After Menopause

[thomasf]

So the church’s teaching is that sexual relations between husband and wife must be open to creating new life. What about after menopause? After that, a woman cannot have children. Does the church’s teaching about open to creating new life apply? Or can a married couple post-menopause have sexual relations that don’t end up with ejaculation within the vagina?

What about with women on their periods? There’s a small chance of creating new life then. Next to none. Does the marital act have to end that way as well?

Just curious.

 

[Truly_Beloved]

So the church’s teaching is that sexual relations between husband and wife must be open to creating new life. What about after menopause? After that, a woman cannot have children. Does the church’s teaching about open to creating new life apply? Or can a married couple post-menopause have sexual relations that don’t end up with ejaculation within the vagina?

What about with women on their periods? There’s a small chance of creating new life then. Next to none. Does the marital act have to end that way as well?

Just curious.

Yes, each act must be open to life, not necessarily fertile. Otherwise, couples with unexplained infertility couldn’t have sex, right? And we know that isn’t so (all infertile couples I know are VERY open to life, despite a physical malady preventing conception and/or implantation).

Couples who are post menopausal must still be open to life (by not altering the sex act). Remember that Sarah and Abraham conceived in old age, as did Elizabeth, Our Lady’s cousin.

The Church’s teaching on being open to life always applies.

No couple - menstruating or not, post menopausal or pre menopausal, infertile or fertile - can intentionally have relations that end in a man’s seed being in any other place other than the vagina.

This is my understanding of Church teaching, and I can try to dig up Catechism references and such, if you’d like.

I’m sure others will respond, as well, and more eloquently than I did.

 

[Convert_in_99]

Its plain and simple…

Ejaculation of the husband must always occur vaginally. He may never have an orgasm or ejaculate outside his wife’s vagina.

The wife may have an orgasm within the context of the act of vaginal sexual intercourse (directly before in foreplay, during the act itself, or directly after the ejaculation of the husband inside her vagina.) She may not experience an orgasm, without her husband ejaculating inside of her vagina either directly before, simultaneously with, or directly after her orgasm.

Post-menopause, during the menses (period), or for infertile couples, there is no sin in engaging in the marital act, as long as the above-mentioned criteria are met. The act must always be open to conception mentally and spiritually, even if it is seemingly physically impossible for conception to occur.

That is it.

 

[Truly_Beloved]

That is it.

See? Didn’t I say that someone else would better explain it than I did? Thanks, Convert!

 

[thistle]

So the church’s teaching is that sexual relations between husband and wife must be open to creating new life. What about after menopause? After that, a woman cannot have children. Does the church’s teaching about open to creating new life apply? Or can a married couple post-menopause have sexual relations that don’t end up with ejaculation within the vagina?

What about with women on their periods? There’s a small chance of creating new life then. Next to none. Does the marital act have to end that way as well?

Just curious.

How about Elizabeth the mother of John the Baptist and Sarah the wife Abraham? They were both old women long past menopause. Open to life! Nothing is impossible for God.

 

[1ke]

So the church’s teaching is that sexual relations between husband and wife must be open to creating new life. What about after menopause? After that, a woman cannot have children. Does the church’s teaching about open to creating new life apply?

Every unaltered act of intercourse between husband and wife is both unitive and procreative. Therefore, there is no issue with sexual intercourse after menopause. Neither the husband nor the wife has done anything to alter the act. It is objectively procreative, and subjectively infertile.

Or can a married couple post-menopause have sexual relations that don’t end up with ejaculation within the vagina?

No. This is always gravely disordered.

What about with women on their periods? There’s a small chance of creating new life then. Next to none.

There is no prohibition regarding intercourse during this time.

These days are considered fertile days, but yes you could have intercourse on one of these days if you chose to.

Does the marital act have to end that way as well?

Every act of intercourse between spouses must be a fully completed act. Anything else is a gravely disordered act and a violation of the Sixth Commandment.

 

[puzzleannie]

we discuss this unwarranted intrustion into the sex lives of old folks like me at least once a month, you are right on schedule. here is the lates 3 page thread
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=155261&highlight=menopause