The Catholic Church cares about your marriage. In fact, the U.S. Catholic bishops are working hard to make marriage a priority (see National Pastoral Initiative for Marriage).

Every marriage matters, because marriage comes from the hand of God.

Every marriage matters, because marriage comes from the hand of God. God brings a man and a woman together to love and support each other. Their love becomes visible in the children they bring into the world and in their acts of generous service.

In Catholic teaching, the valid marriage between two baptized Christians is also a sacrament. The love between the spouses symbolizes Christ’s love for the church.

In this section read more about what the Catholic Church believes about marriage . Or go to the sources with an annotated list of major church documents on marriage-related topics.

Divorce, cohabitation, same sex unions…these are some of the major issues of our time. What does the Catholic Church say about them and why? These and other issues are covered in Catholic teachings .

Are you a Catholic who is married to someone of a different religion? Or perhaps you’re not Catholic but you, or a friend or family member, plans to marry a Catholic. Marrying Someone of a Different Religion explains how the Catholic Church views “mixed marriages” and looks at some of the difficult questions, including the religious faith of the children.