Sex and Procreation

Sex is seen as a proper expression of the love of a man and a woman only within marriage. The physical pleasure that the couple give each other deepens their love for each other and can make the woman pregnant and then lead to children. Church teachings explain that the pleasure of sex and the possibility of pregnancy should not be separated. Jesus spoke of Marriage in terms of two people becoming one [Mark 10]. In this sense sexual intercourse is a sign of the marriage and therefore the Church teaches that marriage is the only appropriate relationship, within which sexual intercourse should take place.

Sex Outside Marriage

Sex outside of marriage can be seen as misplaced and sinful - a misuse of a gift. Extra-marital sex is also known as fornication and is a sin. Sex outside of marriage can take place in a variety of circumstances from casual one-night-stands to long term committed relationships possibly with the result of children. The way that different Catholics view these different circumstances can be as varied as the circumstances themselves.

Homosexuality

Homosexuality or being gay means that a person is continually and mainly attracted to people of their own sex. The teaching authority of the Church has strong views that homosexual sex is wrong but that being homosexual is not itself wrong. It should be understood that just as in the case of extra-marital sex Catholics have widely differing views about homosexuality.

Contraception

Contraception is used to prevent conception (fertilisation of the egg). Some forms of birth control which are commonly called contraception are technically not contraception because they prevent an already fertilised egg from continuing to develop. Details like this can be important for Catholics who are trying to form an opinion about contraception.

Church teachings strongly link sex with procreation and so the use of artificial contraception is seen as wrong. The Church teaches that sex within marriage should be open to the possibility of the gift of a child from God. The use of artificial contraception is seen as an interference with God's creative work. Married couples who follow this teaching but who also want to have some control over their fertility will often limit their sexual relationships to the time in the woman's monthly cycle when she is least likely to conceive. Being a responsible parent means considering how you will be able to give time, love and support to your children, Catholic couples will usually want to limit the size of their family. Each couple must decide and be responsible for the way that they do this.

Procured Abortion

Procured abortion means the deliberate ending of the pregnancy. Since 1967 abortion has been legal in Britain although illegal abortions did take place before this date. Other countries have legal abortions whilst in some countries it remains illegal.

The Church teaches that life begins at the moment of conception and so procured abortion is seen as the taking of a life, therefore going against the Commandment 'thou shalt not kill'. This point of view is often called, 'Pro-Life'. Some people see the pregnancy as part of the woman's body and not as a separate life. These people may support a woman's ability to choose a legal abortion. This point of view is often called, 'Pro-Choice'.

The difference of opinion between Pro-Life and Pro-Choice is intense. Both side use emotional language and both groups can gather large numbers of people to demonstrate support for their side of the argument. The strength of feeling on both sides is understandable because both sides are talking about fundamentals like life and rights. As always, Catholics must listen to the guidance of the Church and then be responsible for the decisions that they make. Weblink to the declaration on procured abortion.