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Catechism of the Catholic Church  Excerpt 2360-2379 III. The Love of Husband and Wife
For Couples Theo McManigal For Couples Theo McManigal

Catechism of the Catholic Church  Excerpt 2360-2379 III. The Love of Husband and Wife

The following excerpt from the Catechism of the Catholic Church gives the teaching of the Church on sexuality in marriage, the obligation of fidelity and fertility, as well as Church teaching on NFP, responsible parenthood, and immoral methods of conception. “Excerpts from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America Copyright © 1994, United States Catholic Conference, Inc. -- Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with Permission. English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: Modifications from the Editio Typica copyright © 1997, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops—Libreria Editrice Vaticana.” 


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The Needs of a Woman
For Husbands Fr. Thomas Loya, MA STB For Husbands Fr. Thomas Loya, MA STB

The Needs of a Woman

This article was originally published in the September 2024 issue of Horizons, the official magazine of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma, and is republished here with Fr. Loya’s permission.


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What a Renowned Catholic Moral Theologian Taught About Amplexus Reservatus, or Incomplete, Non-Orgasmic Sexual Intercourse
Sexual Morality in Marriage Alexander John Sexual Morality in Marriage Alexander John

What a Renowned Catholic Moral Theologian Taught About Amplexus Reservatus, or Incomplete, Non-Orgasmic Sexual Intercourse

As part of our ongoing release of excerpts from renowned Catholic moral theologians, we turn here to Fr. John J. Lynch, S.J., and his treatment of the morality of amplexus reservatus (or, incomplete sexual intercourse where orgasm is deliberately withheld from both parties) within marriage. Drawing on traditional principles governing incomplete conjugal acts, Lynch explains why many respected theologians regarded the practice as morally licit under certain conditions. The full compendium of these classical moral theology texts is available to our Patreon members.

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Defer to One Another In Marriage
Fr. Thomas Loya, MA STB Fr. Thomas Loya, MA STB

Defer to One Another In Marriage

The following article was originally published in the April 2025 edition of Horizons magazine, which is the official magazine of the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma, where Fr. Loya is the Director of Marriage and Family Life. It shares with us a word that he calls the “magic pill” for a happy marriage. That word is “defer”. Please read this article to learn more about what Fr. Loya calls, “deferential love”. 

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Don’t Assume Your Spouse Has Negative Intentions
For Couples Theo McManigal For Couples Theo McManigal

Don’t Assume Your Spouse Has Negative Intentions

Catholic marriage calls spouses to assume the best of one another rather than fall into rash judgment. The Catechism teaches us to interpret our spouse’s words and actions favorably, a simple principle that can reduce conflict, strengthen communication, and build a more loving marriage.

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Did St. Thomas Aquinas Teach Against Oral Stimulation in the Summa Theologiae? Taking a Closer Look
Sexual Morality in Marriage Alexander John Sexual Morality in Marriage Alexander John

Did St. Thomas Aquinas Teach Against Oral Stimulation in the Summa Theologiae? Taking a Closer Look

Was St. Thomas Aquinas actually opposed to oral stimulation within marriage? This article examines what St. Thomas truly taught about marital intimacy, the “natural manner of copulation,” and whether his writings can legitimately be cited to condemn oral stimulation between spouses.

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Volunteer Opportunity: Help Us Build a Better Experience for Catholic Couples
James B. Walther, MA, ABS James B. Walther, MA, ABS

Volunteer Opportunity: Help Us Build a Better Experience for Catholic Couples

The Apostolate for Marital Intimacy is seeking volunteers to help us improve the experience we provide to Catholic couples. We're looking for detail-oriented individuals to assist with transferring course content to a new platform and, if interested, providing occasional support with publishing blog posts and social media content. Even one hour per week can make a meaningful difference in helping us serve more couples while keeping our ministry affordable and sustainable. If you'd like to use your gifts to strengthen Catholic marriages behind the scenes, we'd love to hear from you.

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Is My Marriage Over? A Catholic Answer to a Painful Question
For Wives James B. Walther, MA, ABS For Wives James B. Walther, MA, ABS

Is My Marriage Over? A Catholic Answer to a Painful Question

Many women quietly ask, “Is my marriage over?,” but the answer is not as simple as the world makes it seem. This article challenges the cultural narrative that encourages leaving at the first sign of struggle and instead presents the Catholic understanding of marriage as a lifelong covenant. While acknowledging that serious situations may require separation, it calls women to examine their own role in the relationship and the patterns that have developed over time. True change begins with personal responsibility, not escape. Before making a permanent decision, there is still hope…and a path forward worth considering.

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You Are Not As “Traditional” As You Think: A Challenge to Catholic Wives
For Wives James B. Walther, MA, ABS For Wives James B. Walther, MA, ABS

You Are Not As “Traditional” As You Think: A Challenge to Catholic Wives

Many Catholic wives today embrace the “trad wife” aesthetic, but few have fully examined the habits they bring into marriage. This article challenges women to look beyond appearances and ask whether their influence builds their husband up in virtue or quietly undermines him. Drawing from Scripture, history, and lived experience, it exposes how control, resistance, and lack of temperance weaken both leadership and intimacy. At the same time, it offers a compelling vision of true feminine strength rooted in virtue, trust, and self-mastery. If you desire a stronger, more unified marriage, this is a challenge worth facing.

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Excerpt from The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults: The Love of Husband and Wife (p.408-410)
Theo McManigal Theo McManigal

Excerpt from The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults: The Love of Husband and Wife (p.408-410)

One valuable but perhaps less known and less used catechetical resource in the United States is the United States Catholic Catechism for Adults. This document was produced and approved by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and it received a recognitio from the Holy See. Since it is an authoritative but perhaps less well known document, we thought it would be worthwhile to include segments from this catechism. The following excerpt is important because it offers an official explanation of the unitive and procreative ends of marriage and the marital act. This is worth sharing because there are people online who have expressed confusion and/or taken issue with the language of the “unitive end” of marriage and the marital act since the language of the “inseparable unitive and procreative ends” became the normative language of the magisterium when speaking about marriage and the marital act. However, if we are going to think with the mind of the Church, we must be willing to speak its language in its preferred terms. This United States Catechism provides an authoritative explanation of the unitive and procreative ends. 

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What If I’m Not Attracted to My Spouse Anymore?
For Couples James B. Walther, MA, ABS For Couples James B. Walther, MA, ABS

What If I’m Not Attracted to My Spouse Anymore?

Attraction in marriage can fade, but that does not mean your relationship is over. More often, it reflects a loss of connection, attention, and intentional effort rather than a permanent loss of love. The good news is that you have more control than you think. By shifting your focus, improving how you show up, and rebuilding connection, attraction can grow again. This article will show you where to start.

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Answering a Reader’s Questions about Anal Stimulation, Sexting, and Sexy Photos/Videos Within Marriage
Sexual Morality in Marriage Alexander John Sexual Morality in Marriage Alexander John

Answering a Reader’s Questions about Anal Stimulation, Sexting, and Sexy Photos/Videos Within Marriage

Some of the questions you as our readers ask are so valuable that we would like to take the opportunity to broaden the audience for their answers. In this article, we are answering a reader’s questions about anal stimulation, sexting, and the exchange of sexy photos and videos within marriage.

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Why Does My Wife Have No Sex Drive? (And What You Can Actually Do About It)
For Husbands James B. Walther, MA, ABS For Husbands James B. Walther, MA, ABS

Why Does My Wife Have No Sex Drive? (And What You Can Actually Do About It)

Why does your wife seem to have no sex drive? In most cases, her desire isn’t gone, it’s being suppressed by stress, poor experiences, or lack of connection. This article breaks down the real reasons behind low desire and gives you practical steps you can start using immediately. If you want to improve your sex life, it starts with changing the experience, not waiting for her to change.

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A Reflection on Natural Family Planning Awareness Week by Fr. Thomas Loya, M.A., S.T.B.
Sexual Morality in Marriage Fr. Thomas Loya, MA STB Sexual Morality in Marriage Fr. Thomas Loya, MA STB

A Reflection on Natural Family Planning Awareness Week by Fr. Thomas Loya, M.A., S.T.B.

The following reflection was written by Fr. Thomas Loya, a Byzantine Catholic priest who is the pastor of Annunciation Byzantine Catholic Parish in Homer Glen, Illinois, and the Director of Pro Life and Marriage and Family Ministry for the Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Parma. He is also the pastor of the parish attended by Theo McManigal, our social media manager. The following reflection was shared in the parish bulletin and the weekly eparchial newsletter and is reprinted here with Fr. Loya’s permission.

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