From Catholic sexual ethics to biology to foreplay to positions, our articles are a reference point for all your Catholic sexual queries.
Articles
Mission Sponsors
-

Truth & Fertility Project
-

Walther Institute for Marital Intimacy
-

Married Dance
-

Become a Sponsor
We are a nonprofit!
Our team is made up of a handful of part-time staff. Donations are the lifeblood of our work. The more that you donate, the more we can produce. So, if you appreciate our work, help us to create more articles like these.
Why Should You Trust Our Apostolate on Catholic Sexual Ethics?
With conflicting Catholic voices offering competing views on sexual morality within marriage, finding a trustworthy source can be difficult. This article explains how our Apostolate grounds its guidance in Church teaching, rigorous moral theology, and the wisdom of trusted Catholic moralists.
Can an Orgasm Outside of Sex Be Permitted if the Other Spouse Asks?
Can a Catholic spouse ever permit an unintended orgasm outside of sex when the other spouse asks for sexual affection? This article examines a difficult question in marital chastity, the principle of double effect, and why Catholic moral theology distinguishes between deliberately procuring orgasm and tolerating an unintended one for a proportionately serious reason.
The Moral Significance of Aftercare after Sex
Aftercare after sex is more than emotional intimacy; it can carry serious moral weight in marriage. This article explains how tenderness after the marital act helps safeguard spouses from treating one another as mere sources of pleasure, a disposition that can risk grave sin.
Can Catholic Spouses Try Different Sex Positions Other than Missionary?
Few questions about Catholic teaching on marriage are surrounded by as many jokes, rumors, and half-remembered medieval claims as the morality of sexual positions. Is missionary position uniquely “approved,” or can married couples licitly choose other forms of intercourse? This article provides an answer!
Another Renowned Moral Theologian on Sexual Acts Outside Intercourse
Periodically, we plan on dropping excerpts from highly esteemed traditional moral theologians on questions pertaining to marital chastity and sexual morality. Many of these are taken from our Compendium which you can access here. Today’s excerpt is from renowned moral theologian Benedict Merkelbach, O.P.
Can a Catholic Wife Pursue Breast Augmentation in Marriage?
A Catholic look at the morality of breast augmentation, weighing intention, medical need, beauty, marriage, modesty, and chastity through the lens of Catholic moral theology.
Adultery Without an Affair? The Sin of Mental Adultery
What does it really mean to commit adultery in the heart? This article offers deeper Catholic clarity on mental adultery, explaining when lustful thoughts or sexual fantasies become sinful and how spouses can better understand the call to purity, fidelity, and marital love.
Ask Any Catholic Sexual Morality Questions You Have in the Comments!
An open invitation for our readers to ask any questions they may have about Catholic sexual ethics or marital chastity
Renowned Moral Theologian on the Do’s and Don’ts of Sexual Love Between Spouses Outside the Marital Act
Periodically, we plan on dropping excerpts from highly esteemed traditional moral theologians on questions pertaining to marital chastity and sexual morality. Many of these are taken from our Compendium which you can access here. Today’s excerpt is from Hieronymous Noldin, SJ.
Can Wives Orgasm Outside of Sex? Defending the Church’s Teaching
If the female orgasm is not procreative, why can’t it take place outside of sex along with other incomplete sexual acts? This article offers a robust explanation for why the Church’s teaches against this.
Can Catholic Spouses Exchange Sexy Photos With Each Other?
In this article, we will answer whether or not Catholic spouses can morally send each other sexually risqué photos of each other to spice up intimacy or prepare for the conjugal act.
Answering Objections Against Oral Stimulation Within Marriage
In this article, we thoroughly debunk a couple common objections against the morality of oral sexual stimulation used as foreplay between Catholic spouses.
Sexual Morality During Spousal Separation
Spousal separation can make a trial out of nearly every facet of life, including our sexuality. In this article we address how separated spouses are supposed to understand their sexuality and the obligations attached to it during such a confusing state of life.
Can Spouses Engage in Any Oral Stimulation Outside the Conjugal Act?
In the past, our Apostolate has tackled whether or not oral stimulation can be done as preludes to the conjugal act. But in this article, we want to answer whether limited expressions of oral stimulation could be done even outside the conjugal act itself, outside a proximate danger of orgasm.
Will You Go to Hell for Disagreeing with St. Alphonsus on a Moral Issue? Correcting a Common Myth
In this article, we debunk a common myth circulated by certain voices online which states that disagreeing with Alphonsus on a matter of marital chastity necessarily puts your soul in jeopardy.
The Morality of Multiple Orgasms During Sex For Both Men and Women
In this article, we discuss the morality of either the husband or wife experiencing multiple orgasms in a single session of conjugal intercourse.
Understanding the Practical Basics of Marital Chastity: Complete vs Incomplete Sexual Acts
In this article we walk you through some key terms and concept that will help you understand the fundamentals of marital chastity which may help illuminate our articles a bit more.
Does the Marital Debt Apply to Foreplay?
While we at the Apostolate have tackled many questions having to do with the marital debt, we wanted to address whether sexual acts besides intercourse could also be requested through the marital debt by spouses. This article gives a thorough answer rooted in Catholic tradition and pastoral wisdom.
Can Catholic Spouses Sext Each Other?
A Catholic moral analysis of whether sexting between spouses can be licit, exploring conditions, risks, and how mutual, ordered intimacy can deepen marital love.
Can Catholic Spouses Ever Have Sex For Pleasure? And Did the Church Change Her Teaching on This?
Can Catholic spouses ever have sex primarily for pleasure? This question has long stirred debate among theologians and married couples alike. While the Church condemns pursuing pleasure as an end in itself, she also affirms that sexual delight when united with love and the true ends of marriage is both good and holy.