Sexuality | Catholic Central

What's the deal with all of the Catholic rules on Sexuality? Is the Church trying to repress Catholics, or are there other reasons behind what Catholics believe?
In this episode, Kai and Libby explore the whys behind the Catholic Church's seemingly unnatural and outdated teachings on sex.
From Family Theater Productions in Hollywood.
Visit our website for the transcript, study guide, and more! - www.catholiccentral.com
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[@raven8514]

yall are healing my religious trauma like its nothing 💀

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Thanks, Perlah Farah, we are glad we could help.

[@dafina944]

fr fr

[@markmisiak4713]

St.JP2's Theology of the Body is an amazing resource on this stuff, good luck with growing your channel!

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Mark Misiak thanks! Yes, we love the TOB!

[@trishayooo]

This channel is very informative, thank u Catholic Central!

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Our pleasure!

[@musicsavantaccountant5856]

This video is wonderful, informative, and amazing. Thank you very much. 😊😊😊😊

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

You are welcome!

[@mcxlii]

i love how you said "and being able to produce korean pop music" because a few days ago me and my friends had a conversation about what differs animals form humans and we mentioned kpop LOL

[@marypatalano6079]

GREAT VEDEO!! THANK YOU!!! LOVED IT!!!! IT IS SO TRUE!!!!

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We are glad you liked it! If you have not already done so, please subscribe to our channel.

[@Star10864]

You guys are the best! My son and I LOVE your videos. And it makes my job of explaining things so.much.easier. THANK YOU!

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

We are glad we can help!

[@curtpiazza1688]

Excellent treatment of this topic!

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Thank you Curt!

[@PeterShieldsukcatstripey]

divine love through human love. that is beautiful

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Thank you, we would like to take credit for it, but it is the teaching of the Church.

[@JacobSnell1998]

I take issue with this because to accept this would be to deny my individual human experience. I am about to begin Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) to treat gender dysphoria. I was born male, but I now am going to live as a transgender female. The teaching of the Catholic Church condemns me for my so-called "lifestyle" and sees it as an assault and affront on human nature and a rejection of and offence against God. But I spent years of my life as a faithful Catholic. I prayed the Rosary, heard Mass, and received Holy Communion daily as well. I went to Confession anytime I was in sin. I was an altar server and sought to go to seminary to become a priest with either the Institute of Christ the King, Sovereign Priest (ICRSS) or the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (SSPX). But to continue to live as a man is something that would be truly unbearable for me. I would probably commit suicide if I had to continue to live in this body. Transitioning is not a choice nor was it something I can choose to not do as if it is a vice or sin I must avoid. It is not something that feels good but is wrong. It cannot be compared to a desire to lie, or murder, or get tattoos, or have sex outside of marriage. The Catholic Church condemns these things too. But they are things people may want to do but can choose to not do and will not suffer by not doing them. But I have a medical diagnosis. Transition could potentially save my life. I have known since I was 3 years old that I wanted to be a girl. I knew as I went through puberty that I should have been born a woman. Church teaching says I cannot marry my boyfriend because I am not nor will I ever be chromosomally female. Therefore I can never have sex with him in a way that could ever be pure or holy in the eyes of the Catholic Church. It does not matter how much or how unconditionally I love him, how much I desire to spend the rest of my life with him until my dying breath, or how much I hope to have children with him and raise a family with him. In the eyes of the Roman Church, unless I remain miserable in my body and live with internal torment one could never imagine, I will be forever and outsider, a sinner, a deviant, and in a state of grave sin that will after death sentence me to eternal perdition in the never ending flames of hell.

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Hello Jacob. Please remember that you are a beloved child of God, “beautiful in his sight.” Please stay close to the words of the Gospel words and the example of Jesus Christ. He is the embodiment of God’s mercy and he welcomed all people in the complexities of their lives. Strive to love. It is not up to us to decide how we will be judged by God, but to trust in God with his infinite mercy.

[@JacobSnell1998]

@@CatholicCentralVideos Thank you. That gives me hope for a future to be accepted for the person I am by Church.

[@arianachickenjoy2689]

Jacob S Personally, I believe if you follow the two most important commandments: 1.) Love your neighbor as yourself 2.) Love the lord your God above all that you will go to heaven. I have nothing against the LGBT+ community, I respect them wholeheartedly. I think, based on ur comment itself, that you are a good person. People in the world shouldn’t judge you for that. Only God can judge you, and the God I know is one who is loving and kind and merciful. So don’t punish urself for being who you are. Be Jesus’ disciple, even if people persecute you for trying. Jesus lived humbly even if there were those who hated him. I think you’re really strong to continue your beliefs even what people say. Anyway, keep pushing, know that God loves you :) -fellow young catholic

[@JacobSnell1998]

@@arianachickenjoy2689 That was one of the most heartfelt things someone has said to me in quite some time. I have assurance you are one the path to heaven for the love in your heart. Saint Catherine of Siena says to "Be brave in Christ crucified" that is my calling that is what I must do. Please pray for me and I promise I will pray for you. - a struggling child of God doing their best

[@arianachickenjoy2689]

Jacob S You got it! Sending my prayers, remember God loves you no matter what ANYONE SAYS :)

[@cinthiaykelly]

Thank you for these great videos 😀

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Glad you like them!

[@onyinyechukwu2008]

2:56 got me rolling on the floor🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

We had fun filming it as well!

[@PeterShieldsukcatstripey]

Body and spirit union

[@adventureinallthings]

Genuine question that has always confused me and nobody has ever been able to answer for me from a Christian perspective. I don’t want to offend but I may kind of have to ask the question in a somewhat basic way (hopefully not rude) as it is necessary to ask it in this way because it gets to the heart of the matter. It concerns what exactly is the difference between sexual love and lust. Not in the very broad manner usually explained by Christian priests and pastors but in the actual mechanics. Christians will describe Christian love making as the sexual drive used within a marriage between a man and a woman blessed by God, and lust is described as the sexual drive used outside of that context. There is usually also a lot of commentary about how those warm gentle, and let us be honest here ( and I’m not criticizing them, I’m a big fan ) ‘fuzzy’ feelings that emerge from a close relationship between a man and woman in marriage. Now here is the crux of the matter and this is where basic language is required, a penis was never ever made hard by warm gentle and fuzzy feelings, rushing pumping blood creates that bulge , deep meek and mild prayer does not lead to a state of triumphant tumescence but deep chest thumping desire does, that is a fact that no honest or sane man can deny. Babies are not made with chaste kisses; they are made with hot blood and sweat. It’s well established particularly for couples together a long time and sometimes even for those together not so long, that those warm gentle and fuzzy feeling can actually sometimes get in the way of a successful launch happening and bringing thoughts of Jesus in such a scenario is most unlikely to turn that frown upside down if you catch my meaning, in fact it is likely to make things worse. When Christens say there is no place for lust in marriage I am left genuinely scratching my head because the necessary feelings that occur in the mind and body of a Christian married man ( in the moment ) with his wife and his single sinful lustful counterpart having non married sex are indistinguishable. Calling one thing ‘a righteous loving sex drive ‘ and the other ‘lust’ from the pure mechanical ‘in the moment’ perspective reminds me of the line from Shakespeare “ that a rose by any other name is still a rose “. This is not an argument against Christ being the third person in a marriage, but let us be honest I’m sure most Christians and particularly men don’t engage in this red bloodied act with thoughts of Jesus in their mind. I’m sure if they think of him at all at that time they choose to think of him looking away for a time, after all, how many people like the idea of Jesus watching over them in that moment ? Really? Perhaps I’m wrong and maybe somebody can explain it (celibate priests are probably not best placed to answer this one unless they have lived other lives at some point), but it seems to me that terms such as ‘loving sex drive ‘etc are merely euphemisms for what is really meant (lust given its license) in marriage. I realise many Christians will have objections to such an idea because of the powerful resonance and constant use of the word in scripture and church teaching, however , given what I have said about chest thumping pumping blood etc, am I mistaken about that ‘rose’ comment. ? Genuine Question, no offence offered.

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Wow, that is certainly a lot to digest, but let's see if we can do it justice (and no offense taken). There is definitely a difference between "lust" and "love" from a Catholic perspective. When we lust after a person, we see them solely as objects for our own gratification and, in doing so, fail to see the humanity in that person. When we love someone, we are loving the whole package; body, mind and soul. In a lot of relationships, you start with that "burning love" where you feel that nothing can quench it - and that is very important in newer relationships as it gives us our sexual drive and helps us to keep the relationship moving. But as we go along, that burning love becomes more of a smoldering fire - still warm and good, but with a different energy than you had in the beginning. There is nothing wrong with either one, it is just the evolution of your relationship. But do not mistake that early, burning love as lust - it is just the beginning of a relationship that lasts for the rest of your life. Lust is something completely different. Please see our episode on the "7 Deadly Sins" where we talk about lust. We hope that helps.

[@phdmarcus7125]

Jonathan O Mahony, seems like you’re saying sexual desire is lust no matter what, married or unmarried. Check out their episode What Is Love? “Catholics don’t think erotic love is sinful, they think it’s holy and a good thing.” And how about the bible’s Song of Songs for “deep chest-thumping desire” and “rushing pumping blood” between bride and bridegroom? It would only be lust if one of them was exploiting the other. And then the Jesus skit on the couch ... doesn’t look like they’re saying you have to have “thoughts of Jesus” to make a romantic night romantic. You’re cool. Jonathan, no worries.

[@sitka49]

I do also find it ironic that it's also taught that you should treat anyone of the opposite sex as your brother or sister ( or is it another metaphor?) before marriage - which seems a bit counter intuitive and after marriage you and your spouse are to have hot catholic sex and have 10 kids (which will throw water on that hot catholic sex , ) .And back in the 7th and 8th centuries the church had a lot to say about the sex lives married catholics - Married people were confronted with a bewildering array of teachings and prohibitions controlling and restricting marital sexuality. First and foremost was the notion that sexual intercourse rendered the participants unclean. As a result, the Church tried to restrict when, where, and how married people could have sex. Intricate regulations prohibited sex during the holy seasons of Advent, Lent, and Whitsuntide; on Sundays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays; and on other holy days. Intercourse was also forbidden during menstruation, pregnancy, and lactation. Moreover, newlyweds were expected to wait three nights to consummate their union and couples who had sexual relations were advised not to receive communion the next day.

[@sitka49]

@@CatholicCentralVideos I hate to tell you this but the first time i seen my now wife from a distance it wasn't more then .02 of a second that the thought went through my head that " I would really like to see her naked". And bet Im not the only man that thought that . What is old saying - a man looks for sex and he finds love, a woman looks for love and she finds sex.

[@adventureinallthings]

@@sitka49 yes I'm 100% sure , just about every man that ever married initially looked on his wife with lust because he did not know anything about her to begin with before that first look and related ' imagination ' , nobody ever seems to address this.

[@larrycrofttt]

I have a question.. maybe you could do a video on it? Homosexuality and the catholicism. Im confused about it. Is it okay to be LGBTQ+ and catholic?

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Hi Simply Milko. We have gotten this question, and others like it, quite a bit. Yes, there is nothing wrong with being LGBTQ+ and Catholic. It might be good to find a parish in your area that is supportive of you and the LGBT community. You can Google "LGBT friendly parishes" to find links to find a parish in your area.

[@larrycrofttt]

@@CatholicCentralVideosthank you!!

[@DanielMemeSmith]

@@CatholicCentralVideos heresy! Not so catholic of you.

[@Hat-Kid]

@@DanielMemeSmith I know you commented this a few months ago but nowhere in the bible did it state that being LGBTQ was wrong. it might have pointed out Homosexuality but that's it, no other mentions of it. Asexuality is never mentioned, nor is pansexual, nor is quite literally any other letter of LGBTQ. so explain why you think so, I'm curious.

[@DanielMemeSmith]

@@Hat-Kid every time i reply to you i get my comment deleted. can i contact you another way?

[@dumblumpia]

what if your dating someone and you're committed to them, is it a mortal sin to have sex before marry them or a venial sin?

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Hi dumblumpia, thank you for the good question. As we point out in this episode, sexuality is a wonderful gift from God that is meant to be enjoyed by two people as an expression of the love one has for the other. As such, it is not a gift that is meant to be used frivolously or without any emotional commitment to the other. Sex is not meant to be given away and used solely for the gratification of one person. It also must be a gift that is enjoyed without coercion, where one of the partners forces the other to participate, either by action or words. That is no longer love, but control. Sexual unity, sexual love, must be something that happens only when both are truly committed to the relationship and both want this to happen. If a person is being pressured into having sex, it becomes less about the sex act being a mortal or venial sin and more about one part of the couple exerting their power over the other. That is not love and it is never a reason to have sex. As for it being a venial or mortal sin, only you can answer that question. The teaching of the Catholic Church is that a mortal sin is one that turns you completely away from God - it “…destroys the charity in the heart of man by a grave violation of God’s law.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 1855) A venial sin “allows charity to subsist, even though it offends and wounds it.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church paragraph 1855). A venial sin, then, is one where you do not turn completely away from God, but still commit an act that goes against his desires for us. As we said, we cannot tell you on which side of the equation your question lies. And again, if someone is pressuring you into having sex, it certainly is not a “committed relationship.” In a relationship of true and mutual commitment, sexual intimacy will happen only when both of you are ready for it to happen.

[@corporal747]

@@CatholicCentralVideos that's quite concerning that you have not enforced the catholic churches teaching that sex is reserved for marriage.. Sex before marriage is sin. The church's teaching is clear on that CCC2353. It is NOT up to anyone to decide what is mortal and what is venial. The church's teaching is absolutely crystal clear on what is mortal and veinal. It's very very dangerous to ones soul to give such incorrect advice.

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Our assumption is that our viewers have watched the episode and understand our positions as stated by Kai and Libby, who DO explain the Church's teaching on sex and marriage (see our earlier reply to you on this page). You are right quote CCC2353, but bear in mind the prior text at CCC2352 advising that we “must take into account the affective immaturity, force of acquired habit, conditions of anxiety, or other psychological or social factors that may lessen or even extenuate moral culpability.” Consider too the Pope’s comment at a recent press conference that sex outside marriage (including LGBT relationships) is a sin, though not as serious a sin as “pride and hatred.” But please understand that in our individual comments we are speaking to a general audience of both Catholics and non-Catholics. We are more concerned with explaining the WHY behind Church teaching, as well as sharing the "sensus fidelium," or sense of the faithful, that has been a pastoral fixture of the Church for centuries. Our goal is to speak so that non-Catholics can understand more easily and ex-Catholics can perhaps hear in a new way. In our response to dumblumpia, for example, we didn’t know if he or she was a baptized or lapsed or practicing Catholic, or not, so we were trying to explain things in the most general and inclusive way that we could. Here we are following St. Paul’s example in 1 Cor 3:2: “I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it.”

[@marivictabal9194]

Nice thoughts

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Thanks!

[@sxlio_ex2646]

I was born catholic and am chatholic but litterly didnt know what it ment

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

We hope our videos help.

[@BlindBiker3]

⛪️

[@Tobstarrilez]

So my love for my partner can satisfy basically all these conditions, but just cause we happen to be the same sex the catholic church de-values our relationship and teaches it is false love... interesting.

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

First and foremost, the Church is not teaching that yours is a “false love.” The love that you feel for your partner is very real. We read in Scripture that “God is love” (1 Jn 4:7) and when it comes to loving, Jesus is to be our model: “God's love was revealed in this way: he sent his only Son to the world that we might have life through him.” (1 Jn 4:9) Jesus' love is a total giving of self, a sacrificial giving of himself for the good of the other. Where it gets tricky is in the expression of that love. The teaching of the Church, and this does not only apply to LGBT couples but to any couple, is that any relationship must be open to the possibility of creating new life. This is a very broad statement, to be sure, but it is also a throwback to the pre-Vatican II teaching that sex had one purpose and that was to create babies. The Church has since come around to the idea that sex is a wonderful expression of love between two people, BUT still holds to the idea of creating new life. This not only applies to the LGBT community within the Catholic Church but to all married couples in their observance of both the bonding and reproductive purposes of human sexuality. We, as a society, put too much emphasis on the genital aspect of love when there is so much more to it than that and in practicing a beautiful, self-giving and self-sacrificing love, we are never far from Christ.

[@Tobstarrilez]

@@CatholicCentralVideos Thanks for the reply. Although I don’t know if you are missing some aspects of the church’s attitude or I’ve just had a bad experience. As far as I understand even celibate same sex couples are still prohibited by the catholic church - which I find odd, if they church does indeed recognise our love as “true” in the sense you imply. In this same sense, as I understand, the church prohibits the romantic expression of same sex couples, e.g. kissing, hugging, holding hands etc. If God is indeed love, and the problem comes with the sexual interactions not having the possibility to yield new life, why is this also prohibited?

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

@Tobstarrilez Thank you for your reply. This is indeed a hard topic, since the line has been so blurred by people on both sides. You will find a lot of Catholic churches where gay couples are welcomed. In those Masses, at the "Sign of Peace", it is not unusual to see those couples hug and kiss. Quite often, the prohibition of such signs of love between two members of the same sex within the Mass are more the policy of the individual pastor or bishop than it is the Church in general. We would urge you to look at a ministry such as New Ways Ministry to find an LGBT friendly parish in your area and speak to some of the people there.

[@dancemomsedits7531]

@@CatholicCentralVideos a lot of people say that LGBTQ+ people will go to he!! Is that true? My mom is a catechist and when I asked her she just said that god is the only person that can decide if you go to he!! or not, but I have LGBTQ+ friends so idk if she just said that so I wouldn’t worry about my friends or not. And if my friends and I are going to he!! for being who we are and being happy then oh well.

[@faith7044]

@@dancemomsedits7531 any un-repented soul goes to hell. Any one who doesn’t believe in Jesus or follow Him will go to hell. Which is why it’s our job to lead others to Christ!

[@rodzwrld]

I think as as long as the person truly is a follower christ, it doesn't matter if your gay, bisexual, trans, pan, I don't care. But who knows.

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Hi AROD247YT, thanks for your question. You are not wrong, we think the most succinct way to state the Church's position right now is that all of us are called to authentic love in the model of Jesus Christ.

[@rachelpops9239]

These titles gay, straight, etc are oppressive themselves and are leading us into confusion and conflict. I agreed what matters is following Christ but that means us all unified in the Church Christ established through the apostles. Christ highlights the beauty of man and woman coming together as one flesh as the true way. We are all wounded in the area of sex and sexuality and its a real health crisis for our bodies and minds. I don't judge you. I love you. God bless!

[@melbourneentoma3663]

❤️❤️

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Thank you Melbourne.

[@nothingnothing7621]

1:53

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Is there a problem at 1:53?

[@nothingnothing7621]

@@CatholicCentralVideos no i just put it their to remember

[@yasminsparks1012]

4:30 had me rolling 🤣🤣

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

We aim to entertain!

[@rachelpops9239]

That was great! "Oh I love this part!"

[@inspektorsx683]

I'm catholic and a virgin, unfortunately in this world we live currently being a male virgin is a shame. Women didn't have any problem with this. I don't know how much longer I'll can control my sexual impulses, I'm about to explode and do some kind of shit. Pretty hard to find a decent woman nowdays and hadling this feeling of inferiority is really heavy. I hope god have compassion for my soul.

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Hi Wellington, this is certainly a tough subject. Please know that you are not alone in feeling frustrated and tempted, and yours is not an easy temptation to get beyond. Please also know that while we agree with your assessment that it is harder for a man than a woman, we must say that it is hard for women as well. We admire your resolve and pray that you find that special person and, when you do, we promise it will be worth the wait. Your first line of defense and offense is prayer. Remember that God is with you on your journey and will always help you carry whatever crosses are given you to bear. Recognize as well that the devil knows this is a weakness and will do anything he can to make you give in to these impulses. If you do, then he wins. The shaming and pressure you feel about your virginity often comes from people who regret what they themselves did and who just want company in their misery … and to convince themselves that they "couldn’t help it”. In addition to prayer, we suggest looking for a good male friend, someone who understands where you’re coming from and can provide support: a relative, friend, priest, religious brother, deacon (and if he’s a married deacon he can advise you both on faith and on finding that “decent woman” to be your lucky bride.) A solid Catholic men’s group, whether in-person or online, would also provide an excellent resource for you. Your ongoing lifestyle (like everybody else's!) should ideally include a daily regimen of physical exercise and diversions (both mental and physical), volunteering, or hobbies you always wanted to pursue but never got around to doing. In the meantime there are Catholic Dating sites you can try. We would also suggest watching “The Dating Project” (thedatingprojectmovie.com), a fascinating documentary produced by our parent company. You might really enjoy trying their “Dating Assignment,” as explained and demonstrated in the film. And don’t neglect to check out our own Catholic Central episode, “Catholic Dating.” Hope this has been helpful, Wellington. Kudos for your openness and for courageously living our faith.

[@corporal747]

Not once did you mention the fact that Sex as a member of the catholic church is reserved for a married couple and only between a woman and a man. I wasn't so concerned till i scrolled through the comments to see you are actually preaching falsehoods . Shocking and distressing

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

HI corporal747, this is incorrect, since Libby refers explicitly to the marital context: "And sex was created so that spouses could actually enjoy the activity needed to further our species as freely, totally, faithfully and fruitfully as God loves us." Please view our episode on Marriage for a broader discussion of that sacrament.

[@benorzell9485]

Bruh

[@caster2534]

I was born and raised catholic and I don’t know what the hell yall are talking about. It’s very confusing and hard to follow the logic.

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

caster2534 we’re sorry you feel that way. Is there something specific that you find confusing? Basically, it all boils down to respecting yourself and others as images of God.

[@caster2534]

The last part of your reply made much more sense to me than the whole video. But I have found that an ethical life can be lived without reference to the church or the supernatural.

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

caster2534 glad that’s a little clearer, although that last line was a line directly from the video. We do hope you have a very happy life!

[@hectordanielsanchezcobo7713]

I found it completely clear tho

[@amandad4811]

I find that sex, even inside of marriage, is the most disgusting and degrading act that someone could ever put themselves through.

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Hello Amanda. Servant of God Dorothy Day said that sexual intercourse seen from a “moon view” - that is, seen from the outside in terms of physical mechanics alone - can indeed seem strange, odd and off-putting. She compared it with the mechanics of eating where you gnash a foreign substance in your mouth till it turns into an ugly, gooey mush and then swallow it. Her point is that the moon views of copulation and ingestion are blind to the beautiful, nourishing, life-giving gifts that God intends both of them to be. Sex in the moon view can indeed be “disgusting and degrading,” and we do understand that there are many people in this world who experience sex as you do. It is generally believed that upbringing and trauma have a lot to do with a negative response to sex, although there may be physical reasons as well, and in other cases inborn predispositions. There is no shaming involved in a lack of sexual pleasure. But for all who seek it there remains the potential, in the right context, of a joyous experience of God’s love in the sexual union of two people joined body and soul. We might suggest you have a look at Pope Saint John Paul II’s “Theology of the Body” and see if this sheds any further light. God bless!

[@AngelBien]

Wow, who hurt you?

[@smmaistheway]

get help

[@joehogan629]

Kai's hot

[@blodgettshouseofinsanity]

Yes indeed

[@AngelBien]

0:34 is that a dude? Lol

[@RockDocNeal]

This ridiculously oppressive philosophy, full of shaming and meaningless restrictions, is one of the many, many reasons why I've been an agnostic (a "recovered" Catholic) for decades.

[@blodgettshouseofinsanity]

Terence McKenna used to say he was a recovering Catholic haha. I’m a Catholic who struggles with teachings of the church, especially sex and sexuality. And especially being I’m a gay man.

[@RockDocNeal]

@@blodgettshouseofinsanity I'm with you, Anthony. The Catholic has this chronic, ingrained repressive philosophy toward sex, love, the human body and free expression, which may partially come from the gospels, or least how the "wise elders" interpreted them (I am certainly no expert!), but some of it seems to have come from incremental doctrines imposed by the same "wise elders" (aka groups of frustrated celibate old men) over the last several hundred years. Let's recap..."Don't touch yourself"!, "Don't you dare have an iota of just for that drop dead gorgeous person"!, "Just missionary position, you plebeians, and don't even think about anal or oral sex because it's 'selfish' and an affront to the temple of your body", "Do Not even consider contraception because you must ALWAYS be open to 'producing life' with no regard to your financial status or overpopulation", "Always maintain your chastity while single, even if you are in a loving and respectful long term relationship" and "You are not allowed to be with the person you truly love unless they fit into our narrow parameters"! Apparently, I'm still kinda pissed off because I wrote way more than I intended! 😆

[@CatholicCentralVideos]

Hi Neal and Anthony, thanks to both of you for your comments. Neal we are sorry you feel that the Church is shaming and full of meaningless restrictions. Please know that shaming is by no means a part of official Church doctrine, but we understand there is no shortage of clergy and laity that use the Church as their bully pulpit just as they use their position at work or even at their dinner tables to spew prejudice. Again, this is not doctrine, it is prejudice. We are called to love every individual human being and to recognize that we are all made in the image and likeness of God. As for Church doctrine, there is no distinction made in the teaching on sexuality between LGBT persons and everyone else. The act of sexual intimacy between any two people is seen by the Church as the result of the great love each member of the couple has for the other. The product of that love is hoped to be children, since sexual intimacy is what brings forth new life. Currently there are many people within the Church who feel that LGBT relationships can bring about new life through adoption, and this would obviously call for a change in Church practice. The fact is that the Church has historically been open to change, a process identified almost two centuries ago by St John Henry Newman as the “development of doctrine,” in which teachings become more nuanced over the centuries while still remaining consistent with earlier understandings. In support of this process the Church is tasked, among other things, with listening to the “sensus fidelium,” the sense of the faithful. The Church is currently engaged in this with its “Synodal Process” by asking people how they feel about their faith and where the Church should be going. And right now, a statistically significant percentage of the faithful in the United States and elsewhere are calling for the Church to change its position regarding members of the LGBT community and the nature of their relationships. Only time will tell where the Spirit is guiding us. As we wait in prayer, we encourage LBGT Catholics to seek out parishes where they can feel at home. Googling “LGBT Friendly Catholic Parishes” would be a place to start. For others like Neal who are completely alienated from the Church, we apologize on behalf of our brothers and sisters in faith who may have failed you in understanding and honest dialogue. Obviously, we at Catholic Central still experience the Church as a place of transformational encounter with Jesus Christ, but we’re not blind to the fact that many of the Church’s ideals often seem unreachable. Sometimes they can even feel like part of the cross Jesus asks us to pick up if we wish to follow him. To some degree we are all joined in struggle on that path, a path of crazy paradox that with God’s grace can still somehow lead to freedom and fullness of life.