Vatican Formally Affirms Sex’s Unitive Purpose in New Doctrinal Document

Overview

• The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith recognizes a unitive dimension of sexuality alongside its procreative meaning.
• The document says marital relations may occur without an immediate intent to conceive, provided they remain open to the communication of life.
• Guidance addresses three cases: infertile couples’ full marital life, sex not sought solely for procreation, and respect for natural periods of infertility.
• The teaching reiterates traditional limits by confining sex to marriage between a man and a woman, rejecting artificial contraception, and upholding monogamy.
• The text warns that unchecked sexual pursuit and denial of procreation contribute to social ills and emphasizes reciprocity and mutual belonging within marriage.