Q. 1009.  What is the outward sign in the Sacrament of Matrimony, and in what does the whole essence of the marriage contract consist?  A. The outward sign in the Sacrament of matrimony is the mutual consent of the persons, expressed by words or signs in accordance with the laws of the Church.  The whole essence of the marriage contract consists in the surrender by the persons of their bodies to each other and in declaring by word or sign that they make this surrender and take each other for husband and wife now and for life.

Q. 1010.  What are the chief ends of the Sacrament of Matrimony?  A. The chief ends of the Sacrament of matrimony are:  (1) To enable the husband and wife to aid each other in securing the salvation of their souls; (2) To propagate or keep up the existence of the human race by bringing children into the world to serve God; (3) To prevent sins against the holy virtue of purity by faithfully obeying the laws of the marriage state.

Q. 1011. {283} Can a Christian man and woman be united in lawful marriage in any other way than by the Sacrament of Matrimony?  A. A Christian man and woman cannot be united in lawful marriage in any other way than by the Sacrament of Matrimony, because Christ raised marriage to the dignity of a sacrament.

Q. 1012.  Were, then, all marriages before the coming of Christ unlawful and invalid?  A. All marriages before the coming of Christ were not unlawful and invalid.  They were both lawful and valid when the persons contracting them followed the dictates of their conscience and the laws of God as they knew them; but such marriages were only contracts.  Through their evil inclinations many forgot or neglected the true character of marriage till Our Lord restored it to its former unity and purity.

Q. 1013.  What do we mean by impediments to marriage?  A. By impediments to marriage we mean certain restrictions, imposed by the law of God or of the Church, that render the marriage invalid or unlawful when they are violated in entering into it.  These restrictions regard age, health, relationship, intention, religion and other matters affecting the good of the Sacrament.

Q. 1014.  Can the Church dispense from or remove these impediments to marriage?  A. The Church can dispense from or remove the impediments to marriage that arise from its own laws; but it cannot dispense from impediments that arise from the laws of God and nature.  Every lawmaker can change or excuse from the laws made by himself or his equals, but he cannot, of his own authority, change or excuse from laws made by a higher power.

Q. 1015.  What is required that the Church may grant, when it is able, dispensations from the impediments to marriage or from other laws?  A. That the Church may grant dispensations from the impediments to marriage or from other laws, there must be a good and urgent reason for granting such dispensations.  The Church does not grant dispensations without cause and merely to satisfy the wishes of those who ask for them.