The Catholic Truth Society has published a book that includes a prayer to be recited before sex.
According to the Society's website, the 64-page "Prayer Book for Spouses" offers "couples a ready, thorough and reliable support to the daily challenges and joys of married life. Drawing on Scripture, Catholic teaching and spirituality and the Marriage Rite itself, this prayer book encourages the loving and spiritual dimension essential to the life of Christian spouses.”
While known for its stern and sometimes contradictory strictures on sexual behavior--including a preference for “caution before coiton” over birth control--this is the first time a church representative has suggested adding a ceremonial component to the act.
The prayer*
"Father, send your Holy Spirit into our hearts. Place within us love that truly gives, tenderness that
truly unites, self-offering that tells the truth and does not deceive, forgiveness that truly receives, loving
physical union that welcomes. Open our hearts to you, to each other and to the goodness of your will.
Cover our poverty in the richness of your mercy and forgiveness. Clothe us in our true dignity and take to
yourself our shared aspirations, for your glory, for ever and ever. Mary, our Mother, intercede for us. Amen."
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*Source: The Independent
Comments
I've got the all-purpose pre-sex prayer!
"Dear God:
Please let the kids stay asleep. Please keep the cats out. Please remind ___ that my orgasm matters, too. Please don't remind me of my excess pounds right in the middle of - well, you know. Please let it stay up. And when it's all over, please help me get ____'s name right this time. Amen."
The author has some very misguided ideas about Catholicism and Sex. First the Catholic Truth society is in no way an arm of the institution of the Church, it is a lay organization. Second the Church has always taught that the Marital Act is a Union of Man and Woman in such a way that it is a renewal of Marriage Vows which were a pledge of union to each other in the love of Christ. It is the concept that there are three persons in a Marriage, man woman, and God. So the procreative act is in essence a communion with God as much as it is with each other. It is a participation in the creative nature of God. Third the Church teaches that one should not seperated the procreative and unitative acts in sex. If one only offers the unitative aspect to their spouse they are not giving of their full selves. If you offer not only the unitative nature but also your fertility you give your whole self and make yourself vulnurable to your spouse. Anything less does not let you give all the love you can
so therefore the Church doesn't allow birth control because it denys the openness that is supposed to exist in the marital act. This however does not mean one will or should have 20 kids or for that matter even 4. It means that a couple needs to understand their own fertility and be open to life. IE Natural Family Planning. NFP is aprox 99.7 percent effective when used corectly every time. Birth Control is aprox 99.7 percent effective when used corectly everytime. Effectiveness is not the reason people who use NFP usually have more kids rather it is because those who use NFP are often more likely to already want alot of kids. I know people and know of people who use NFP and have 2 kids, I also have met people who use it and have 7 kids and are open to more. NFP means self control, and understanding natural fertility cycles (IT IS NOT THE RYTHEM METHOD, WHICH DOES NOT WORK!). Anyways the WHO regards Birth Control as a level one Carcinagin.
For the Church it is about being open to God.
This article says a lot about Rick Marianetti journalism skills, or lack thereof.
Hint;
next time research the facts direct from the source before putting your name to an article, lest you look like an idiot.
Dear Mr. MacMillan
From the "Catholic Truth Society":
"Our service to the Church has long been recognised by the Holy See and the Vatican, particularly our service in publishing (and in the past translating) Church documents into English. In 1964, Pope Paul VI granted the title "Publishers to the Holy See" to the CTS.
"The Second Vatican Council and post-conciliar period provided an opportunity for the CTS to publish the many documents relating to the renewal of the Church and her message to the world. The prodigious teaching output by John Paul II was covered by CTS over the years and made available to Catholics in the pew, and this work now continues with his successor, Benedict XVI."
Please refer to www.cts-online.org.uk/acatalog/about.html for more information.
Thank you for expressing your concerns, but I'm afraid you may have confused my article with ideas expressed by other readers.
r.m.
Dear Mr Marianetti,
I do not know why you have given me such information on the CTS, interesting as it is, it has nothing to do with my comment.
What I want you to clarify is, what is it that you find contradictory, and is it so that "-this is the first time a church representative has suggested adding a ceremonial component to the act"? Also, can you clarify your comment on Birth control?
You practically tell us nothing. Just confusion.
Lain
The info CTS was in response to Mitch's comment, "...the Catholic Truth society is in no way an arm of the institution of the Church." I should have made that clear.
Re: Birth control, I was simply restating (maybe unnecessarily) the obvious.
The other issues refer to my personal experiences with the Church, which I may address another time, but are beyond the scope of the article.
r.m.
LOL! What will the faith-based folks think of next? I do have one suggestion. The following would be a much better pre-intercourse prayer ...
Dearest Jesus, Father God, and Blessed Holy Ghost,
As you, in your infinite wisdom already know, the two of us, who are now kneeling in prayer, on the opposite sides of our marital bed, wearing flannel pajamas, are about to engage in a most holy reproductive union. Before we begin this most sacred act, we both vow and affirm each and every one of the following points:
1) We are legally married and wearing our wedding rings.
2) Our marriage took place in a Catholic Church and was officiated and blessed by a properly credentialed Catholic Priest.
3) We will use no condoms, birth control pills, diaphragm, or any other birth control device during our planned holy reproductive union.
4) The sole purpose of the union in which we are about to engage is procreation.
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