Bible & Theology Course for the Laity, DVK, Bangalore

Full Reports on the Bible & Theology Course - 2004

The Catholic Church's Teachings on Sexuality

Magisterium on Sexuality and Marriage

Magisterium refers to the teaching authority of the Church on matters of faith and morals.

Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church, on Sexuality and Marriage, puts forward two fundamental principles:

1. Principle of Love
   Love between husband and wife
2. Principle of Life
   Two types:
   • Love-making: Unitive or tending to produce love
   • Life-giving: Procreative or begetting children

The fulfillment of sexuality is in the context of marriage and family life.

Moral dilemma of couples

There is this moral dilemma that couples often encounter. When a couple have all the children they can reasonably care for, they cannot enlarge their family without compromising the well-being of their present children. At the same time, the couple feel that fairly regular sexual expression is necessary for the growth and development of their marital life. They do not feel that they can respond adequately to both values and follow the proscription (prohibition) of contraception in Human Vitae (Latin for Human Life. What do they do?

Human Vitae says: (# 12) "That teaching, often set forth by the magisterium, is founded upon the inseparable connection, willed by God and unable to be broken by man on his own initiative, between the two meaning of the conjugal act: the unitive meaning and the procreative meaning."

This is an extreme predicament for several couples. To this, the Church advocates Natural Family Planning (NFP), and also allows couples to make their choice according to their conscience.

(More on this topic will appear later under MATRIMONIAL.)

Summary of the Church's Teaching

Bible on marriage   Jesus on marriage   God as foundation
Sexuality&Marriage   Church's teachings on sexuality
Marriage & Family Index

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