• Starting today August 7th, 2024, in order to post in the Married Couples, Courting Couples, or Singles forums, you will not be allowed to post if you have your Marital status designated as private. Announcements will be made in the respective forums as well but please note that if yours is currently listed as Private, you will need to submit a ticket in the Support Area to have yours changed.

  • CF has always been a site that welcomes people from different backgrounds and beliefs to participate in discussion and even debate. That is the nature of its ministry. In view of recent events emotions are running very high. We need to remind people of some basic principles in debating on this site. We need to be civil when we express differences in opinion. No personal attacks. Avoid you, your statements. Don't characterize an entire political party with comparisons to Fascism or Communism or other extreme movements that committed atrocities. CF is not the place for broad brush or blanket statements about groups and political parties. Put the broad brushes and blankets away when you come to CF, better yet, put them in the incinerator. Debate had no place for them. We need to remember that people that commit acts of violence represent themselves or a small extreme faction.

What to Do When Catholic Teaching Brings Marital Tension

Michie

Well-Known Member
Site Supporter
Feb 5, 2002
185,199
67,895
Woods
✟6,131,075.00
Country
United States
Gender
Female
Faith
Catholic
Marital Status
Married
Politics
US-Others
DIFFICULT MORAL QUESTIONS: How can my spouse and I deal properly with the challenges we face practicing NFP?

Q. We are a Catholic couple married for more than 10 years, practicing natural family planning for health reasons without using contraception. My husband’s frustration with our abstinence periods has led to marital tension and his occasional use of porn, and he has grown resentful of the “Catholic rules” about sexual pleasure and marital intercourse. Though he still agrees with avoiding contraception, he believes mutual manual stimulation during abstinence is legitimate if the purpose of the acts is to foster intimacy between us and make the whole home and family more harmonious. I struggle to find clear guidance in the Catechism on this issue and feel compelled to comply to preserve our marriage and reduce his temptation, despite concerns about its morality. — Anonymous Catholic Woman



A. I admire your faithfulness in following the Church’s teaching for the past 16 years. I also admire your solicitude in seeking advice on a very sensitive topic.

Continued below.