Hi,

I thought that during one of the masses on ASh Wednesday the priest said that sex was not permitted during the Holy Season of Lent. Did I hear this wrong or is this one of the rules of lent? Thanks for your help, Jenny

-- Jenny (eikerjenny@yahoo.com), February 10, 2005

Answers

You heard wrong......as long as you are married in the Catholic Church, Jenny.

-- - (David@excite.com), February 10, 2005.

Perhaps you misunderstood the word "abstinence". We don't eat meat on Ash Wednesday or the Wednesdays or Fridays of Lent. That is talking about meat, not sex.

During the Medieval period, though, it was common to abstain from sex during both Advent and Lent.

-- Michael (edwardsronning@prodigy.net), February 10, 2005.

Well, it's possible to abstain from both meat and sex on Fridays during Lent.

-- (...@...), February 12, 2005.

Yeah it’s POSSIBLE to abstain from sexual intercourse at any time. But the Church does not place any restrictions on when or how often spouses may have intercourse with each other. IF a Catholic wanted to choose to abstain from intercourse on certain days as a form of self-denial, he could do this only by mutual agreement with his spouse.

-- Steve (55555@aol.com), February 12, 2005.

One could love Lent. Like all lovable things,Lent is meant to be enjoyed rather than to be endured. The purpose of Lent is to confront us with ourselves in a way that is conscious and purposeful, enabling us to deal with the rest of life well. Lent is not a “penitential season.” It is a growing season. It requires us to determine what is worth dying for in our own lives, and what may be necessary for us to become, if we really want to live. Lent is not event. It is not something that happens to us. Having sex between wife and husband is sacred at any time or any time of the season.

We will not be ashamed or afraid of the body and its power of sexuality. For too long there has been a separation of the soul and body (due mainly to the belief that the soul is able to get closer to God than the body which many Christians believe to be corrupted by sin). Sex should be enjoyed and embraced as a gift from God. It is not to be despised or used as a weapon of control. The penis is able to bring life and as such it should be used in a responsible way. Love-making should be seen as an art. John

-- JOHN JOSEPH (johnrathina@yahoo.ca), February 13, 2005.

in 1 cor... i think.. it says someting along the lines of... do not denigh your body to your wife/husband unless it is my mutial agree ment to grow closer to god

and thats what a teenage xtian thinks....

kt

XxX

-- katie (jc_died_4_me@thoamil.com), February 16, 2005.

John Joseph, I agree with everything you wrote EXCEPT --- that Lent is "not a penitential season." Indeed it is. It is not JUST a penitential season, it is much more besides, but it IS a penitential season, and we are called to do penance duirng it, according to the Church.

-- Ida Izrahi (IdanIzzy@netscape.net), February 22, 2005.