Abstaining

[HSMomof3]

I wanted my dh to read something (NOT written/stated by me) about abstaining from “marital relations” and on which days/times of the liturgical year. (Doesn’t help that he is Methodist and not well-versed in these things )
Please enlighten those who may be questioning this.

Many thanks!

 

[1ke]

H(name removed by moderator)of3:

I wanted my dh to read something (NOT written/stated by me) about abstaining from “marital relations” and on which days/times of the liturgical year. (Doesn’t help that he is Methodist and not well-versed in these things )
Please enlighten those who may be questioning this.

Many thanks!

I don’t think I understand your question. The Church does not have any writings on this that I know of. There are no prohibitions on when a couple may have relations. One might voluntarily abstain for a period of time – mutually agreed upon-- for various reasons but the Church never requires it.

 

[NWUArmyROTC]

Not super knowledgable, but I thought that Ash Wednesday and Good Friday as “days of fasting and abstinence” also meant abstinence from marital relations? That is what I assumed.

 

[theMutant]

NWUArmyROTC:

Not super knowledgable, but I thought that Ash Wednesday and Good Friday as “days of fasting and abstinence” also meant abstinence from marital relations? That is what I assumed.

Nope. You could choose to abstain from marital relations on those days but there is no requirement to do so. Otherwise, Catholics would probably have been a LOT grumpier in the past when abstinence was required on every weekday (Mon-Sat) during Lent! (as well as on Ember Days and the vigils of certain holy days like Christmas.)

If you feel that engaging in marital relations on that day would somehow prevent you from appreciating the historical/spiritual emphasis of those days, then you might want to discuss it with your spouse on those lines but there is no requirement from the Church on this.

 

[JimG]

I’m not sure, but I’ve heard that married priests in the Eastern Catholic Rites must abstain from marital relations the day before celebrating the Eucharist; and that’s why it’s not customary to have daily Mass in those rites.

JimG

 

[gomer_tree]

JimG:

I’m not sure, but I’ve heard that married priests in the Eastern Catholic Rites must abstain from marital relations the day before celebrating the Eucharist; and that’s why it’s not customary to have daily Mass in those rites.

JimG

I had heard that also, but I don’t think that is required anymore (at least in the Latin Rite). We have Priests now that have a dispensation, and I think I’ve heard that it is not required.

I certainly hope marital relations are not forbidden on particular feast days. I have never confessed to such an action, and I could virtually guarantee that I would have tripped up on that at some point…