k or
purple crosses worked upon it. It is the symbol of the plenitude of
pastoral jurisdiction conferred by the Holy See. Morally speaking, it
reminds the wearer how the good shepherd seeks the lost sheep and brings
it home upon his shoulders, and how the loving pastor of souls should
seek those spiritually lost and bring them back to the Church, the true
fold of Christ.

Lesson 26
ON MATRIMONY

282 Q. What is the Sacrament of Matrimony?
A. The Sacrament of Matrimony is the Sacrament which unites a Christian
man and woman in lawful marriage.

"Christian," because if they are not Christians they do not receive the
grace of the Sacrament.

*283 Q. 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.

"Lawful." Persons are lawfully married when they comply with all the
laws of God and of the Church relating to marriage. To marry unlawfully
is a mortal sin, in which the persons must remain till the sin is
forgiven. "Sacrament." Before the coming of Our Lord persons were
married as they are now, and even lawfully according to the laws of the
Old Testament or old religion; but marriage did not give them any grace.
Now it does give grace, because it is a Sacrament, and has been so since
the time of Our Lord. Before His coming it was only a contract, and when
He added grace to the contract it became a Sacrament.

*284 Q. Can the bond of Christian marriage be dissolved by any human
power?
A. The bond of Christian marriage cannot be dissolved by any human
power.

"Dissolved"--that is, can married persons ever--for any cause--separate
and marry again; that is, take another husband or wife while the first
husband or wife is living? Never, if they were really married.
Sometimes, for good reason, the Church permits husband and wife to
separate and live in different places; but they are still married.
Sometimes it happens, too, that persons are not really married although
they have gone through the ceremony and people think they are married,
and they may think so themselves. The Church, however, makes them
separate, because it finds they are not really married at all--on
account of some impeding circumstance that existed at the time they
performed the ceremony. These circumstances o