Difficulties and problems of one of the spouses are perceived in marriage as common; therefore, they are to be solved together.

The Church presents Her vision of the sacrament of marriage within so-called ordinary pastoral care, which is addressed to every member, and via all kinds of media to the people from the environment. In Her teaching, the Church presents marital love as more of a lifetime decision rather than as an emotional engagement, although the emotional aspect of love is also noticed and appreciated. Marital love is more of a conscious lifelong decision with regard to the gift of self to the other person than a feeling, which, as is emphasized in the teaching of the Church, is not fully affected by man’s will and can appear in his life and end. Marital love, which is the object of the marriage vow, is connected with sustainability and exclusiveness (Kiciński 2018, pp. 300–7).

A particular period in which the Church presents the role of the sacrament of marriage is the so-called immediate preparation for marriage. It is a period of a few months from the moment of registration of the fiancés’ will to get married to their parish priests until the wedding. Then, the fiancés participate in a special catechesis that aims to indicate the meaning of the sacrament of marriage in the life of Catholic spouses and its supernatural character. It is then emphasized that the wedding is not a formal act or a civil contract but a reception of the sacrament and establishing a special bond with God and with the spouse (Pyźlak 2018, pp. 231–42).

Due to the fact that not all candidates for marriage participate in the preparatory courses, and the fact that such courses are not always enough in relation to certain situations and the needs of the fiancés, Pope Francis indicates the need for pastoral accompaniment for the young spouses. He indicates the need for a relationship between the young spouses and priests from their parish, as well as with other married couples, in order to help them to build permanent marital bonds during the first years of marriage and to overcome problems together. Francis thinks that the first years of marriage are crucial for marital love and for the permanence of marriage, and that, during this time, young people are particularly vulnerable to crises and the breakup of marriage (Francis 2016a, no. 217).

Religious associations addressed to the spouses are another way of strengthening the stabilizing role of the sacrament of marriage in the Catholic Church. The previous Popes, Paul VI, John Paul II, and Benedict XVI, indicated the necessity of supporting religious movements of a conjugal and family nature, which can provide aid for both young and experienced spouses. They are a space for the exchange of experiences, where the spouses can also find understanding and spiritual and material support (Ozorowski 2023, pp. 51–52).

6. Conclusions

The culture of the temporary is increasingly present in Western societies. It manifests in the way of thinking and living, which is characterized by a temporary nature and a tendency to avoid permanent commitment. It undermines the permanence and stability of marriages, the result of which is the weakening of interpersonal relationships and the increasing number of divorces. The Catholic Church treats the culture of the temporary as a challenge for Her mission. She responds to the people who want to build their lives on lasting values. She tries to oppose the culture of the temporary, offering to accept the sacrament of marriage meant not as a contract between two people but as a vocation to permanent, faithful, and sacrificial love. She promotes this sacrament among young people, indicating its religious nature and compliance with the deep desires of man that concern love and interpersonal bonds. She also offers various forms of support for married couples and families who want to deepen interpersonal relationships, as well as for those suffering from crises.