From Catholic sexual ethics to biology to foreplay to positions, our articles are a reference point for all your Catholic sexual queries.
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Answering a Reader’s Question about Sexual Fantasies in Marriage
Are sexual fantasies or roleplaying between Catholic spouses morally permissible? Drawing on the traditional consensus of Catholic moral theologians, this article explains when fantasies about one’s spouse remain within the bounds of marital chastity, and when they cross into morally problematic territory.
When Sex Hurts or Causes Anxiety
Pain during sex (dyspareunia), involuntary tightening with penetration (vaginismus), and sexual anxiety can leave a woman longing for closeness while dreading intimacy. These experiences are real, and improvement can begin with patient, practical steps toward comfort and confidence. Our Women’s Sexual Pain & Anxiety Coaching Program gives women and their husbands more time to address pain and fear before focusing on pleasure. Read about the program, and submit a coaching inquiry if you would like to explore whether it is right for you.
Coaching Is Opening Again & Group Sessions May Be Coming
James Walther is opening space for up to ten new individual or couples coaching clients. His coaching addresses common sexual concerns, including pain during sex, difficulty reaching orgasm, erectile dysfunction, ejaculation concerns, performance anxiety, and differences in desire. He is also exploring a weekly women’s group and, if there is enough interest, a separate men’s group as more affordable options for guidance and support. Those interested in coaching can complete the coaching inquiry; those interested in a group can fill out the interest survey.
Are Lay Catholics Allowed to Read Moral Theology Manuals about Marital Sexuality?
Should lay Catholics have access to the old manuals of moral theology? This article explains why, in an age of weak priestly formation and widespread confusion about marital sexuality, recovering the Church’s traditional moral theology can help Catholics form their consciences more clearly and avoid both scrupulosity and laxism.
The Permissibility of Sexual Stimulation Outside the Conjugal Act Between Spouses: A Response to Ronald Conte
In response to Catholic blogger Ronald Conte’s claim that all sexual stimulation outside penetrative intercourse is gravely sinful, this article examines the teaching of St. Alphonsus Liguori and the broader Catholic moral tradition. It explains why incomplete sexual acts and marital foreplay between spouses have historically been treated far less restrictively than Conte suggests.
Can Spouses Sexually Stimulate Themselves to Prepare for the Marriage Act?
Can Catholic spouses engage in self-stimulation as preparation for the marital act? Drawing on the Catechism and the traditional consensus of Catholic moral theologians, this article explains why self-stimulation ordered toward conjugal relations with one’s spouse is not considered masturbation in the morally condemned sense.
Top Theologian Who Helped Paul VI Write Humanae Vitae Defends the Role of Pleasure in Marital Sexuality
Is it sinful for Catholic spouses to engage in marital intimacy simply for pleasure? In this excerpt, renowned moral theologian Fr. John C. Ford, S.J., examines the traditional Catholic concern with acting ob solam voluptatem (“for pleasure alone”) and explains why, in light of various papal decrees, seeking sexual pleasure within rightly ordered marital intimacy need not be sinful or contrary to the purposes of marriage.
Catholic Teaching On Sexual Pleasure in Marriage: Excerpts From Amoris Laetitia
In Amoris Laetitia, Pope Francis shares many beautiful insights about the goodness of sexual pleasure within the marital act, which are combined with appropriate warnings against seeking only pleasure to the exclusion of love and all other honorable ends, and in sharing these insights, contributes to an overall positive view of the Magisterium of sexual pleasure in the marital act and in marriage.
Open Floor! Ask Your Catholic Sexual Morality Questions! We Will Answer!
Every so often we like to open the floor to your questions!
Have a question about Catholic sexual morality? Ask anything from challenging marital intimacy questions to moral questions about NFP, or even about chaste dating. All questions will receive a thoughtful, faithful reply.
NFP is Not Contraception
In this article, Theo McManigal discusses the difference between natural family planning and contraception, and why they are morally different.
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.”
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.
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.
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”.
Should Sex Be Scheduled or Spontaneous?
Should sex be scheduled, spontaneous, or should married couples have a mix of both? There is nothing wrong with spontaneous moments of intimacy, but in this article, Theo McManigal argues for the value of scheduling sex.
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.
Should Catholic Husbands Worry About Pre-Ejaculate During Foreplay? Is it Sinful?
Catholic spouses may wonder whether pre-ejaculatory fluid during foreplay is sinful. Classical Catholic moral theologians addressed this question directly, distinguishing harmless distillation from pollution and offering clear guidance for married couples struggling with scrupulosity.
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.
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.