logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2023
8m 59s

Why Marriage Is NOT a Contract (It’s a C...

ASCENSION
About this episode

For the past 50 years the institution of marriage has been under attack. More and more couples are choosing not to get married with the mindset that, "we don't need a piece of paper to show that we love each other."

And yet, that is not at all what the Catholic Church teaches about this sacrament. Today, Fr. Mike delves into the difference between a contract between two persons and the covenant of marriage that every couple is called to enter into.

Support The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast

Up next
Sep 10
Fulton Sheen Changed My Life
On Thursday September 24, 2026, Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen will be beatified! Fr. Mike Schmitz shares how Fulton Sheen has changed his life through the books he wrote, stories he told and the heroic virtue he exemplified. Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, pray for us 🙏 
11m 33s
Sep 3
Overwhelmed by Your Responsibilities?
"If only I had wings like a dove that I might fly away and find rest... But I will call upon God, and the LORD will save me." Psalm 55:7, 17 Do you find yourself in the same spot as David? Whether it's just a season or you've been feeling it for a while, Fr Mike Schmitz reminds u ... Show More
9m 17s
Aug 27
Is God Calling You to a Vocation You Don’t Want?
One of the scariest questions we can ask ourselves is, "What's God's will for my life?" Fr. Mike Schmitz reminds us that God will never call us to a vocation that we don't want. Even though God has a plan for your life, He is good and will not force you to say yes to something yo ... Show More
9m 47s
Recommended Episodes
Aug 2024
Day 223: Differences in Religion in Marriage (2024)
Can a Catholic marry a baptized non-Catholic or a non-baptized person? Fr. Mike breaks down the Church’s teaching on mixed marriages and disparity of cult. The Catechism teaches us that while a difference in religion “does not constitute an insurmountable obstacle for marriage,” ... Show More
17m 35s
Aug 2024
Day 220: Marriage in the New Covenant (2024)
How is the meaning of marriage different in the New Covenant? The Catechism teaches us today that Christ elevates the gift of marriage to a sacrament and restores the original order of this powerful union between man and woman. Fr. Mike explains why marriage looked different in t ... Show More
22m 7s
Aug 2024
Day 222: Matrimonial Consent (2024)
Matrimonial consent is an indispensable element of the Sacrament of Marriage. Fr. Mike explains why it is essential for those entering marriage to express their consent freely and why in the Church’s eyes, “if consent is lacking, there is no marriage.” Fr. Mike also guides us thr ... Show More
22m 45s
Aug 2024
Day 219: Marriage in God’s Plan (2024)
Together, with Fr. Mike, we begin the section on the sacrament of holy Matrimony. We unpack two elements of the sacrament, namely marriage in the order of creation and marriage under the regime of sin. Fr. Mike emphasizes that marriage is a partnership between man and woman that ... Show More
20m 50s
Aug 2025
Day 219: Marriage in God’s Plan (2025)
Together, with Fr. Mike, we begin the section on the sacrament of holy Matrimony. We unpack two elements of the sacrament, namely marriage in the order of creation and marriage under the regime of sin. Fr. Mike emphasizes that marriage is a partnership between man and woman that ... Show More
20m 50s
Feb 2024
The morality of marriage
It’s Valentine’s Day, when we celebrate romantic love, and is there anything more romantic than getting married? It’s the way all those old films end, after all the “will they, won’t they”, the couple finally tie the knot, the titles roll and we all enjoy the warm certainty that ... Show More
55m 44s
Aug 2024
Marriage is a Trap... RUN
We Need To Talk about how marriage is a trap. Is it really? What happens after we get married? Is divorce the only way out? Why do we resort to divorce in the end? What traditions have changed, and what has happened to us eversince? How hard has it become to ask for marriage? How ... Show More
11m 23s
Aug 2024
Day 224: The Grace of the Sacrament of Marriage (2024)
The grace of the Sacrament of Marriage provides husbands and wives the strength to love one another with supernatural, tender, and fruitful love. Fr. Mike covers the characteristics of the marriage bond and the different roles of husbands and wives. He explains what it means to “ ... Show More
21m 19s
Aug 2023
Day 225: Total Fidelity in Marriage
“Love seeks to be definitive,” the Catechism tells us in this section on marital fidelity. The faithfulness of husband and wife in the sacrament of Matrimony is a sign of God’s irrevocable covenant with humanity. This fidelity is both beautiful and challenging. Fr. Mike addresses ... Show More
20m 13s