Ethan Walker
The Catholic Church teaches that sexual intercourse has a twofold unitive and procreative purpose. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, conjugal love...aims at a deeply personal unity, a unity that, beyond union in one flesh, leads to forming one heart and soul. However, there are differing opinions among theologians and the laity on the official teachings on sexuality. The Church disapproves of pornography and believes that civil authorities should prevent its production and distribution. Lust is considered one of the seven deadly sins, and its opposing virtue is chastity. While the Church teaches that sexuality is a gift, it also believes that it is a grave sin to deliberately separate sexuality from procreation. Catholic sexuality is not anti-pleasure, and within the proper sphere of marriage, spouses should experience pleasure and enjoyment. The Church's stance is that the key to a successful life is to love God and to love people, and that sexual desire should stay linked to genuine love and intimacy. Ultimately, the Church teaches that it is up to each couple to decide together what is the right amount of sex for them.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Catholic view of sex | Positive |
| Catholic view of love and sex | Gift, not a problem |
| Catholic Church's teaching on sexuality | Sexual intercourse has a two-fold unitive and procreative purpose |
| Catholic Church's disapproval of pornography | Civil authorities should prevent the production and distribution of pornographic materials |
| Catholic Church's stance on homosexuality | Homosexuality is not an illness |
| Catholic Church's stance on contraception | Grave sin to deliberately separate sexuality from procreation |
| Catholic Church's stance on lust | One of the seven capital sins |
| Catholic Church's view on masturbation | Addiction |
| Catholic Church's view on sexual desire | Should be linked to genuine love and intimacy |
| Catholic Church's view on sexual sins | Differing opinions among theologians and laity |
| Catholic couples' approach to sex | It depends; couples should decide together and communicate about their needs |
| Catholic Church's view on the role of sex in marriage | Important but should not be the primary focus |
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What You'll Learn
The Catholic Church's teachings on sex
The Catholic Church teaches that sexual intercourse has a twofold unitive and procreative purpose. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "conjugal love ... aims at a deeply personal unity, a unity that, beyond union in one flesh, leads to forming one heart and soul", since the marriage bond is to be a sign of the love between God and humanity. Because Catholics believe God found everything he created to be "very good", the Catholic Church teaches that the human body and sex are good. Every person is created in the image of God and, therefore, has great dignity, including their sexuality. Sexuality is not something that exists with a purely biological purpose defined by personal preference; rather, it is an intimate nucleus of the person that spiritually is designed by God to unite man and woman as one flesh.
The Catholic Church disapproves of pornography and believes that civil authorities should prevent the production and distribution of pornographic materials. Lust is considered a sin, one of the seven capital sins, and is defined as an excessive, irrational attachment to venereal pleasure.
The Church teaches that it is a grave sin to deliberately separate sexuality from procreation, because the latter is its most essential purpose. God created sex for procreation, unity, and pleasure. Spouses should experience pleasure and enjoyment, and God created sex for the deep fulfillment of human beings.
The Church's teachings on sexuality are based on the concept of natural law, which refers to the use of reason to analyse human nature and deduce binding rules of moral behaviour from God's creation of reality and mankind. The Church's stance on sexuality is not anti-pleasure or anti-homosexual, but rather, it is about following God's design for human sexuality.
In practice, the amount of sex a good Catholic should have is up to each couple to decide together. There will be times during the month when a couple cannot have sex, for example, when practising Natural Family Planning. It is beneficial for couples to voluntarily have periods of abstinence from sex, and it is good for the marriage to intentionally come together.
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Sexual love vs spiritual love
There is no single answer to the question of how much sex a "good Catholic" should have. According to Dr. Peter Kleponis, who has 18 years of experience working with couples and individuals, the answer depends on the couple in question. He emphasizes the importance of communication between partners about their sex life, as each person has their own unique sex drive. Kleponis also notes that couples with infants or young children may experience a decrease in sexual frequency due to fatigue and recommends open discussion and setting "dates" to maintain intimacy.
Sexual love and spiritual love are both integral aspects of Catholic theology and are deeply interconnected. The Catechism of the Catholic Church recognizes sexuality as a "source of joy and pleasure," and views sexual intercourse within marriage as a gift from God, uniting a man and a woman in a deeply personal way, forming "one heart and soul." This unity is not merely physical but also spiritual, reflecting the love between God and humanity.
Catholic theology emphasizes that sexuality is not solely for biological procreation but also serves a unitive purpose. Marriage is considered a unique communion of persons, fostering mutual self-giving and sacrificial love, combining friendship and erotic passion. This erotic love, or eros, is a gift from God, and when pursued for its own sake, can lead to true happiness and fulfillment.
However, lust, which is considered one of the seven capital sins, is viewed as an excessive and irrational attachment to venereal pleasure. It is opposed to love and can lead to a dreary and unfulfilling life, as depicted in the film "Shame," where the main character is a sex addict lacking true intimacy.
Spiritual love, or chastity, is a virtue that involves uniting the human mind with God. While unmarried Catholics express chastity through sexual abstinence, sexual intercourse within marriage is considered chaste when it retains the dual purpose of union and procreation.
In conclusion, sexual love and spiritual love are both integral aspects of Catholic theology. Sexual love is viewed as a gift from God, fostering unity and procreation within marriage. Spiritual love, or chastity, involves uniting with God and is expressed through sexual abstinence outside of marriage and the respectful union of spouses. The balance between these two types of love is a continuous journey for Catholic couples, requiring open communication and mutual understanding.
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Catholic views on contraception
The Catholic Church teaches that sexual intercourse has a twofold unitive and procreative purpose. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "conjugal love ... aims at a deeply personal unity, a unity that, beyond union in one flesh, leads to forming one heart and soul", since the marriage bond is to be a sign of the love between God and humanity.
The Catholic Church teaches that it is a grave sin to deliberately separate sexuality from procreation, because the latter is its most essential purpose. God created sex for procreation, unity, and the deep fulfillment of human beings. The Catechism of the Catholic Church specifies that all sex acts must be both unitive and procreative. This belief is referred to as
The Catholic Church's position on contraception was formally explained and expressed by Pope Paul VI in 1968. Artificial contraception is considered intrinsically evil, but methods of natural family planning may be used, as they do not usurp the natural way of conception. Pope Paul VI justified this position by saying that artificial birth control could open the way for marital infidelity and a general lowering of moral standards.
Some Catholics disagree with the Church's teaching on contraception. A survey conducted in 2015 by the Pew Research Center found that 76% of US Catholics thought the church should allow Catholics to use birth control.
The Catholic Church does not oppose the use of hormonal medications for legitimate medical purposes, provided there is no contraceptive intent. However, artificial hormones typically only treat the medical symptoms, and carry the same health risks as hormonal contraceptives.
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Masturbation and addiction
The Catholic Church teaches that sexual intercourse has a twofold unitive and procreative purpose. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, "conjugal love ... aims at a deeply personal unity, a unity that, beyond union in one flesh, leads to forming one heart and soul", since the marriage bond is to be a sign of the love between God and humanity.
The Church disapproves of pornography and believes that civil authorities should prevent the production and distribution of pornographic materials. Lust is considered one of the seven capital sins, with its opposing virtue being chastity.
In the context of masturbation and addiction, loneliness can lead to a situation where masturbation becomes an addiction. The Catholic Church recognises that "to form an equitable judgment about the subjects' moral responsibility and to guide pastoral action, one must take into account the affective immaturity, force of acquired habit, conditions of anxiety, or other psychological or social factors that lessen or even extenuate moral culpability."
Dr. Peter Kleponis, a Catholic licensed therapist, has experience working with individuals struggling with pornography and sexual addiction. He has authored two books, "The Pornography Epidemic: A Catholic Approach" and "Integrity Restored: Helping Catholic Families Win the Battle Against Pornography".
For those seeking to address issues with masturbation and addiction, it is recommended to take advantage of the sacrament of reconciliation, partake of the Eucharist, and be mindful of the content one consumes. It is also important to evaluate friendships and seek support from local parish and diocesan chancery groups.
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Sex within marriage
The Catholic Church has always taken a positive view of sexuality in marriage. Marital intercourse is described in the Catechism of the Catholic Church as "noble and honourable", and established by God so that "spouses should experience pleasure and enjoyment of body and spirit". The Church's teachings are rooted in the Bible, specifically the Book of Genesis and the Song of Songs, which describe the basic goodness of sexual love in marriage.
The Church defines chastity as "the successful integration of sexuality within the person". Unmarried Catholics are expected to express chastity through sexual abstinence, while sexual intercourse within marriage is considered chaste when it retains the twofold significance of union and procreation. Sex within marriage is considered a gift from God and an act of love between two married persons.
The Church affirms that marital sexuality achieves two purposes: its role in creating new human life, and its expression of deep, faithful, and exclusive love that is open to new life. The Church teaches that human sexuality is sacred, and within marriage, it fulfils its purpose as an expression of love that is open to new life.
The frequency of sex within a Catholic marriage is not prescribed, and it is up to each couple to decide together what is the right amount for them. However, it is important for couples to talk about this, as each person has their own unique sex drive. Natural Family Planning (NFP) may also affect the frequency of sex within Catholic marriages, as couples may need to avoid sex on certain days of the month to prevent pregnancy.
In conclusion, while the Catholic Church has a positive view of sexuality within marriage, it is important for couples to approach their sex life with consent, chastity, and purity, always seeking to deepen their spiritual union.
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Frequently asked questions
The Catholic Church teaches that sexual intercourse has a twofold unitive and procreative purpose. It is up to each couple to decide together what is the right amount of sex for them. However, the Church disapproves of pornography and teaches that it is a grave sin to deliberately separate sexuality from procreation.
Discussions about love often focus on sexual love, but this is not the full story. Sexual love is one expression of the love that should be at the heart of our lives. God's love includes eros (sexual love), and Saint Augustine might be called the patron saint of desire.
Pope Francis has taught Catholic parents to talk with their homosexual children and that they should not be "thrown out" of the family. He has also declared that homosexuality is not an illness. However, the Church does not have the power to bless same-sex unions, as it believes that sexuality is designed by God to unite a man and a woman as one flesh.
