Must married couples abstain from sex during Lent?

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“Do not deprive each other, except perhaps by mutual consent for a time, to be free for prayer, but then return to one another, so that Satan may not tempt you through your lack of self-control.”

Lent is a time for prayer. I can’t see abstaining from sex as contradicting the Bible at all, provided that both parties agree.
 
…I think dh would keel over!!!😃 We are trying to have another blessing sooooooooo…Its off to “work” we go!! heehee!😛
 
wynd said:
“Do not deprive each other, except perhaps by mutual consent for a time, to be free for prayer, but then return to one another, so that Satan may not tempt you through your lack of self-control.”

Lent is a time for prayer. I can’t see abstaining from sex as contradicting the Bible at all, provided that both parties agree.
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Right, but Lent is 40 days long. If I wanted to go 40 days without sex, I’d still be single.

By the way, am I imagining this, or wasn’t this the premise of a comedy movie a couple of years ago?
 
If that was true we might see a drop of, hmmm, december birthdays, and a slighter one Nov and Jan.
 
Good grief you people talk like six weeks is an unbearable cross?! Haven’t you folks ever had children? Isn’t that a six-week fast?
 
I feel bad for my DH but after having both of my kids, I was scared off of “him” for quite a while. I had lots of very very unpleasant stitches and things though.:o
 
They have to abstain from sex in the Orthodox Church any time it is a time of abstinence. Maybe that person was confusing Catholic and Orthodox. Someone on another forum I am on mentioned that in the Orthodox Church they have to. Or at least used to have to.
 
Black_Jaque said:
Good grief you people talk like six weeks is an unbearable cross?! Haven’t you folks ever had children? Isn’t that a six-week fast?
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I assume it changes once you’ve tried it… What do I know anyway. 😉
 
there has been a pious tradition—at one time canonically required, at least of clerics—for husband and wife to abstain from conjugal relations during some or all of Great Lent. This is premised upon the belief not that sex is bad (as the French Orthodox layman Paul Evdokimov once put it, “Under the grace of the sacrament, the sexual life is lived without causing the slightest decline of the inner life”), but precisely that it is good to freely, joyfully give up such a good thing for a greater good and larger share in the joy God wants to bestow.
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From here.

Look up items on Great Lent and you will find this mentioned on some of the sites.
 
Gamera said:
Right, but Lent is 40 days long. If I wanted to go 40 days without sex, I’d still be single.

By the way, am I imagining this, or wasn’t this the premise of a comedy movie a couple of years ago?
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I would love to know what the movie is that you say
 
The movie is called “40 days and 40 nights”. I have seen it, but cannot reccommend it for anything more than casual amusement for well formed Catholic adults. It involves a young, single man who has just broken up with a girlfriend making a Lenten sacrifice of all sex (including with himself). It has a lot of sexual scenes, including full nuditiy at one point. I don’t remember this part, but www.crosswalk.com says "Matt’s brother falls into temptation with a nun after listening to Matt’s confessions " (Matt is the main character and his brother is preparing to be a priest).

MJ
 
Gwyn said:
Seeing this topic made me chuckle since every year I kid DH that I am giving up sex for lent and he always says you are not me. 😃
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I sent hubby a note saying I was giving up ABSTAINING for lent!:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:
 
According to Church Law (Canon Law 1251) abstinence from meat is not to be observed if a Solemnity falls on a Friday.Abstinence and Fasting are to be observed on only on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday(Canon 1251).However,every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent are penitential days and times in the Universal Church.During the Penitential days Catholics are called to to fast and abstain,daily prayers and to perform works of charity(Canon 1249).The Church only mentions abstinence from meat but the Episcopal Conference in any country can determine abstinence from other forms of food.Abstinence goes beyond food and drinks.It can also be abstinence from sex.There are a number of behaviors that counts when you you talk about abstinence.It implies a voluntary self-denial of food, drink and sex.How many of you have given up certain types of food and drinks for your physical health yet we are not ready to abstain for only 40 days from sex for our spiritual health.They are many benefits if we can abstain this Lenten season.This will renew are marriage committment as we all renew our baptismal promises on Easter.God bless you all.👍 😦
 
I (only kidding) mentioned that to my husband last night. You should’ve seen his face :bigyikes:

Take Care! 👍
 
I just wanted to add that indeed, there was a time in the Middle Ages where most clerks required couples to abstain from sex on precise days: Lent, and even outside Lent, on Sundays’Eve, Fridays’Eve and any night before an important religious feast. Obviously this was dictated by a view on sex very far from JPII’s Theology of the Body,…🤷
 
Ndulaga said:
According to Church Law (Canon Law 1251) abstinence from meat is not to be observed if a Solemnity falls on a Friday.Abstinence and Fasting are to be observed on only on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday(Canon 1251).However,every Friday of the whole year and the season of Lent are penitential days and times in the Universal Church.During the Penitential days Catholics are called to to fast and abstain,daily prayers and to perform works of charity(Canon 1249).The Church only mentions abstinence from meat but the Episcopal Conference in any country can determine abstinence from other forms of food.Abstinence goes beyond food and drinks.It can also be abstinence from sex.There are a number of behaviors that counts when you you talk about abstinence.It implies a voluntary self-denial of food, drink and sex.How many of you have given up certain types of food and drinks for your physical health yet we are not ready to abstain for only 40 days from sex for our spiritual health.They are many benefits if we can abstain this Lenten season.This will renew are marriage committment as we all renew our baptismal promises on Easter.God bless you all.👍 😦
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Abstinence from sex demonstrates a lack of charity. The CCC says that acceptance of new children is very charitable. I recommend additional sex during lent - for those who wish to do the most charitable thing of all - bring new life into the world.
 
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