MATRIMONY 205 



ner for life, but this motive should not be made a 

 primary one. 12 Of considerably more importance 

 than natural charms is the possession of material 

 means assuring an income and a satisfactory so- 

 cial position which offers solid guarantees for 

 the adequate support of a family. It is also per- 

 fectly legitimate to take into consideration the 

 reasonable wishes of parents and relatives. 

 Though the validity of marriage does not depend 

 upon the consent of the parents (consensus pa- 

 rentum) of either party, both are in duty bound 

 to pay due regard to the rights and interests 

 of their respective families. A marriage con- 

 tracted against the will or without the blessing 

 of parents whose demands are reasonable, lacks 

 one of the moral foundations of wedlock and 

 one of the principal guarantees of marital happi- 

 ness. 13 Commendable moral motives are: a de- 



12 Cfr. Gen. XXIV, 16; XXIX, rum reqtiirisf Placet uxor honestate 

 17. — Tertullian, De Cultu Fern., 1. tnagis quam pulchritudine. . . . Non 

 II, c. 2: "Accusandus decor non possumus reprehendere difini arti- 

 est, ut felicitas corporis, ut divinae ficis opus, sed quern delectat corpo- 

 plasticae accessio, ut animae aliqua ris pulchritudo, multo magis ilia de- 

 veslis urbana." (Ed. Leopold, P. lectet venustas, quae ad imaginem 

 II, 87). — St. Ambrose, De Offic, I, Dei est intus, non foris comptior." 

 n. 83: "Nos certe in pulchritudine (Migne, P. L., XVI, 48, 312). — 

 corporis locum virtutis non ponimus, Idem, De Abraham, 1. I, n. 6: "Non 

 gratiam tamen non excludimus, quia tarn pulchritudo mulieris, quam vir- 

 verecundia et vultus ipsos solet pu- tus eius et gravitas delectat virum." 

 dore obfundere gratioresque red- (P. L., XIV, 423). 

 dere. Ut enim artifex in materia 13 Cone. Trident., Sess. XXIV, 

 commodiore melius operari solet, sic De Reform. Matr., c. 1 ; Cat. Rom., 

 verecundia in ipso quoque corporis P. II, c. 8, qu. 26; Gury, Comp. 

 decore plus eminet." — Idem, De Theol. Mor., Vol. II, n. 569 sqq. ; 

 Inst. Virg., n. 30: "Cur tu vultus Kenrick, Theol. Mor., Vol. II, pp. 

 decorem in coniuge magis quam mo- 289 sq. 



