From Catholic sexual ethics to biology to foreplay to positions, our articles are a reference point for all your Catholic sexual queries.
Articles
Should You Marry Your Best Friend? Thomas Aquinas Says Yes!
Should you marry your best friend? According to St. Thomas Aquinas, true marriage is more than a legal or biological union—it's the highest form of friendship. Rooted in both natural law and divine grace, this conjugal friendship is what sustains a marriage through time, making friendship not optional, but essential to love that endures.
Can Catholic Spouses Practice “Karezza” Method of Sexual Intercourse?
Is amplexus reservatus (the “karezza method”) moral for Catholic couples? This article explores Catholic theology, magisterial teaching, and moralist debates on whether deliberately stopping short of orgasm in the marital act is a sin or permissible form of intimacy.
Defining Intimacy: Aquinas, Psychology, and the Fourfold Intimacy Model
Intimacy is often reduced to sex or feelings, but marriage demands something deeper. Drawing on Aristotle, Aquinas, and modern psychology, James Walther explains the Fourfold Intimacy Model — spiritual, intellectual, emotional, and physical — showing how true intimacy is an interpersonal state of secure vulnerability that engages the whole person.
Letter to Our Readers: Moving Forward
Thanks to your generosity, we reached our $2,500 monthly goal on August 25th—just in time to keep CatholicIntimacy.org publishing weekly articles and videos, and developing new resources for couples. With a streamlined team and a fresh Squarespace site, our focus is on sustaining $2,500 each month so creation can continue without interruption. Every prayer, share, and donation—whether $10/month or a one-time gift—helps lay the foundation for a Catholic renewal in marital intimacy.
Urgent Appeal
CatholicIntimacy.org is in urgent need of support.
After moving to a new website platform on June 1, 2025, our SEO rankings collapsed cutting off nearly all new client inquiries and slashing daily visitors. For two months, expenses have been covered entirely by Megan’s therapy income, but we can’t sustain that.
We believe this ministry is worth saving which is why we formed the Apostolate for Marital Intimacy as a nonprofit. By August 25, 2025, our third anniversary, we must raise $2,500 to keep serving couples and the Church.
Can Catholic Spouses Read Smut?
The effects of pornography linger long after exposure ends, even when addiction is overcome. For Catholic couples, this presents profound challenges in approaching marital intimacy while healing from these wounds. This article thoughtfully examines the question "Can Catholic spouses be each other's porn?"
Is Foreplay Sinful if the Husband Struggles with Premature Ejaculation?
An all too common issue plaguing many husbands – and one that we have discussed many times on this site – is premature ejaculation. While we have addressed this issue as it relates to performing the marital act itself, we wanted to address a moral dilemma about premature ejaculation that can easily come up in the area of marital foreplay which precedes the marital act. And that is, to what extent does the condition of premature ejaculation impact which acts of foreplay, if any, can licitly be done to lead up to the marital act?
Advice for a Reader on Contraception
A Catholic husband shares the struggle of embracing the Church’s teaching on contraception while his wife does not share the same conviction. After years of using contraception, he chose to follow Catholic teaching without first discussing it with her, leading to hurt and strain in their intimacy. This exchange explores the need for open communication, prayer, and patient love while seeking unity in faith and marriage.
Guiding Your Teen with Confidence: Using Catholic Intimacy Materials with Teens and Young Adults
When a Catholic mom asked whether our Sex Ed for Married Catholics (SEMC) course could be shared with her teen, we realized that other parents may be asking the same question. This article offers Catholic parents clear guidance on when and how to use our materials with teens and young adults. We discuss recommended ages, suggested approaches for using the content, necessary cautions, and alternative resources better suited for younger audiences.
Making Love for the First Time: A Catholic Couple’s Guide
Whether you’re preparing for your honeymoon or looking to refresh your marital intimacy, this guide is for you. Many Catholic couples enter marriage with excitement, love, and a deep desire to share their bodies with one another—but also with uncertainty about how to prepare for sex. It doesn’t need to be that way.
The Marital Act as a Human Act
This lesson introduces moral theology in the context of marital intimacy, exploring St. Thomas Aquinas' distinction between human acts and acts of man. It covers the eight stages of a human act, the three moral elements (object, intention, and circumstances), and how ignorance and fear affect moral responsibility. Learners will gain a theological framework for ensuring intimacy aligns with God’s plan, fostering virtue, love, and unity in marriage.
Overcoming Sexual Performance Anxiety
Sexual performance anxiety is a common but often misunderstood issue that affects both men and women. It can emerge at any age, regardless of relationship length or past sexual experience. Even couples who have enjoyed a satisfying sexual life for years may suddenly find themselves struggling with feelings of pressure, self-doubt, or fear related to intimacy.
Should I Give Up Sex For Lent?
When I hear the question “Should I give up sex for Lent?” my immediate response is, “Probably not.” Lent is a season for deep prayer and reflection, but when it comes to marriage, decisions about intimacy should always be made together and with an understanding of the consequences.
Is This a Sex Toy or a Sex Tool?
Sexual devices often carry a stigma as mere “toys” designed solely for pleasure. However, a growing body of expert opinion is reframing the conversation—suggesting that many of these products function more as essential “tools” for overcoming sexual challenges rather than indulgent extras. For example, Dr. Lauren Streicher has introduced the concept of “vibrator therapy” for women who struggle to reach orgasm, emphasizing that a vibrator is not just about intensifying pleasure but about making orgasm possible.
Strengthening Catholic Marriages: Why Catholic Intimacy Should Be Part of Your Ministry
In our modern world, couples are facing incredible challenges when it comes to building and maintaining strong, faith-filled marriages. As Catholic clergy—bishops, priests, and deacons—you are often the first point of contact for couples who are seeking guidance in their relationships. Your mission to help them cultivate healthy, holy marriages is crucial. Yet, let’s be honest—addressing certain sensitive topics, especially around intimacy and marital love, can sometimes be daunting or difficult to navigate. As a former seminarian, I understand the limited focus of clerical moral theology formation to be in preparation for the confessional, not to explain to couples how to address morally common issues such as vaginismus, low-libido, erectile dysfunction, or premature ejaculation.
Stress-Free Saint Valentine’s Day: Rekindling Marital Intimacy Without the Pressure
Valentine’s Day often conjures images of red roses, heart-shaped chocolates, and candlelit dinners. But beneath the surface of this hyper-commercialized celebration lies the story of Saint Valentine, a martyr whose life was marked by sacrifice and love. As modern society pushes us to equate love with extravagant gifts and grand gestures, many couples find themselves burdened by unrealistic expectations that can strain rather than strengthen their marriages.
Understanding and Addressing Erectile Dysfunction
Erectile dysfunction (ED) refers to the consistent inability to achieve or maintain an erection sufficient for sexual activity. While occasional difficulty is normal and often tied to stress or fatigue, persistent issues may signal underlying physical, emotional, or relational concerns. For married couples, ED can affect not only physical intimacy but also emotional closeness and the overall harmony of the marital relationship. Recognizing and addressing ED in a compassionate, faith-centered way is key to restoring intimacy and strengthening the unity between spouses.
The Harmful Relational Effects of Withholding Sex in Marriage
In coaching, it’s not uncommon to hear a spouse (often the wife) say, “I won’t be intimate until we emotionally connect,” or “I don’t feel close enough for sex.” While emotional connection is crucial in marriage, using sex as leverage can be profoundly damaging. This article explores the positive role of marital intimacy, the risks of withholding it, and how couples can break harmful patterns to restore their relationship within Catholic values.
Understanding Kinks, Fetishes, and Paraphilic Disorders: A Guide for Catholic Married Couples
Catholic married couples are called to embrace intimacy as a sacred bond that deepens their union and reflects God’s life-giving love. Within this beautiful and unique space, questions about expressions of sexuality often arise. Exploring topics like kink, fetish, and paraphilic disorder through a Catholic lens can help couples understand their place within God’s design for marital intimacy. In this post, we’ll define these terms, provide examples, and consider how they align (or don’t align) with Catholic teaching.
Faith and Love: Strengthening Catholic Marriages in Military Life
The Catholic Military Ordinariate of Australia has officially recognized Catholic Intimacy as a valuable resource, marking a significant step in our shared mission to support Catholic couples in fostering faith-centered marriages—particularly within the unique challenges of military life.