Explain the difference between validity and licit in sacramental acts with an example.

• A. Validity concerns whether the sacrament occurred according to proper form, matter, and intention; licit concerns whether the act is permitted by law for the circumstances. Example: a valid marriage requires proper form; licit requires no impediments and proper permission where needed.
• B. A valid marriage requires no impediments
• C. Validity and licit are identical
• D. Licit refers to marriage only

Answer: (A)

In sacramental acts, two different questions determine how we understand what happened: validity and licitness. Validity asks whether the sacrament actually occurred according to the Church’s essential elements—proper matter, proper form (the right words), and the right intention from the minister and participants. If any of those pieces are lacking, the sacrament isn’t valid and the grace it confers does not take effect in the way the Church intends.

Licitness, on the other hand, concerns whether it was allowed under church law given the circumstances. Even if a sacrament is valid, it can be illicit if there are impediments or if required permissions or dispensations were not obtained. If there are no impediments and the necessary permissions are in place, the act is licit.

Using the marriage example: for the marriage to be valid, the essential elements such as proper form and consent must be present. For the marriage to be licit, there must be no canonical impediments and any required permissions or dispensations must be secured. This distinction shows why an act can be valid in its solemnity and yet be illicit in its legal status, or vice versa, depending on form, matter, intent, impediments, and permissions.