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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Marital Relations, Sin, and Older Couples	Gregory	Saturday, January 29, 2005
Question: I continue to be puzzled by thr church's teaching on sex in marriage, particularly for older couples. I have been reading about Pope John Paul's "Theology of the Body." This seems to teach that " teachings of Popes Gregory (I) the Great, Paul VI, and John Paul II are all consistent and complementary. The Church has consistently taught that "only" when a spouse exclusively seeks pleasure in marital intercourse, does the seeking of pleasure in marital intercourse violate the "law" of marriage and become the sin of lust." This seems positive at first, but when you examine the teaching, it seems to mean that when a couple is in their 50's, 60's and beyond - and therefore physiologically beyond child-bearing, it is sinful and wrong - and only "lustful" - for them to seek pleasure in each other's arms - despite years of a loving and faithful marriage. So, how does an older couple avoid sexual sin? Is the Church teaching that a couple should move into separate bedrooms after the child-bearing years?
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM Dear Gregory: You are misinterpreting the teaching. It is saying that sex for pleasure sake alone is just another form of lust. Sex between married persons should not be for pleasure-sake alone; it should be for love. There are two purposes of the marital embrace: 1) procreation; and 2) bonding of love between spouses. Those couples who cannot procreate for whatever reason are still valid in their marital embrace because of the 2nd purpose -- the bonding of love between spouse. Sex for pleasure sake is referring to sex, even in marriage, that is devoid of the mutual self-giving of love between spouses. It is sex that is hedonistic, not loving. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Marital Relations, Sin, and Older Couples

Gregory

Saturday, January 29, 2005

Question:

I continue to be puzzled by thr church's teaching on sex in marriage, particularly for older couples. I have been reading about Pope John Paul's "Theology of the Body." This seems to teach that " teachings of Popes Gregory (I) the Great, Paul VI, and John Paul II are all consistent and complementary. The Church has consistently taught that "only" when a spouse exclusively seeks pleasure in marital intercourse, does the seeking of pleasure in marital intercourse violate the "law" of marriage and become the sin of lust."

This seems positive at first, but when you examine the teaching, it seems to mean that when a couple is in their 50's, 60's and beyond - and therefore physiologically beyond child-bearing, it is sinful and wrong - and only "lustful" - for them to seek pleasure in each other's arms - despite years of a loving and faithful marriage.

So, how does an older couple avoid sexual sin? Is the Church teaching that a couple should move into separate bedrooms after the child-bearing years?

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OLSM

Dear Gregory:

You are misinterpreting the teaching.

It is saying that sex for pleasure sake alone is just another form of lust.

Sex between married persons should not be for pleasure-sake alone; it should be for love.

There are two purposes of the marital embrace: 1) procreation; and 2) bonding of love between spouses.

Those couples who cannot procreate for whatever reason are still valid in their marital embrace because of the 2nd purpose -- the bonding of love between spouse.

Sex for pleasure sake is referring to sex, even in marriage, that is devoid of the mutual self-giving of love between spouses. It is sex that is hedonistic, not loving.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum