My latest book is now available in Kindle format: The Catholic Marriage Bed: Revised Edition [Nov. 2019]. The print edition should be available sometime next week, hopefully.

This book addresses a single question in ethics: Which sexual acts are moral between a husband and wife?

The question is answered by considering the teachings of Saints Jerome, Augustine, Aquinas, Liguori, and Pope Saint John Paul II, as well as the teachings of Sacred Scripture and the Roman Catholic Magisterium. The opinions of present-day priests and theologians are reviewed, and arguments on both sides are examined and explained.

This book should not be controversial. It merely presents the view of marital sexual ethics traditionally held in the Catholic Church. The conclusions of the book are well-supported by magisterial teachings, biblical teachings, and the theology of Saints and Doctors of the Church. Many orthodox theologians, past and present, have taught this same understanding. And in light of the most recent teachings of the Magisterium, no other conclusion is possible. The only moral sexual act is natural marital relations open to life, for that act alone is inherently marital, unitive, and procreative.

Request to faithful Catholics

In the past, some of my books have been subjected to bad reviews by persons who have not read the book they are reviewing. I anticipate that this book will receive many negative reviews from non-readers, who simply do not like the very premise of the book, that some sexual acts are immoral, even in marriage.

To counter reviews by persons who have not read the book, if you decide to give the book a read, and only if you have read it, please consider giving the book a brief fair review over at Amazon.

To read the Kindle versions of my books, without a Kindle device, get the free cloud reader — or — any of the free Kindle reading apps.

Discussion

I will be holding an extended discussion of the book here on my blog. To participate, it would be best if you have read at least some of the book. I realize that not every Catholic agrees with the position of this book, but it is an important subject in ethics. Married couples need to know which acts are gravely immoral and which are moral within the Sacrament of holy Matrimony.

Now consider that we have many married deacons in the Church today, and some married priests. Pope Francis might increase the number of married men who become ordained as priests. It would be very harmful to the Church if these married clerics were committing grave sexual sins in their marriages, and then on Sunday they preach a sermon and dispense holy Communion.

And what kind of advice, especially on sexual matters, will a priest give in the Confessional, if his own married life is not chaste and pure? How many priests and deacons will oppose homosexual sins and same-sex marriage, if they are committing the similar gravely immoral sexual acts in their own marriages?

by
Ronald L. Conte Jr.
Roman Catholic theologian and translator of the Catholic Public Domain Version of the Bible.

Please take a look at this list of my books and booklets, and see if any topic interests you.