Chapter IX: Of the Effects of Marriage

From a valid marriage there arises between spouses a bond by its nature perpetual and exclusive; Christian marriage, moreover, confers grace on spouses who do not place an obstacle.

To each spouse from the very beginning of marriage there belongs an equal right and duty as regards the acts proper to conjugal life.

Unless something else has been provided by special law, the wife, as regards canonical effects, becomes a participant in the status of the husband.

Parents are held by a most grave obligation to take care, according to their strength, for the education of offspring, both religious and moral and also physical and civil, and also to provide for their temporal good.

Children conceived or born from a valid or putative marriage are legitimate, unless, because of solemn religious profession or sacred order received by the parents, use of the marriage previously contracted had been prohibited at the time of conception.

§ 1. The father is he whom lawful nuptials show, unless the contrary is proved by evident arguments.

§ 2. Children are presumed legitimate who were born at least after six months from the day of the celebrated marriage, or within ten months from the day of dissolved conjugal life.

Through the subsequent marriage of the parents, whether true or putative, whether newly contracted or convalidated, even not consummated, the offspring is made legitimate, provided that the parents existed capable of contracting marriage between themselves at the time of conception, or pregnancy, or birth.

Children legitimated through subsequent marriage, as regards canonical effects, are equated in all things with legitimate children, unless something else has been expressly provided.