Rachel Evans
The Catholic Church has a positive view of sexuality in marriage, deeming it noble and honourable. It is believed that sex within marriage is a gift from God, uniting a man and a woman as one flesh, with the two-fold purpose of being unitive and procreative. While the procreative purpose is emphasised, the unitive purpose is also important, as it brings spouses closer together in marital unity. This unitive purpose is also referred to as the good of the spouses themselves. Sex within marriage is considered chaste, and it is believed that it must be self-giving and not selfish. However, sex outside of marriage or the use of contraception is considered a grave sin. The Church encourages couples to seek pre-marital counselling to foster a healthy sex life and to practice Natural Family Planning (NFP) to balance the virtues of openness to life and responsibility.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Two-fold: procreation and unification |
| Nature | Fruitful, generating new life |
| Chastity | Integration of sexuality within the person |
| Marital Sexual Love | Holy, pure, self-giving, consensual |
| Sexual Intercourse | Noble and honourable, established by God |
| Sexuality | Good, spiritual, unitive |
| Marriage | Sacrament, lifelong |
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What You'll Learn
Sex is a gift from God
The Catholic Church has always taken a positive view of sexuality in marriage. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, marital intercourse is "noble and honourable", established by God so that "spouses should experience pleasure and enjoyment of body and spirit". Sex is considered a gift from God, and an act of love between two married persons.
The Catholic Church teaches that sexual intercourse has a twofold unitive and procreative purpose. The Catechism 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", reflecting the love between God and humanity. The Church's positive understanding of sexuality is rooted in the teachings of Jesus, which were partly drawn from the Old Testament. Both the Book of Genesis and the Song of Songs describe the basic goodness of sexual love in marriage. In the New Testament, Jesus' presence at the wedding feast of Cana further indicates the goodness of marriage.
Sexuality is an integral part of the person, designed by God to unite man and woman as one flesh. It is not defined by biological purpose or personal preference but is a spiritual bond. The Church defines chastity as the virtue that moderates the sexual appetite, successfully integrating sexuality within the person. Unmarried Catholics express chastity through sexual abstinence, while sexual intercourse within marriage is considered chaste when it retains the dual significance of union and procreation.
Chaste and pure sexual love in marriage is always self-giving and never selfish. It is a spiritual exercise that challenges shame and expands vulnerability, uniting two people and creating new life. The procreative aspect of sexuality is important, but the unitive end, or "the good of the spouses themselves", should not be neglected. This unitive purpose brings spouses closer together in marital unity, contributing to the holiness of the couple.
In conclusion, sex is a gift from God in Catholic marriage, intended to unite spouses in love and create new life. It is a spiritual act that brings couples closer to God and to each other, expressing their self-giving love and contributing to their lifelong growth and holiness.
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Sex is for procreation
The Catholic Church has always taken a positive view of sexuality in marriage, with marital intercourse considered "noble and honourable". According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sexual intercourse has a twofold unitive and procreative purpose. The unitive purpose refers to the deeply personal unity that is formed between a married couple, reflecting the love between God and humanity.
The procreative purpose, or the "nuptial act", is the belief that sex within marriage is primarily intended for procreation. This view dominated early Christianity and was held by many Church Fathers. Sex within marriage is considered chaste when it retains this twofold significance of union and procreation. The Church teaches that sexual expression outside of marriage or the use of contraception within marriage is a grave sin.
The belief in the procreative purpose of sex extends beyond the physical act, encompassing the spiritual and emotional aspects of marital unity. It is through the expression of marital love, joined with an openness to new life, that couples can achieve holiness in their marriage. This lifelong process of conversion and growth is a call to holiness, where married couples are called to chastity and the successful integration of sexuality within their relationship.
Chastity, as defined by the Church, is the virtue that moderates the sexual appetite and is applicable to both unmarried and married Catholics. For married couples, chastity is expressed through conjugal chastity, where sexual love must be chaste and pure, even beyond childbearing years. This means that sexual love should be self-giving and not selfish, always respecting the dignity of both spouses.
While the procreative purpose of sex is essential in Catholic doctrine, it is also important to consider the unitive purpose, which focuses on the good of the spouses themselves. By integrating these two purposes, marital sexual love can be consensual, unifying, and fulfilling for both partners, contributing to a healthy and holy marriage.
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Sex is for unity
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. Sex is considered chaste only within the context of marriage and is therefore referred to as the ""nuptial act" in Catholic discourse. The Catechism defines several transgressions and sins against chastity, including masturbation, fornication, pornography, and homosexual practices.
The Church's positive understanding of sexuality is rooted in the teachings of Jesus, which were drawn from the wisdom of the Old Testament. The Book of Genesis and the Song of Songs describe the basic goodness of sexual love in marriage. In the New Testament, Jesus began his public ministry with his supportive presence at the wedding feast of Cana, a further indication of the goodness of marriage.
The Church affirms that marital sexuality achieves two purposes: its role in creating new human life (the procreative dimension of sexuality) and the unity of the couple. This unity is described as "the good of the spouses themselves", which "cannot be separated" from the procreative end. The Catechism states that sexual consent should be embraced by Catholics, and that sexual coercion is evil.
For sexuality to be truly spiritual, Catholics must learn to balance the virtues expressed by a responsible openness to life. Openness to life helps develop trust, generosity, vulnerability, selflessness, and identification with the Fatherhood of God, among other things. Practicing this openness responsibly, as the Church teaches, allows for the development of a different set of virtues, including chastity, self-discipline, honesty, and temperance.
The Catholic Church, in its official teaching, has always taken a positive view of sexuality in marriage. Marital intercourse, according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, is "noble and honourable", established by God so that "spouses should experience pleasure and enjoyment of body and spirit".
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Sex outside marriage is a sin
The Bible and Catholic doctrine both consider sex outside of marriage to be a sin. The Bible uses the word "fornication" to refer to illicit sex outside of marriage, and it is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 6:18 and 1 Corinthians 7:9. The Bible also celebrates the chastity of Joseph and Mary (Matthew 1:18-19) and considers sex outside of marriage to be immoral (Hebrews 13:4). Paul, a Jew, argued that the only proper outlet for sexual desire is within marriage (1 Corinthians 7:2).
In Catholic theology, sexuality is viewed as an intimate aspect of a person's being that is spiritually designed by God to unite a man and a woman as one flesh within the context of marriage. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines chastity as the virtue that moderates the sexual appetite and refers to the successful integration of sexuality within the person. Unmarried Catholics are expected to express chastity through sexual abstinence. Sexual intercourse within marriage is considered chaste when it retains the twofold significance of union and procreation.
Sex outside of marriage is considered a sin because it goes against God's design for sexuality, which is intended to be expressed within the boundaries of a marriage covenant. It can also lead to negative consequences such as unwanted pregnancies, diseases, broken hearts, and toxic relationships. Additionally, having sex with someone outside of marriage can lead to giving oneself to people who do not share the same beliefs or values, which can create conflicts and difficulties in the relationship.
Furthermore, sex within marriage is seen as a gift from God and an act of love between two married persons. It is considered noble and honorable, and spouses are meant to experience pleasure and enjoyment of body and spirit. The Catholic Church teaches that sexual intercourse has a twofold unitive and procreative purpose, contributing to the holiness of the couple.
While the Catholic Church emphasizes the procreative aspect of marital sexuality, it is important to note that the Church also recognizes the importance of expressing sexual love within marriage, even for couples who are beyond their childbearing years. This expression of sexual love should be in accord with the virtue of chastity, which involves self-giving and mutual respect.
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Sex is spiritual
The Catholic Church has a positive view of sexuality in marriage, deeming it "noble and honourable". According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, sex in marriage is a gift from God, and an act of love between two married persons.
The Church teaches that sexual intercourse has a twofold unitive and procreative purpose. The unitive purpose, also known as "the good of the spouses themselves", brings spouses closer together in marital unity. The procreative purpose, on the other hand, refers to the creation of new human life.
Sexual expression outside of marriage or the use of artificial contraception within marriage is considered a grave sin by the Catholic Church. Chastity, defined as the successful integration of sexuality within the person, is expected of all Catholics, with unmarried Catholics expressing chastity through sexual abstinence.
For sexuality to be spiritual, a balance between openness to life and responsible practice is necessary. Openness to life fosters trust, generosity, vulnerability, and selflessness, while responsible practice promotes chastity, self-discipline, honesty, and temperance.
To achieve a spiritual sexuality in marriage, Catholic couples are encouraged to cultivate a loving, kind, and generous attitude towards each other, with a ratio of 5:1 or higher of positive to negative interactions. By viewing sex as spiritual, Catholic couples can challenge vulnerability and shame, expand intimacy, and create new life, making lovemaking a sacred and spiritual act.
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Frequently asked questions
The Catholic Church teaches that sex within marriage is a gift from God and an act of love between two married persons. It is considered chaste and pure, and must be expressed in a holy and self-giving way.
The Catholic Church teaches that sexual intercourse has a twofold unitive and procreative purpose. The unitive purpose is to unite a man and a woman as one flesh, while the procreative purpose is to create new human life.
The use of artificial contraception within marriage is considered a grave sin by the Catholic Church as it deliberately frustrates the procreative function of sexual expression.
Consent is an important aspect of Catholic sexual morality. To have good and unitive sex, spouses must ensure that sexual activity is fully consensual and brings them closer together in marital unity.
Sex within a Catholic marriage is considered chaste and holy, while sex outside of marriage is considered a sin. The Church defines chastity as the successful integration of sexuality within the person, which is only possible within the context of marriage.
