Morals of the Church
Library › Wouters, Manual of Moral Theology › Volume II › Book III. On the Aids of the Christian Life, or on the Sacraments › Treatise VIII. On Matrimony › Dissertation II. On Matrimony Itself › Part II. On Matrimony, Insofar as It Is a Sacrament, Particularly › Section III. On the Reception of the Sacrament of Marriage › Chapter II. On Impedient Impediments in Particular (canons 1058-1066)

Article — Wouters, Manual of Moral Theology

Article I. Simple Vow

759.

A simple vow of virginity, of perfect chastity, of not marrying, of receiving sacred Orders, and of embracing the religious state impedes marriage. No simple vow invalidates marriage, unless invalidation has been established for some persons by a special prescription of the Apostolic See (canon 1058); as Gregory XIII1 established, as regards contracting marriage, for simple vows emitted in the Society of Jesus. Therefore:

I. Five vows impede marriage, that is, render it gravely illicit, namely:

  1. A vow of virginity strictly taken. One bound by a vow of this kind cannot enter marriage, because he exposes himself to the proximate danger of injuring the vow, indeed he renders its fulfillment practically impossible to himself.

  2. A simple vow2 of perfect chastity, whether emitted privately or in a Congregation or Order. This vow effects that every act, external as well as internal, contrary to chastity is opposed to religion. One who has emitted such a vow cannot contract nuptials, because equally with one bound by a vow of virginity he exposes himself to the proximate danger of violating the vow, indeed renders its execution impossible.

  3. A vow of not marrying or of celibacy, as is clear.

  4. A vow of receiving sacred Orders; because marriage renders the execution of such a vow impossible, for married persons are kept from sacred Orders (canon 987, 2°).

  5. A vow of embracing the religious state, whether in an Order or in a Congregation; for nuptials render the execution of the vow impossible, because married persons are invalidly admitted to the novitiate (canon 542, 1°).

Note. Vows of not marrying, of virginity, and of chastity are often confused by those vowing; so much so that those who have emitted one of these vows have for the most part understood a vow of chastity. In doubt, the one vowing should be asked what he intended. If the doubt persists, inquiry into the motive which moved him to vow can shed light. One who was impelled by the will to decline the burdens of marriage is presumed to have vowed celibacy; one by the desire of obtaining the aureole of virgins, virginity; one by love of purity, chastity.

II. If someone has contracted marriage without dispensation from an impedient vow:

  1. Practically, it is preferable to obtain dispensation as soon as possible.

  2. Theoretically, these things hold:

a) One who has vowed virginity cannot ask for the debt as long as virginity has been preserved; nevertheless he is bound at once to render it to the other party legitimately asking. Once the debt has been rendered, he can also ask; similarly, after the marriage has been dissolved after virginity has been lost, he can contract new nuptials. For in each case virginity is lost and the vow collapses.

b) One who has vowed perfect chastity cannot ask for the debt unless the other party is in danger of incontinence. He is bound to render the debt as long as the other party retains an unimpeded right over the spouse and licitly asks; he cannot render it if the other party has lost the unimpeded right over the spouse, whether by voluntary cessation or by adultery. If the other party asks illicitly, because that party itself is bound by a vow of chastity, he can, but is not bound to, render the debt (St. Alphonsus VI, 944). After the marriage is dissolved, he cannot enter new nuptials if the vow was perpetual and has not been totally taken away by dispensation.

c) One who has emitted a vow of not marrying can ask and render the debt, because fulfillment of the vow has become impossible. After the marriage is dissolved, the vow seems to revive.

d) One who has vowed reception of sacred Orders or entrance into the religious state is bound to execute the vow if the other party consents, or has been deprived in perpetuity of the right of asking, and execution of the vow is morally possible. Otherwise he can ask and render the debt.

1 Constitution Ascendente Domino, May 25, 1584.

2 A solemn vow of chastity - likewise a simple vow of chastity emitted in the Society of Jesus - constitutes a diriment impediment of marriage.

Simple vows as impediments