Our blog

Catholic Intimacy 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.

The Apostolate for Marital Intimacy (AMI) is a Catholic nonprofit dedicated to providing faithful, clear, and uplifting resources to help couples grow in intimacy within marriage. Originally launched as Catholic Intimacy, this mission has grown from a small personal initiative into a thriving lay apostolate supported by a team of writers, coaches, and volunteers. AMI exists to support marriages through spiritual formation, practical guidance, and professional coaching all rooted in the teachings of the Church and the lived experience of Catholic married life.

This article explores a nuanced question many Catholic couples face: Is it sinful to initiate marital intimacy primarily out of desire for the pleasure it brings? Drawing from the Church’s historical teaching, theological development, and magisterial documents, we examine how Catholic thought has shifted from St. Augustine’s and St. Thomas Aquinas’ stricter views, to the modern consensus affirmed by Pius XII and the Catechism. You’ll discover why the Church warns against sex for pleasure alone, yet fully acknowledges the goodness of pleasure within marriage when it’s united to love, fidelity, and the true ends of the marital act. This piece offers clarity for couples seeking to honor both the dignity of marriage and the joy God designed for it.

Any man grounded in his masculinity and committed to creating a meaningful legacy benefits from a well-rounded perspective on his fertility—one that highlights a continuum of choices, encourages informed decision-making, and prioritizes natural, minimally invasive methods first. This approach to reproductive health embodies the core principles of Restorative Reproductive Medicine1. In recent years, men have increasingly become the focus of fertility-related interventions, with testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) and vasectomies being heavily marketed and promoted as convenient solutions to common challenges. While these approaches may offer immediate benefits or seem like straightforward answers to complex issues, men must understand the broader implications, including potential side effects and long-term consequences.

Do you have any questions for us at Catholic Intimacy? Ask them here!

In the sacred vocation of marriage, spouses are invited to grow in intimacy not only emotionally and spiritually, but also physically. Within this covenant, questions about specific sexual practices naturally arise—including those that may be considered sensitive or even taboo. Anal play is one such topic. This article aims to provide married Catholic couples with a clear, respectful, and informative guide to anal play. It is not meant to be provocative, but to foster informed dialogue between spouses and support couples striving to love one another fully, faithfully, and appropriately.

Can Catholic spouses use “dirty talk” during sex without sin? This article explores the moral theology behind vulgar language in the bedroom, drawing on Scripture, St. Thomas Aquinas, and traditional Catholic teaching. It offers guidance to married couples seeking clarity on what’s permissible in private intimacy while avoiding scrupulosity.

This article explores a rarely addressed but important moral question in Catholic marital life: whether unexpectedly interrupting the marital act, without climax or contraceptive intent, constitutes a grave sin. Drawing from traditional moral theology and sources like McHugh and Callan’s Moral Theology, it distinguishes between intrinsically evil acts (such as contraception) and morally permissible interruptions due to serious reasons. The piece aims to clarify moral principles for faithful Catholic couples navigating complex, real-life situations in marriage.

Within the sacrament of marriage, sexual intimacy is meant to be both unitive and procreative—a beautiful exchange of love that reflects the self-giving of Christ. For many couples, foreplay serves as a helpful and even necessary way to prepare for the fullness of that exchange. Among the various ways spouses can express affection and awaken desire, oral foreplay is one that often raises both interest and questions. This article offers a practical, respectful look at oral foreplay: what it is, how it can be practiced in a morally sound way, and how to navigate common challenges. Our goal is to help couples grow in both closeness and confidence while remaining faithful to the teachings of the Church.

Married love is meant to be both reverent and exhilarating. While daily life tends to settle into rhythms of routine, intimacy thrives on moments of surprise, play, and renewed presence. Sometimes, stepping out of the ordinary can reawaken desire and deepen your connection—not by chasing thrills, but by choosing beauty, privacy, and intention. If you’ve ever found yourself craving something more than the bedroom walls you’ve always known, this article is for you.

This theological reflection explores whether the Catholic concept of the marital debt—the mutual obligation spouses have to engage in the conjugal act—extends to acts of foreplay. While affirming the sacred nature and moral weight of the marital debt within sacramental marriage, the text clarifies that this obligation pertains strictly to the conjugal act (i.e., sexual intercourse) and does not include foreplay or other sexual expressions. These are considered "accessories" and not essential to the sacramental reality of the marital act. However, the article emphasizes that, while not owed in justice under the concept of the marital debt, foreplay still holds great importance for emotional intimacy and mutual sexual fulfillment. Spouses are encouraged to communicate openly and discern one another’s desires, even if those desires cannot be demanded. The piece ultimately advocates for a generous, self-giving approach to sexuality rooted in love and respect, rather than strict obligation.

Marital intimacy is a sacred space where spouses can express love not only with words but through the gift of their bodies. Within that gift, breast play often becomes a natural and meaningful form of affectionate and erotic touch. When done with attentiveness, respect, and joy, it can foster deeper connection and arousal—especially for wives, for whom the breasts are often a highly sensitive and responsive area.

“Sacred Body, Sacred Health” is a heartfelt and faith-informed exploration of sexual health by Dr. Bridget Anderson, a naturopathic doctor raised in the Catholic tradition. Rooted in Catholic values and medical compassion, the article offers a holistic and dignified perspective on sexual, hormonal, and emotional well-being. Dr. Anderson guides readers through common concerns—such as low libido, hormonal imbalances, fertility challenges, and emotional struggles—with gentleness, natural strategies, and theological integrity. Her approach affirms the sacredness of the human body and invites Catholics to reclaim their health through respectful, faith-rooted care. The piece concludes with an invitation to a free consultation, encouraging readers to take the first step toward whole-person healing.

Many Catholics struggle to understand whether sexual faults within marriage are always grave sins. Drawing from Scripture, the Catechism, and saints like St. Thomas Aquinas, this article offers a clear yet compassionate explanation: while certain acts contradict the sacred ends of marriage and are mortally sinful, others—rooted in imperfect motivations—may be venial. Understanding this distinction helps couples avoid scrupulosity and grow in authentic, grace-filled intimacy.

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? Does struggling with premature ejaculation mean that what would be morally acceptable for one couple must become illicit for another? Might it imply that struggling with premature ejaculation takes foreplay off the table entirely? What if this makes it nearly impossible to actually complete the marital act itself? These are the questions this article seeks to settle.

There’s something uniquely beautiful about stepping away from the noise of everyday life and reconnecting with your spouse under a sky full of stars. Camping offers a chance to detach from screens, responsibilities, and routine—and for many couples, that opens the door for deeper emotional and even physical intimacy. Sex while camping may not be glamorous, but it can be memorable, playful, and connective. For Catholic couples, it’s also a chance to live out the truth that intimacy doesn’t have to be confined to the familiar and comfortable. Done thoughtfully, it can be a way to celebrate your unity in a way that honors both your dignity and your setting.

A Catholic Husband’s Guide to Understanding, Compassion, and Growth For many Catholic husbands, it can be confusing and painful when their wife seems to avoid sexual intimacy. You may feel rejected, unwanted, or even tempted to withdraw in frustration. But before assuming the worst, it’s worth stepping back and asking a more loving question: What’s going on in her heart and body that I may not fully understand? The Church teaches that sexual intimacy in marriage is meant to be a renewal of vows—a mutual self-gift rooted in love. If sex has become infrequent or tense, it’s not a sign to demand more—it’s an invitation to grow in compassion and love. Let’s explore some common causes, a deeper understanding of her perspective, and practical ways to respond as a husband formed by Christ.

This theologically grounded article explores the Catholic understanding of sexual pleasure within marriage, addressing the tension between hedonism and scrupulosity. Drawing from Church teaching, the Theology of the Body, and papal insights, it argues that sexual pleasure, properly ordered, is a holy and integral part of the sacramental bond between spouses. Far from being sinful when pursued rightly, pleasure serves to deepen communion and reflect the divine purpose of marital love. The article invites married Catholics to examine their motivations with charity and reason, guiding them to integrate joy, reverence, and intentionality in their intimate lives.

“Sex on Vacation: Rekindling Intimacy and Rest” by James Walther, MA ABS, explores how married couples can use vacation as a sacred opportunity to renew physical and emotional intimacy. Blending spiritual encouragement with practical advice, the article addresses common travel-related challenges and offers intentional, grace-filled strategies for making intimacy a meaningful part of rest and reconnection.

Meet Theo McManigal, Catholic Intimacy's new Marketing Director and professional accountability partner. In this deeply personal introduction, Theo shares his 10-year struggle with pornography addiction that began at 17 and continued even during seminary formation. He opens up about the difficult decision to disclose his struggle to his fiancée one week before their wedding, and how her reaction motivated his complete recovery over 4 years ago. Now working as the Catholic Church Outreach Specialist at Covenant Eyes, Theo is passionate about helping others achieve freedom from pornography and strengthening marriages. He offers professional accountability services and shares sobering statistics about pornography's impact on marriage, including its presence in 56% of divorces and 50% of Catholic annulment cases.