Marriage and Virginity
other a mutual service to relieve each other's weakness, and thereby avoid illicit unions. As a result even if one of them favors permanent abstinence, this is not possible unless the other agrees to it. It is for this reason that the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does (1 Cor 7:4), so that they will not refuse each other what the husband looks for from the marriage or the wife looks for from the husband, even when it is not for the sake of having children but because of weakness and lack of self-control. In this way, with Satan tempting them, they will not lapse into depraved conduct deserving of damnation because of the lack of restraint of one or other or both of them.†13 Marital intercourse for the sake of procreating is not sinful. When it is for the purpose of satisfying sensuality, but still with one's spouse, because there is marital fidelity it is a venial sin. Adultery or fornication, however, is a mortal sin.†14 For this reason abstinence from all sexual union is better even than marital intercourse performed for the sake of procreating.
The Indissolubility of Marriage
7. While complete abstinence is more meritorious, performing one's conjugal duty is not sinful, although demanding it more than is necessary for procreation is a venial sin, whereas committing fornication or adultery is a punishable offense. Consequently, while seeking to do something that brings greater honor to itself, conjugal love should be careful not to do anything that causes the spouse to incur damnation. Anyone who puts his wife aside, except in the case of adultery, causes her to commit adultery (Mt 5:32). Entering into the marriage contract is a matter of such sacredness that it is not annulled by that separation. While the man lives, the woman he has left commits adultery if she marries someone else, and he who left her is the cause of that wrongdoing.
7. Although it is lawful to put aside a wife who commits adultery, I should be surprised if this meant it is also lawful to take another wife. On this point sacred scripture raises a difficult problem, as the apostle says that it is the Lord's command that a woman should not leave her husband, but if she does leave him, she should either remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband.†15 At the same time she should not go away and remain unmarried unless it is to separate from a husband who has committed adultery, lest by leaving a husband who has not committed adultery she cause him to commit adultery. Perhaps, however, she can act justly by being reconciled with her husband, either by putting up with him, if she herself is