Topic 1 - Relationships And Families

Question 1

Catholics teach sex should be….

Answer 1

Marital
Unitive
Procreative

Question 2

What is meant by the term ‘marital’

Answer 2

Sex and love is a gift from God

The ultimate commitment

Question 3

What is meant by the term ‘unitive’

Answer 3

Sex deepens the love.
The couple become closer and more committed
They give themselves to each other.

Question 4

What is meant by the term ‘procreative’

Answer 4

God creates new life through sex

There is more intensity in self- giving when open to new life.

Question 5

Quote to support Marital sex

Answer 5

“The sexual act outside marriage is a grave sin”

- ccc

Question 6

Quote to support procreative sex

Answer 6

“Be fruitful and multiply”

- Genesis 1:27-28

Question 7

Quote to support unative sex

Answer 7

“The two shall become one flesh”

- Mark 10:6-9

Question 8

What is the catholic teaching about sex before marriage

Answer 8

Sex before marriage (especially casual sex) trivialises the act
If both parties are virgins, the gift of virginity in marriage makes both feel more special and loved

Question 9

What is meant by this quote:
“God created humans in his image, male and female.”
-Genesis 1:27

Answer 9

Human life is most important to God

Men and women are equal in the eyes of God and are complementary to eachother

Question 10

Pope John Paul II: theology of the body

What are the views of Marital sex

Answer 10

Unites the couple in self-giving and love
Bonds the couple
Shows commitment, love
Gives the possibility of new life

Question 11

Pope John Paul II: theology of the body

What are the views of Extramarital sex

Answer 11

Exploits the other person for personal pleasure
Can lead to seeing others as sex objects – rather than individuals with dignity and value
Can make people selfish …
Adultery breaks the marriage vows

Question 12

What are the important teachings about Catholic Marriage

‘Think spel’

Answer 12

S acrament (God is part of the marriage) 
P ermanent (it is life-long)
E xclusive (faithfulness is very important) 
L ife-giving (it should be pro-creative)

Question 13

Catholic marriage vows

Answer 13

To have and to hold from this day forwards 
For better for worse
For richer for poorer
In sickness and in health
To love and to cherish 
Until death do us part

Question 14

Adultery – Catholic views

Answer 14

• It breaks the marriage vows (have and to hold….love
and cherish)
• Betrays trust - causes hurt
• Brings distress to whole family
• Can cause the break-up of the marriage (insecure for children)
• Jesus says adultery is wrong

Question 15

Contrasting views about adultry

Answer 15

personal happiness is more important…? Perhaps the couple made a serious mistake by getting married?

Question 16

Catholic teachings on homosexuality:

Answer 16

• It is not a sin to have homosexual feelings
• Homosexual sex is considered wrong because it is not pro-
creative

Question 17

Catholic church and same sex marriage

Answer 17

• Same-sex marriage is legal in the UK
• But the Catholic Church teach that it is not (sacramentally) marital (Adam and Eve) nor properly unitive nor procreative.
• Therefore Catholic Church will not marry same sex couples nor will the Church of England.

Question 18

What is divorce

Answer 18

Divorce: the legal ending of a marriage

Question 19

Whay can’t couples get divorced in the catholic church

Answer 19

God is part of the marriage

Catholic marriage is ‘till death do us part’

Question 20

Catholic ideas of remarriage

Answer 20

• Catholics cannot re-marry in a Catholic Church unless the original partner has died
• A re-married Catholic cannot therefore receive Holy Communion

Question 21

What makes a catholic marriage valid?

Answer 21

Must be consummated
Both parties must give consent and be free to marry
They must be married of their own free will
Must be willing to accept children
The five vows must be said infront of a priest
Must not be closely related

Question 22

What is annulment

Answer 22

Catholics can receive a statement that their (Catholic) marriage was invalid

Question 23

Acceptable reasons to get annulled

Answer 23

• One/both was forced to marry
• One/both never intended to have a child
• The marriage was not consummated
• One/both never intended to remain faithful
• Lies/concealment
• Incest
• Couldn’t give consent (not understanding the vows)

Question 24

Church of England views on divorce …

Answer 24

• Divorce IS accepted and recognised because sometimes it is human nature that vows cannot be kept
• Re-marriage is seen as a sign of God’s forgiveness and willingness to give a new start

Question 25

What can catholics do to avoid breaking up

Answer 25

1. Attend marriage preparation classes

2. Seek marriage counselling

Question 26

What is cohabitation

Answer 26

Cohabitation: living together as a couple without making a formal commitment

Question 27

Why is the Catholic Church against cohabitation?

Answer 27

• There is no commitment within the sexual union
• This can create insecurity … and reduce the need
for faithfulness

Question 28

What are catholic attitudes to contraception?

Answer 28

All artificial contraception is wrong ….
• It contradicts God’s command to ‘be fruitful and multiply’….
• ….It contradicts the two purposes of sex - to be unitive and to procreate

Question 29

What are Christian (not catholic) attitudes ro contraception

Answer 29

• Artificial contraception is acceptable because..
• It is responsible to only have the number of children you can care for
• God created sex for uniting couples as well as for pro-creating

Question 30

What type of contraception are all christians against

Answer 30

All Christians are against the morning-after pill

Question 31

What is natrual family planning (NFP)

Answer 31

• The Catholic Church does allow Natural Family Planning
• … where couples do NOT have sex when the woman is at the most fertile time of the month
• Catholics agree that couples should only have the number of children they can care for
• The possibility of pregnancy remains - if this is what God plans

Question 32

What is meant by ‘the church in minature’

Answer 32

Nuclear family is ideal, e.g. married mother, father and child who live together

Question 33

What are the catholic teachings about families other than a Nuclear family

Answer 33

• Other types of family are not encouraged
• Having a mother and father is more balanced
• Children with same-sex parents may be harmed by prejudice and intolerance

Question 34

What are contrasting views to the catholic church on families

Answer 34

• A quarter of children in Britain have single parents …
• There is growing acceptance of same-sex parenting (20,000 children)
• Love and stability matters most

Question 35

Four main responsibilities of parents:

Answer 35

1. To pro-create
2. To give children security
3. To educate children
4. To be the authority

Question 36

Roles/responsibilities within the family:

Answer 36

• Children should obey their parents
• Parents should show love and kindness to children
• Parents should bring up children in the Christian faith
• Husbands should love their wives so much they are
prepared to die for them

Question 37

Gender roles in the Church

Answer 37

Traditionally, Catholics saw the mother’s role as looking after home and children – today considered very dignified
Traditionally, father’s role was to protect and provide financially for the family
Today, most Catholics see men and women as equally important – bringing different qualities
Today, many mothers work full or part time to provide for the family
Gender equality means that sometimes roles are switched

Question 38

Quote supporting gender equality

Answer 38

“God created humans in his own image, male and female he created them both”
(Genesis 1:27)
“There is neither male nor female…for you are all one in Christ Jesus”
(St Paul)

Question 39

Whay are there only male priests?

Answer 39

• In the Old Testament men were seen as superior to women…

* The 12 apostles were male and early Church leaders were men

Question 40

How was jesus radical for his time

In therms of gender equality

Answer 40

• Jesus was radical – he treated women as equal to men. For example:
• Mary Magdalene had the task of announcing the resurrection to Jesus’ male followers
• Mary, Jesus mother, is shown as the perfect disciple

Question 41

Catholic teaching on gender equality

Answer 41

“Each of the two sexes has equal dignity, though in a different way”
~ ccc

Meaning….men and women are equal but have different roles

Question 42

What roles can women undertake in the church

Answer 42

• Motherhood
• Holy Communion/Confirmation classes
• Retreat days
• Can become a nun
• Can be a Eucharistic minister
• Can be a missionary
• Be in a caring profession, e.g. doctor
• Support charities (e.g. CAFOD, SVP)

Question 43

Contrasting views on female priests.

Answer 43

• Christian group the Salvation Army have had women priests since 1865
• The Church of England has allowed women priests since 1994 and women bishops since 2014

Question 44

Pope francis on the gender wage gap:

Answer 44

“Why should women earn less than men for doing the same job? It is a scandal!’

Question 45

What does the catholic church teach about gender discrimination

Answer 45

Catholic Church teaches that gender discrimination is wrong because it devalues a person and society