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Incest corrupts family relationships and
marks a regression toward animality. Connected to
incest is any sexual abuse perpetrated by adults on children
or adolescents entrusted to their care. The offence is
moral integrity of the young, who will
remain scarred by it all their lives; and the violation
of responsibility for their upbringing.
2390 In a so-calledfree union, a man and a woman
refuse to give
The expression ‘free union’ is
fallacious: what can ‘union’ mean when the
partners make no commitment to one another, each exhibiting
a lack of trust in the other, in himself, or in the
future? The expression covers a
number of different situations: concubinage, rejection of
marriage as such, or inability to make long- term
commitments.182 All these situations offend against the dig
nity of marriage; they destroy the very idea of the
family; they weaken the sense of fidelity. They are contrary
to the moral law.
side of marriage it always constitutes a
grave sin and excludes one
2391 Some today claim a ‘right to
a trial marriage’ where there is an intention of
getting married later. However firm the purpose of those who
engage in premature sexual relations may be, ‘the fact
is that such liaisons can scarcely ensure mutual sincerity
and fidelity in a relationship between a man and a woman,
nor, especially, can they protect it from inconstancy of
desires or whim.”8~ Carnal union is morally legitimate
only when a definitive community of
does not tolerate ‘trial
marriages’. It demands a total and definitive gift of
persons to one another.’8~ 2392 ‘Love is the fundamental and innate vocation of every human being’ |
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