The Catholic teaching as I understand it is that sex is reserved for marriage and has two components which must both be present - that it is for the purpose of coming together as man and wife, and that one must not obstruct the gift of life from God if He choses to give you a child.

I am wondering if someone familiar with the specifics can tell me (and I'm not asking whether the teachings make sense or are practical or not - I just want to know really what the church teaches), what about a hysterectomy? If a woman has a true need to have a hysterectomy it certainly does obstruct future pregnancy, but if medically necessary, is it acceptable, or does the faithful woman just die from bleeding to death, or ovarian cancer or whatever her issue is?

Also, can a man obtain a vasectomy? I assume this is the same as other forms of birth control.

And what about birth control used to manage a medical condition such as polycystic ovaries - in otherwords, if a substance has an affect of impeding pregnancy, but is used for a different medical purpose that is medically necessary, is it OK?

What about an ectopic pregnancy, where the child is growing outside the uterus - untreated, it will likely kill the mother. Is it a sin to terminate that pregnancy?

And finally, if a couple is infertile, where do they stand with the church - is it enough that they have sex for purely the purpose of coming together, with no chance of children resulting?

And what of church teaching that marriage is for the purpose of procreation - if a couple are beyond menopause, or one or the other know they are infertile, are they wrong to marry and have a sexual relationship?"

My experience is that the "standings/teachings" vary from diocese to diocese - and more and more Priests say that these decisions are a matter of conscience, not doctrine.

If medical intervention is necessary FOR HEALTH REASONS there is no problem having the procedure and continuing to have a sexual relationship. I am referencing your hysterectomy question. Likewise, I am told that birth control for another reason is acceptable - for example, to CONTROL a medical problem. No, the Church doesn't stand there and allow a "faithful" woman to bleed to death.

Intercourse is not just for the purpose of precreation. Therefore, certainly infertile people (for whatever reason or other) are "allowed" to marry.

I'm sure people who paid better attention than I did will be along to answer and probably argue.

The official teaching is found in the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Here are two citations about contraception:

2370 Periodic continence, that is, the methods of birth regulation based on self-observation and the use of infertile periods, is in conformity with the objective criteria of morality. These methods respect the bodies of the spouses, encourage tenderness between them, and favor the education of an authentic freedom. In contrast, "every action which, whether in anticipation of the conjugal act, or in its accomplishment, or in the development of its natural consequences, proposes, whether as an end or as a means, to render procreation impossible" is intrinsically evil:

Thus the innate language that expresses the total reciprocal self-giving of husband and wife is overlaid, through contraception, by an objectively contradictory language, namely, that of not giving oneself totally to the other. This leads not only to a positive refusal to be open to life but also to a falsification of the inner truth of conjugal love, which is called upon to give itself in personal totality.. . The difference, both anthropological and moral, between contraception and recourse to the rhythm of the cycle.. . Involves in the final analysis two irreconcilable concepts of the human person and of human sexuality.

2399 The regulation of births represents one of the aspects of responsible fatherhood and motherhood. Legitimate intentions on the part of the spouses do not justify recourse to morally unacceptable means (for example, direct sterilization or contraception).

Here is a pretty good site for searching the Catechism.

Click here for a fuller understanding about contraception, aka "birth control".

I have to appreciate the fact that the only biblical evidence given is Onan, which had nothing at all to do with procreation in general and everything to do with what is known as Levirate marriage, i.e. providing progeny for one's dead relative.

Let's be clear: biblically, the purpose of sex is NOT procreation. Its purpose is unity. This is clear from the very beginning, when Adam says in Gen 2:24, "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. (emphasis mine) Jesus repeated this principle when he was asked about divorce in Matt 19:5 and its parallels. Notice that there's nothing in either passage about procreation; it's about unity, about becoming one in marriage. So the Catholic church has it backwards: it's procreation that is the side-effect, not unity. As for contraception, yes, God gave us the ability to reproduce. He also gave us common sense. The reality is, the "rhythm method" is just as much an attempted barrier to conception as any other method; the only difference is that it doesn't use anything "artificial." But refraining from sex at certain times, even if both parties really want it, is just as artificial as any method of external origin. When a couple has the number of kids they want, common sense says to stop having kids. That comes from God, too.

I'm just sayin'.

Thank you all - RickJ, I will read the language but I have some trouble with the explanation only because it's hard to figure out what it means in every day words. I'm pretty educated, but the church has a way of putting things in some strange terminology, so plain understanding becomes obstructed. I will try to study it a bit more and come to understanding.

I live very practically and do not live the letter of my religion, but I've never known exactly what that letter is and thought I should educate myswelf.