From Catholic sexual ethics to biology to foreplay to positions, our articles are a reference point for all your Catholic sexual queries.
Articles
Ask Any Catholic Sexual Ethics Questions You Have!
An open invitation for our readers to ask any questions they may have about Catholic sexual ethics or marital chastity
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.
My Spouse Uses Porn. What Now?
The article offers practical guidance for spouses who discover pornography use in their marriage, helping them understand why the experience is so painful and how to respond in a healthy way. It validates the betrayed spouse’s emotions, clarifies that the betrayal is not their fault, and encourages concrete next steps such as taking time to grieve, seeking support from priests, therapists, and trusted friends, and accessing reputable recovery resources. By framing pornography use as both a serious moral failing and a destructive coping behavior, the article equips spouses with a realistic framework for pursuing healing, compassion, and possible marital restoration.
Moral Guidelines for Catholic Dating: Kissing Before Marriage?
What does the Church teach about kissing before marriage? This article provides a nuanced perspective, drawing from the Church’s magisterium and pastoral wisdom.
When Can Sex Be Interrupted? A Moral Reflection for Catholic Spouses
When can sex be interrupted without committing sin? This article provides practical and concrete moral parameters, showing that the Catholic teaching on marital chastity is both livable yet uncompromising.
Rules for Avoiding Scrupulosity Over Sexual Ethics in Marriage
This article provides practical guidance on avoiding the scourge of scrupulosity when navigating through difficult moral questions pertaining to marital intimacy. It provides peace of mind without compromising the demands of the Gospel!
Looking Ahead to 2026: Gratitude, Growth, and the Work Before Us
As we enter 2026, we reflect briefly on the growth of the past year and share what is now taking shape, including new coaching programs, expanded formation, and renewed opportunities for prayer, teaching, and support.
Low Libido Support (LLS): A Structured Coaching Program for Couples
Low libido is a common source of tension in marriage, but it is rarely just a lack of interest. Low Libido Support (LLS) is a structured coaching program that helps couples reduce sexual pressure, understand how desire works, and rebuild sustainable intimacy through guided practice.
Job Posting: Fundraiser & Grant Writer (Part-Time Independent Contractor)
The Apostolate for Marital Intimacy is seeking a part-time Fundraiser & Grant Writer to help advance our mission of renewing marital intimacy in faithful obedience to the Catholic Church. This independent contractor role is results-driven and donor-facing, with clear benchmarks, significant autonomy, and the opportunity to grow into a long-term leadership position. Candidates must have prior fundraising and grant-writing experience and a demonstrated track record of success.
Advanced Sexual Practice in Marriage: Skill, Depth, and Discerned Growth for Sexually Established Couples
Advanced Sexual Practice in Marriage (ASPM) is a high-end, long-term coaching program for married couples with an already strong and active sex life who want intentional growth rather than repair. It focuses on skill, depth, and discerned novelty within clear moral and relational boundaries.
When Everything Else Has Failed: A Structured, Relational Approach to Overcoming Pornography and Masturbation Struggles in Marriage
When pornography and masturbation struggles persist despite sincere effort, the issue is often deeper than a single behavior. This article introduces a structured, long-term coaching approach designed for married couples who have tried other methods without lasting success, focusing on relational growth, restored intimacy, and realistic change over time. This is not a quick fix or an accountability-only model, but a demanding and hopeful path forward for couples who want to rebuild their marriage together.
A Different Approach to Erectile Dysfunction: Why Less Pressure Often Leads to Better Results
Erectile difficulties are often sustained by pressure, anxiety, and self-monitoring rather than physical inability. This article explains a structured, coaching-based approach that helps couples remove performance pressure and restore responsiveness through a clear, time-limited process. It also outlines a six-session, $1,500 coaching package designed specifically for couples whose primary concern is erectile difficulties.
When Intimacy Feels Unsafe: A Structured, Relational Path Forward After Birth or Medical Trauma
Sexual intimacy can change after childbirth or a traumatic medical experience, leaving couples unsure how to move forward without pressure or fear. This article introduces a structured, non-clinical coaching program designed to help couples rebuild bodily safety, sexual responsiveness, and marital intimacy at a sustainable pace. It offers a clear path for those who have already tried other approaches and are seeking a relational, dignified way forward.
When Orgasm Feels Elusive: A Structured, Relational Introduction to Female Orgasm Training (FOT)
Many married women quietly struggle with orgasm, even when desire, love, and effort are present. This article introduces Female Orgasm Training (FOT), a structured, non-clinical coaching program that treats orgasm as a learnable bodily skill rather than a moral or relational failure. It offers a clear, pressure-reducing path forward for women and couples seeking greater confidence and responsiveness in marital intimacy.
Considering an Exodus 90 Group This January?
We are gauging interest in hosting a free Exodus 90 group for men and, if there is sufficient interest and a female host, a free Magnify 90 group for women, both beginning January 5, 2026. Each group requires a minimum of five committed participants by Friday, January 2 to move forward. If you are interested, please complete the interest form to help us determine whether these groups will run.
Join Our New Patreon For Exciting Perks, Including a Free Compendium of Traditional Moral Theologians on Marital Chastity Questions!
Support the Apostolate for Marital Intimacy on Patreon and receive exclusive perks, including a free compendium of traditional moral theologians on marital chastity.
Taking What We Can from Modern Sexology
A Catholic guide to engaging modern sexology: what to receive, what to reject, and how moral, evidence-based approaches to marital intimacy can be developed.
A Traditional Catholic Moral Theologian’s Pastoral Advice on Avoiding Sin During Marital Foreplay
Monsignor Antonio Lanza’s teaching reassures couples that traditional Catholic moral theology allows affectionate and even moderately sexual expressions in marriage when they do not involve intentional orgasm outside intercourse. He explains that tender acts pose little moral risk, that more stimulating acts can be used with proportionate reasons or when spouses intend to complete the marital act, and that only actions which directly initiate intercourse require clear intent to consummate it. His framework shows that married love naturally includes varied expressions of closeness, and that moral discernment rests on intention and consent rather than fear.
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 a Widow or Widower Enjoy Sexual Thoughts About Their Deceased Spouse?
Can a widow or widower morally take enjoyment in sexual memories of their deceased spouse? This article explains Catholic teaching on marriage, sexual pleasure, widowhood, and the proper role of memory, affection, and grief in the spiritual life.