What theCatholic Church Teaches about divorce

 Have you thought of divorcing lately?

Matthew 5

32 But I say to you, that whosoever shall put away his wife, excepting for the cause of fornication, maketh her to commit adultery: and he that shall marry her that is put away, committeth adultery. (Douay Rhemis). 

Can. 1141 A marriage that is ratum et consummatum can be dissolved by no human power and by no cause, except death.

This is the first rule of marriage however, if the marriage is not consummated it can also be dissolved.

CANON. 1142 For a just cause, the Roman Pontiff can dissolve a non-consummated marriage between baptized persons or between a baptized party and a non-baptized party at the request of both parties or of one of them, even if the other party is unwilling. 

(A non-consummated marriage is where for some reason or other the act of sexual intercourse has not occurred. This is important to note because sexual intercourse is central to marriage for procreation.) 

There are also several technicalities to the DISSOLUTION OF THE Bond of marriage. 

The following 3 are also Central to the validity of marriage because marriage must be valid for it to be indissoluble. 

(1) A valid marriage is that of two baptised Catholics. 

(On the other hand there are instances where a non-baptised person can be allowed to marry a baptised person with the authority of the Bishop. Otherwise the marriage is invalid.)

(2) The couple should have Consented freely to the act of marriage. 

(Abducting or kidnapping for the purpose of marriage makes it invalid.) 

(3) The couple should be honest and truthful to each other before the marriage. 

(Example: You cannot lie that you are a man when you are a woman or the other way round. You cannot say you single when you are traditionally married or when you are married. These and more are lies that invalidate marriage ) 

Why Catholic marriage cannot be easily dissolved. 

CANON. 1151 Spouses have the duty and right to preserve conjugal living unless a legitimate cause excuses them.

(This is very important to note for one reason. A sexually satisfied Christian couple cannot be easily tempted to commit adultery. The sex brings them together and attach them to each other. Simple. On the other hand a sexually unsatisfied couple is always under siege from temptation naturally.)

(The most difficult thing is to forgive others. Forgive us as we forgive those who sin against us. As Christians we believe in forgiving others because we are also sinners. This is why the sacrament of confession is central to our Catholic faith. The verse above states that except for fornication. If a person commits adultery the person can be divorced many people would say. Here is what the Catholic Church teaches about this.)

CANON. 1152 §1. Although it is earnestly recommended that a spouse, moved by Christian charity and concerned for the good of the family, not refuse forgiveness to an adulterous partner and not disrupt conjugal life, nevertheless, if the spouse did not condone the fault of the other expressly or tacitly, the spouse has the right to sever conjugal living unless the spouse consented to the adultery, gave cause for it, or also committed adultery.

Lastly, this is self explanatory:

Can. 1153 §1. If either of the spouses causes grave mental or physical danger to the other spouse or to the offspring or otherwise renders common life too difficult, that spouse gives the other a legitimate cause for leaving, either by decree of the local ordinary or even on his or her own authority if there is danger in delay.