Marriage and Sexuality: Biology or Theology?

7/27/2012

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the service of life.

Responsible parenthood is lived out within the structures which God has established in human nature. God's design is that the nature of sexual intercourse is both life-giving (pro-creative) and love-giving (unitive).

Married couples are called, through holy matrimony, to cooperate with God the creator in the continuation of the human race.

Every husband and every wife must be in tune with God and what He wants.

Too many Americans make all of their decisions, especially the size of their family, based on selfish motives. Christian marriage, by the very nature of Christianity and the very nature of the Sacrament of Marriage, calls a married man and a married woman to seek God's holy will in their lives.

Thus, when married couples prudently discern the number of children for their family, most importantly, they must be in tune with what God wants for them; what God is asking of them.

Every child is a gift from God. Some married couples are called to have a large family. Some married couples are called to have a smaller family. Some married couples cannot have children and within that great suffering, they find another calling subordinate to their vocation to marriage.

In order to be in tune with God and His holy will, a married man and a married woman must have a profound, intimate and personal relationship with God. This relationship is fostered and deepened through a daily and well-disciplined life of prayer.

Mary, the Mother of Jesus, is the perfect model of a creature's relationship with God the creator. She listened attentively to what God was asking her through the angel Gabriel. At first she was afraid, but then she trusted. Trust is essential. Trust God. When we do not trust God, we take our focus off of Him and we turn inwards and our ego takes over.

When we begin to understand the mystery of the Sacrament of Marriage and how it is a reflection of the marriage of Christ and the Church (Ephesians 5: 21-33), we can then begin to understand why contraception is intrinsically evil.

This is why we must gain a new vision of sexuality that not only considers the biological dimension of the conjugal act, but above all the theological dimension.

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Father James Farfaglia, is a contributing writer for Catholic Online and author of Get Serious! - A Survival Guide for Serious Catholics .

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Pope Benedict XVI's Prayer Intentions for January 2013
General Intention: The Faith of Christians. That in this Year of Faith Christians may deepen their knowledge of the mystery of Christ and witness joyfully to the gift of faith in him.
Missionary Intention: Middle Eastern Christians. That the Christian communities of the Middle East, often discriminated against, may receive from the Holy Spirit the strength of fidelity and perseverance.

Keywords: marriage, natural family planning, Humanae Vitae, sex, sexuality, conjugal act, conjugal life, Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II, Theology of the Body, Fr James Farfaglia

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1 - 10 of 23 Comments

Florence williams
8 months ago
I must commend the write up of the rev fr. some part of africa especially Nigeria are ignorant of the risk of taking pills and the side effects. i am a catholic and i detest abortion which is a grave and mortal sin against humanity aand God. i would love to be a change agent using this medium.
Jodi
9 months ago
I am against artifical birth control for more reasons than just Church doctrine. I firmly believe that the use of birth control pills have increased the instances of cancers and other life threatening conditions in women, and medical research backs up my theory.My best friend, a Baptist, with no family history of breast cancer, had to have a radical mastectomy, chemo and radiation just 2 years ago, and yes, she took the pill for years. Yes, I know that women die in childbirth. My great great grandmother died in childbirth, and my 30 year old daughter almost died in childbirth just 5 weeks ago, delivering her 5th child by emergency c-section. Natural family planning has no side effects. I also know that God is good! After a premature birth, and 3 miscarriages and a stillbirth, on the recommendation of my doctor, I did use birth control.but not the pill....and guess what! I had two beautiful children the doctors said I'd never have! God has a plan for us, if we will just listen.
Theresa H
9 months ago
I have the same impression: Many pastors, even Bishops are hesitant/afraid to say much about the most heinous crime "man" can commit = killing the most innocent--through abortion (and the ederly through euthanasia). It also includes contraception: the refusal to accept the potential conception of a child during the "marriage act"--when God--the author of life, infuses the "breath of life"--if HE so wills. They are afraid people will walk out, or otherwise protest. It is sad, very sad.... Pope Benedict sees what is coming: "The Church will become very small...." ("Faith and the Future," , pg.116-118, the End of the Bk!)
DLL
9 months ago
The government legalizes agenda and impure politically correct policies only to call that justice and some sort of a right without responsibility. They do not care about moral ethical positions. Some body or organization must and that is the Catholic Church. The Church stands for family planning and for stable family home environments. The Church defines sin in society as well as the adverse effects of these sins. US government will never ever enforce any theological position,never the less,it is the duty of the Church do be an active force and voice,for the maintenance of natural family planning and normal marriage and family values. Today this is the alternative to the views that promote abortion,euthanasia,assisted suicide and the horrors of contraceptives,as they are actually detrimental to woman's health both physically and mentally.
Judy Claar
9 months ago
Wonderful Article! Catholic marriage and the marriage of Christ and the Church explained with the class and dignity it deserves. Magnificent!
Fr. James Farfaglia
9 months ago
Rob:
I have noticed over many years, that unfortunately, many members of the clergy dissent on Humanae Vitae or that many are afraid to get into to the topic.
Rob
9 months ago
Father, I really do believe that these teachings are the key to changing our culture. As part of the ordainded, why do you suppose the Church seems so hesitant to teach them? I really thought as a result of the healthcare law and the HHS mandate that these teachings would become front and center, but save the web and a few parishes here and there, nothing. Nothing in our Archdioces at all.

We hit these topics hard in my men's group. Perhaps this is a job that the laity needs to take up?
Jim Cronin
9 months ago
My wife and I had seven children.When Anne was expecting our 7th one of the kids asked :"Mom how many children did you plan on having?"Anne had the answer that
I know must have pleased God.Anne said " As many as God give me."We were married 47 years and five years ago God called her home.Now she watches over our 7 treasures and I pray that some day we will all meet again in heaven.God Bless
Fr. James Farfaglia
9 months ago
I am glad to see that my article generated a lot of interest. I have listed the best marriage resources that I know on my personal website. I hope that these resources will help. Click on Marriage Resources at www.fatherjames.org.
cuthbert
9 months ago
I strongly support the church teachings and it's true that all married Catholics are finding it very difficult practising the natural birth control. I must confess that we tried and had failed twice leading to increase in our numbers of children. I discovered it failed because the couple have to be fully involved in the charting of the natural family planning. I'm praying it works this time as I plead for you faithful to join us in praying for a successful natural family planning.
We pray the church uphold to GOD's wishes for man in her teachings.

Cuthbert

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