Grace Thompson
The Catholic Church's teachings on love and sexuality are founded on the belief that God, who is love, created all people in his image—male and female—to reflect his love in the world. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sexuality is a source of joy and pleasure, and sexual intercourse has a twofold unitive and procreative purpose. While the Church disapproves of masturbation and pornography, it does not see sexual relationships as a form of entertainment or an itch to casually scratch. Instead, it emphasizes that sexual desire should stay linked to genuine love and intimacy, and that physical affection is a healthy way of communicating love within the context of a committed relationship.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Sexuality | A source of joy and pleasure |
| Sexual intercourse | For procreation and the expression of unitive love |
| Masturbation | An unnatural vice |
| Chastity | A virtue |
| Love | To be reflected in the world and in our lives |
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What You'll Learn
- Sexual intercourse within marriage is chaste when it retains the twofold significance of union and procreation
- The Catholic Church disapproves of masturbation as it is an unnatural vice
- The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, Sexuality is a source of joy and pleasure
- The Catholic Church teaches that sexual intercourse has a two-fold unitive and procreative purpose
- Chastity is a virtue, and every virtue withdraws the human mind from delighting in a union with unlawful things
Sexual intercourse within marriage is chaste when it retains the twofold significance of union and procreation
The Catholic Church teaches that sexual intercourse within marriage is chaste when it retains its twofold significance of union and procreation. This means that the sexual act between a married couple is considered a gift from God, uniting them as one flesh, while also being open to the possibility of creating new life.
According to Catholic theology, God created mankind in his image, both male and female (Genesis 1:27). This sexual difference is a sign of our call to love and communion, inscribed in our very nature. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that "conjugal love aims at a deeply personal unity, a unity that, beyond union in one flesh, leads to forming one heart and soul" (CCC, 2339). This unity is a reflection of the love between God and humanity, as well as between husband and wife.
The unitive aspect of sexual intercourse within marriage is emphasized in Scripture, which describes marriage as a unique communion of persons, a "one-flesh union" (Genesis 2:24). This union is a mutual and sacrificial giving of two persons, combining the warmth of friendship and erotic passion (Amoris Laetitia, 120). It is a spiritual bond that endures even beyond the physical act and the emotions and passions that accompany it.
The procreative aspect of sexual intercourse within marriage is also significant in Catholic teaching. God's command to "be fertile and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it" (Genesis 1:28) highlights the importance of procreation as part of God's design for marriage. While not all couples may be able to bear children, the Catholic Church teaches that marriage is "oriented toward the begetting and education of children" (Gaudium et Spes, 50). This procreative purpose of sexuality is seen as a sacred task, sharing in God's creative power and reflecting His love in the world.
The twofold significance of union and procreation in sexual intercourse within marriage is, therefore, a reflection of God's plan for human love and sexuality. It is a manifestation of God's gift of human sexuality, which carries within it the powers of love and life, uniting spouses in a unique and intimate way while also being open to the possibility of new life.
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The Catholic Church disapproves of masturbation as it is an unnatural vice
The Catholic Church teaches that human sexuality is a gift from God, and that it is woven into the fabric of each man and woman. It is an integral part of God's plan for human love and sexuality, and it is meant to unite a man and a woman as one flesh. 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". This unity between husband and wife is meant to reflect the love between God and humanity.
However, the Catholic Church disapproves of masturbation as it is considered an "unnatural vice" by Thomas Aquinas, one of the most prominent Doctors of the Catholic Church. Masturbation is seen as an offense against love, as it makes sexual pleasure an end in itself, separate from the holistic unfolding of love between a married man and woman. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines masturbation as "the deliberate stimulation of the genital organs in order to derive sexual pleasure". The Church teaches that it is never morally good to seek sexual pleasure outside of the marital act, as sexual acts are meant to express the one-flesh love of committed married persons and their openness to new life.
While some individuals may justify masturbation as a form of self-love or a means of sexual freedom, others within the Church have experienced it as leading to detachment from their spouse and separation from God. This perspective views masturbation as driven by lust and selfishness, rather than a healthy expression of sexuality.
It is important to note that the Church does not demonize masturbation but warns against trivializing it. The Church's teaching on masturbation is based on the belief that sexuality is intimately connected to the spiritual dimension of the person and is designed by God to unite a man and a woman as one flesh in marriage.
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The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, Sexuality is a source of joy and pleasure
The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, "Sexuality is a source of joy and pleasure" (CCC 2362). This statement is rooted in the belief that God created everything, including human sexuality, and found it to be "very good" (Genesis 1:26-27). According to the Catechism, sexuality is an integral part of being created in the image of God and is a reflection of God's love in the world.
The Catholic Church teaches that sexual intercourse within marriage has a twofold purpose: unitive and procreative. The unitive aspect refers to the expression of love and the deeply personal unity formed between a husband and wife, reflecting the love between God and humanity. The procreative aspect, on the other hand, refers to the transmission of life and the creation of new life through sexual intercourse. These two purposes are considered inseparable and of equal value by the Church.
The Church emphasizes that sexual pleasure should not be sought for its own sake but rather as a consequence of employing our sexuality in accordance with our human nature. This means that sexual pleasure is meant to be experienced within the context of marriage and with the potential for procreation. When the search for pleasure becomes obsessive, it can hinder us from experiencing other satisfactions and true joy.
Chastity is an important virtue in Catholic teaching, and it is necessary for living out one's sexuality in a healthy way. It involves understanding the meaning of sexual feelings and practicing self-mastery, which leads to true freedom and peace. In marriage, chastity involves respecting the twofold purpose of sexual intercourse and avoiding any form of contraception or artificial alteration of the natural consequences of the sexual act.
While the Catholic Church recognizes the joy and pleasure associated with sexuality, it also provides guidelines and restrictions to ensure that sexual expression aligns with its understanding of human dignity and the sacredness of marriage. These guidelines include the rejection of masturbation, homosexual practices, adultery, pornography, and fornication, as well as the disapproval of any form of contraception that artificially separates the unitive and procreative purposes of sexual intercourse.
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The Catholic Church teaches that sexual intercourse has a two-fold unitive and procreative purpose
According to Catholic theology, God created everything, including the human body and sex, and found it to be "very good". As such, the Church teaches that sexuality is an integral part of God's design and is, therefore, good. Every person is created in the image of God and has great dignity, including their sexuality.
The unitive and procreative purposes of sex are considered inseparable by the Church. This means that trying to separate them alters the natural act from its natural consequences and neither purpose is fully realized. The unitive purpose of sex is the expression of unitive love between spouses, while the procreative purpose is the ability to generate new life.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that "the twofold end of marriage [is] the good of the spouses themselves and the transmission of life". This refers to the unitive and procreative purposes of sex within marriage, which are considered to be of equal value.
The Church teaches that sexual pleasure is morally disordered when sought for itself, isolated from its procreative and unitive purposes. This means that sex is considered chaste only within the context of marriage, and it is referred to as the "`nuptial act' in Catholic discourse.
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Chastity is a virtue, and every virtue withdraws the human mind from delighting in a union with unlawful things
The Catholic Church views chastity as a virtue, and every virtue is believed to "withdraw the human mind from delighting in a union with unlawful things". According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sexuality is a source of "joy and pleasure", and sexual intercourse has a twofold unitive and procreative purpose. It is believed that God created everything, including the human body and sex, and therefore it must be good.
The Church teaches that sexual intercourse within marriage is considered chaste when it retains the twofold significance of union and procreation. Pope John Paul II wrote that chastity lies at the centre of the spirituality of marriage, and is a virtue connected with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as respect for what comes from God.
However, the Church disapproves of masturbation, which is considered an "unnatural vice" by Thomas Aquinas, one of the most prominent Doctors of the Catholic Church. Masturbation is seen as an offence against love, as it makes sexual pleasure an end in itself, rather than being coupled with the holistic unfolding of love between a man and a woman.
Despite the Church's teachings, there has been dissent among United States theologians, as shown in a 1977 study entitled "Human Sexuality: New Directions in American Catholic Thought". The study found that many theologians disagreed with the Holy See's teachings on sexuality.
In conclusion, the Catholic Church views chastity as a virtue that helps to guide human minds towards divine love and away from unlawful unions. While sexuality is celebrated as a source of joy and pleasure, it is believed that sexual intercourse within marriage should be open to life and retain its twofold purpose of union and procreation.
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Frequently asked questions
The Catholic Church teaches that sexual intercourse has a twofold purpose: procreation and the expression of unitive love. This view is based on the belief that God created everything, including human sexuality, and that it is therefore good.
Unitive love refers to the belief that sex is designed by God to unite a man and a woman as "one flesh." This spiritual union is considered a reflection of the love between God and humanity.
Chastity is a virtue that involves controlling one's sexual desires and channeling them appropriately. For unmarried Catholics, chastity is expressed through sexual abstinence. In relationships, chastity is not just about avoiding sex before marriage, but also about appropriately expressing physical affection and the natural desire for union.
Physical affection, such as kissing, long hugs, and public displays of affection, can be appropriate ways to communicate love within a relationship. These expressions should be aligned with the will of God and respect the boundaries of the couple involved.
According to Catholic theology, desire rooted in God is considered true desire. When desire is linked to genuine love and intimacy, it aligns with God's love. Lust, on the other hand, is seen as pursuing sexual gratification for its own sake, separate from its original purpose of mutual self-giving and receiving.
