Choose a topic from Part 3 Suppl:
1. A person who has contracted marriage validly (and thushas had his marriage ratified) and has also performed themarital act (thus making the ratified marriage aconsummated marriage) is bound to the married state oflife, and cannot, without the free consent of his spouse, leave itto enter religion and take solemn vows in an order.
2. Yet if the marriage is ratified only, and notconsummated, a spouse may leave it and enter religion, takingsolemn vows, whether the other spouse consents or not. For untilmarriage is consummated, only a spiritual bond exists between thespouses; by consummation, a carnal bond is established, and thespouses are thenceforth really two in one flesh, Now, a purelyspiritual bond may be dissolved by the spiritual death which aperson undergoes in dying to the world by taking solemn vows inreligion. But the carnal bond is not dissolved so.
3. When a spouse, after a ratified but not consummatedmarriage, takes solemn vows in religion, the other spouse is freeto marry anew. Yet all this must be subjected to the ecclesiasticalcourt for examination, judgment and official declaration of thefree status of the abandoned spouse. Otherwise, a new marriage isnot lawful.
"Shun too great a desire for knowledge, for in it there is much fretting and delusion. Intellectuals like to appear learned and to be called wise. Yet there are many things the knowledge of which does little or no good to the soul, and he who concerns himself about other things than those which lead to salvation is very unwise.
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Thomas á Kempis
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"Every man naturally desires knowledge; but what good is knowledge without fear of God? Indeed a humble rustic who serves God is better than a proud intellectual who neglects his soul to study the course of the stars."
Thomas á Kempis
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"It is well to choose some one good devotion, and to stick to it, and never to abandon it."
St Philip Neri
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