May I Marry and Not Have Children?

Marriage is a vocation that enables a man and woman to establish a family. One of its very purposes is for the procreation of children. While a husband and wife do not have to be physically capable of having children to validly marry, they must be open to the possibility of having children. If you are entirely opposed to having children, then it is very likely that you do not have a vocation to marriage.

As for options, perhaps you might think about why you feel drawn to marriage. Is it because you are lonely and want companionship? If so, then perhaps you might consider ways to satisfy that desire within your state in life as a single person. For example, you might look into volunteer opportunities in your community that will bring you into contact with men and women in need (e.g., the elderly, the disabled, the homebound, the homeless). Devoting yourself to alleviating the suffering of others might help to alleviate your own loneliness and need for companionship.