Graces of the Sacrament

It must also be noted that the serious sin which fornication represents would also prevent the special graces of God given in the sacrament of marriage from taking hold. Couples who have committed serious sexual sin should repent and seek God's forgiveness prior to marriage. Otherwise, they would receive the invisible bond which would last until the death of one of the spouses, but nothing more. The graces at peril include all those necessary to preserve mutual love in spite of anything and everything; and the graces to face and overcome all difficulties, misunderstandings, sickness, or worries. To receive them would require openness and cooperation with God. Only after confession (for the Catholic) and an authentic turning away from their previous lives of sin would these graces be made available to them. Thus, it is entirely possible for couples to be married in the Church, but because one or the other or both are not in a state of grace, that the specific graces from God for their state of life might be withheld. Furthermore, living-together relationships would not avail themselves to these graces or supernatural helps from God and would consequently be unable to completely portray or foretell the quality of their married life. There is no such thing as a trial marriage.