Must a TUR patient abstain from sex?

[rcwhiteh]

My father had a trans-urethral resection (TUR), a surgical procedure for treating prostatitis. A side effect of TUR is mechanical sterility, as the patient ejaculates into the bladder at orgasm.

Since the Church teaches that:

• All marital sex must be open to conception; and
• A husband must never ejaculate outside of his wife’s vagina

does this mean that a TUR patient must refrain from sex (since he is mechanically sterile and cannot ejaculate into his wife’s vagina)?

On the other hand, could such a patient be considered free of such restrictions (owing to his condition), and as such be free to enjoy oral sex to orgasm?

(This question is of special interest to me, as my father’s condition may be congenital.)

On the female side, a couple we know is mechanically sterile (due to blocked Fallopian tubes) and is considering in-vitro fertilization using her husband’s sperm. Since the Church teaches that he must not ejaculate outside of her, can he receive a dispensation to allow collection of the sperm by masturbation?

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Dear Robert,

In this case, the man’s intention is not to contracept. He may be intellectually open to conception even though it is physically impossible. There is no problem here with regard to his having sexual relations with his wife.

As to invitro fertilization, the Church does not allow conception to be taken outside of the context of the conjugal act.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.