Grace Thompson
The Catholic Church has a detailed theology of sexuality, which is rooted in the belief that sexual intercourse has a twofold purpose: procreation and unification. While the Church does not have a list of acceptable sexual practices, it does provide guidelines for couples to follow. For instance, the Church teaches that sexual intercourse is reserved for marriage and that it should always be self-giving, never selfish, and focused on the person rather than physical pleasure. It also prohibits sexual practices that are not open to life, such as the use of contraception or interruptus, which is considered a mortal sin.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Procreation and unification |
| Nature of sexual intercourse | Noble and honorable |
| Chastity | Moral virtue |
| Sins | Masturbation, fornication, pornography, homosexual practices, adultery, divorce, polygamy, and free union |
| Forbidden days | Sundays, feast days, 20 days before Christmas, 40 days before Easter, 3 or more days before receiving communion, and often 20 days before Pentecost |
| Oral sex | Morally licit if it is not "sought for itself" and is completed with intercourse |
| Intercourse during fertile periods | Forbidden |
| Intercourse positions | Missionary position is encouraged |
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What You'll Learn
- Intercourse is allowed as long as it is open to life
- Oral sex is allowed if it is not sought for itself
- Sexual pleasure is allowed if it is not isolated from procreation and unity
- Masturbation, pornography, and homosexual practices are considered sins
- Intercourse is prohibited on Sundays, feast days, and before receiving Communion
Intercourse is allowed as long as it is open to life
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 affirms that marital sexuality achieves two purposes: its role in creating new human life, and uniting husband and wife. The Church's positive understanding of sexuality is rooted in the teachings of Jesus, which were partly 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.
The Church does not have a list of "acceptable practices". However, chaste and pure sexual love in marriage will always be self-giving, not selfish. It will be an expression of the marital covenant of unconditional love, deepening the spiritual union between husband and wife. It will be focused upon the person, not only upon physical pleasure, and it will be experienced as being blessed and willed by God.
The Church teaches that any sexual act between spouses that is not open to life is a mortal sin. This includes the use of artificial contraception, which is considered a grave sin. Sexual intercourse within marriage is considered chaste when it retains the twofold significance of union and procreation.
Therefore, intercourse is allowed as long as it is open to life. This does not mean that a couple must always intend to conceive a child each time they have intercourse. Rather, it means that they are open to the possibility of new life and are not deliberately frustrating the procreative function of sexual expression within marriage.
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Oral sex is allowed if it is not sought for itself
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 affirms that marital sexuality achieves two purposes: its role in creating new human life, and uniting husband and wife.
The Church does not have a list of "acceptable practices". However, chaste and pure sexual love in marriage will always be self-giving, not selfish. It will never treat the other person as an object, and will always be an expression of the marital covenant of unconditional love. It will deepen the spiritual union between spouses, and be experienced as blessed and willed by God. It will be focused upon the person, not only physical pleasure, and it will culminate in the natural sexual act rather than unnatural sexual activity.
The Church teaches that sex is only chaste within the context of marriage. Oral sex is reserved for marriage, and is not sinful as long as it is not sought for itself, but is part of a total act that is ordered to and is completed in intercourse. This means that oral sex is acceptable as long as it is not the only act being performed, and is part of a sexual experience that includes intercourse.
The Church teaches that sexual pleasure is morally disordered when sought for itself, isolated from its procreative and unitive purposes. Sexual acts must be judged by the standard of whether they are acts of self-giving and mutual enjoyment, or if they are objectifying acts or acts that introduce into the marriage bed that which should not be a part of it. For example, the use of pornography between spouses for sexual stimulation is not permitted as it introduces others into an act that is intended to be intimate and private.
The Church's detailed doctrines derive from the principle that sexual pleasure must not be sought apart from the value, dignity, and integrity of the person. This means that sexual acts between spouses that are not open to life are considered a mortal sin.
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Sexual pleasure is allowed if it is not isolated from procreation and unity
The Catholic Church teaches that sexual intercourse has a twofold purpose: unitive and procreative. This means that sexual pleasure is allowed within marriage as long as it is not isolated from its procreative and unitive purposes. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states that marital intercourse is "noble and honorable," and that spouses should experience "pleasure and enjoyment of body and spirit."
The unitive purpose of sexual intercourse in Catholic marriage refers to the spiritual unity formed between a husband and wife. This unity is a reflection of the love between God and humanity. The procreative purpose, on the other hand, emphasizes the creation of new human life. While procreation is a central aspect of Catholic sexual morality, it is not the sole purpose of sexual intercourse within marriage.
Sexual pleasure within Catholic marriage should be governed by the virtue of marital chastity. This means that sexual pleasure should not be sought in isolation from the value, dignity, and integrity of the person. Acts of sexual intimacy must be judged by whether they are self-giving and mutually enjoyable, or if they objectify the other person. The use of pornography, for example, is considered inappropriate as it introduces others into an intimate act meant solely for spouses.
For couples who are beyond childbearing years, the focus shifts to expressing sexual love in accordance with chastity. While the possibility of procreation may no longer be present, the unitive purpose of sexual intercourse remains integral to the marriage. The physical act of intercourse is not the sole means of achieving unity, as the spiritual and emotional connection between spouses also contributes to their union.
It is important to note that the Church does not provide a list of "acceptable practices." Instead, Catholic couples are guided by moral principles that emphasize the sanctity of marriage and the integration of sexuality within the person. These principles include self-giving love, mutual respect, and the deepening of spiritual union. Sexual pleasure, when sought within these moral boundaries, is considered a gift from God that strengthens the marital bond.
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Masturbation, pornography, and homosexual practices are considered sins
The Catholic Church has a detailed doctrine on sexuality, which is rooted in the belief 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's teachings on sexuality are based on the principle that "sexual pleasure is morally disordered when sought for itself, isolated from its procreative and unitive [between spouses] purposes". Sex is considered chaste only within the context of marriage, and even then, it must be in accordance with the virtue of chastity. This means that sexual pleasure should not be sought apart from the value, dignity, and integrity of the person.
The Catechism lists several transgressions and sins against chastity, including masturbation, pornography, and homosexual practices. These acts are considered sins because they are seen as introducing something into the marriage bed that should not be a part of it, and because they objectify the other person rather than treating them with respect and dignity.
The use of pornography between spouses, for example, is considered a sin because it introduces others into an act that is intended to be intimate and private. Similarly, homosexual practices are considered sins because they are seen as frustrating the procreative function of sexual expression within marriage. The Church teaches that the primary purpose of sexual relations is procreation, and any act that goes against this purpose is considered a grave sin.
The Church's teachings on sexuality have evolved over time, and there are differing opinions among theologians and the laity on official teachings. However, the Church's position on masturbation, pornography, and homosexual practices as sins remains consistent.
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Intercourse is prohibited on Sundays, feast days, and before receiving Communion
The Catholic Church has a twofold view of the purpose of sexual intercourse in marriage: procreation and unity. This is based on the belief that God created everything "very good", including the human body and sex. The Church's teachings on sexuality are rooted in the Old Testament, with the Book of Genesis and the Song of Songs describing the basic goodness of sexual love in marriage.
However, during the Middle Ages, the question of when intercourse was allowed became very important. Intercourse was prohibited on Sundays, feast days, and before receiving Communion. These forbidden days, which also included the 20 days before Christmas, 40 days before Easter, and 20 days before Pentecost, totaled about 40% of the year.
The Church's stance on this issue stems from the belief that sexual pleasure should not be sought in isolation from its procreative and unitive purposes. While the Church does not have a list of "acceptable practices", it emphasizes that sexual love in marriage should be chaste and pure, always self-giving, and never objectifying.
Despite these restrictions, the Church takes a positive view of sexuality in marriage, considering it "noble and honorable". Marital intercourse is seen as a gift from God, through which spouses should experience pleasure and enjoyment of body and spirit. This positive perspective is also reflected in the New Testament, where Jesus began his public ministry with his supportive presence at the wedding feast of Cana.
In summary, while the Catholic Church prohibits intercourse on specific days, it recognizes the importance of sexuality in marriage and encourages couples to experience the full beauty and meaning of marital union as God intended.
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Frequently asked questions
The Catholic Church teaches that sex within marriage is "noble and honourable", and that it should be enjoyed as a gift from God.
The primary purpose of sex within a Catholic marriage is procreation. Sex is also considered to be a way to build unity between husband and wife.
No, the use of contraception is considered a grave sin. Sex acts that are not open to life, such as using the withdrawal method, are forbidden.
The Catholic Church does not have a list of forbidden sexual acts. However, sexual acts should always be self-giving and mutual, rather than objectifying or introducing something that should not be part of the marriage bed, such as pornography.
The Catholic Church does not forbid specific sex positions. However, sex positions that are not open to the procreative aspect of marriage may be considered sinful.
