1. Chapter 4

4. Catholics believe that marriage comes as a gift from the hand of God. The Catholic vision of marriage is rooted in Sacred Scripture and is expressed in the teachings and practices of the Church. It has these main elements… Marriage unites a couple in faithful and mutual love Marriage opens a couple to giving life Marriage is a way to respond to God’s call to holiness Marriage calls the couple to be a sign of Christ’s love in the world

6. Ugly statistics… The National Post reports that 25% of girls 15-25 years old have HPV. Transmission is not prevented by condoms. In the first 5,000 years of civilization, fewer than 20 Sexually Transmitted Infections became common. In the last 40 years the number of common STIs has skyrocketed to over 60. In the 1960s, one in 50 teens had a STI. Today it’s over 1 in 4. Teenage girls who have sex are twice as likely to commit suicide as girls who practice abstinence. Teenage boys who have sex are seven times more likely to commit suicide than boys who are sexually abstinent. Girls who have abortions are six times more likely to commit suicide than those who don't.

9. The U.S. Catholic bishops note the following common misconceptions regarding the principles and practice of Natural Family Planning… Myth #1 NFP is based on guesswork: it’s what people used before modern science developed contraception. Myth #2 NFP can be used only by women with regular cycles. Myth #3 NFP is too complicated to be used by most people. Myth #4 NFP is not a reliable method of family planning. Myth # 5 There is no difference between NFP and contraception. Myth #6 NFP does not allow for sexual spontaneity. Myth #7 Couples who use NFP have sex less often than couples who use contraception. Myth #8 The Catholic Church wants people to have as many babies as possible. Myth #9 The Catholic Church does not want married couples to have sex just for pleasure.

11. Covenant Love vs. Convenient Love Covenant LoveConvenient Love RationalIrrational Thought–basedFelling–based Goal: JoyGoal: Happiness Goal: Pleasure of anotherGoal: Self–pleasure Sex as an expression of loveSex as an act of passion Love as choiceLove as feeling UnconditionalConditional Controversy processedControversy avoided Divorce is not an optionDivorce is an option Marriage is a living promiseMarriage is a piece of paper Love is what we doLove is what we do … until something better comes along You/usMe ForeverFor as long as it feels good SecureInsecure

13. Homosexual acts are simulations of sexual intercourse, for these acts cannot involve the complementarity of male/female sexual union. And these simulated acts are thus infertile, with true union of the generative elements rendered impossible by such activities within the same gender. Same Sex Marriage: When Two Can Never Be One Frank J. Morriss, J.D.