Strengthening Catholic Marriages: Why Catholic Intimacy Should Be Part of Your Ministry

In our modern world, couples are facing incredible challenges when it comes to building and maintaining strong, faith-filled marriages. As Catholic clergy—bishops, priests, and deacons—you are often the first point of contact for couples who are seeking guidance in their relationships. Your mission to help them cultivate healthy, holy marriages is crucial. Yet, let’s be honest—addressing certain sensitive topics, especially around intimacy and marital love, can sometimes be daunting or difficult to navigate. As a former seminarian, I understand the limited focus of clerical moral theology formation to be in preparation for the confessional, not to explain to couples how to address morally common issues such as vaginismus, low-libido, erectile dysfunction, or premature ejaculation.

This is where Catholic Intimacy (catholicintimacy.com) comes in. This valuable resource, recommended by the Catholic Military Ordinariate of Australia, offers practical, faith-based advice to both engaged and married couples. Its goal is simple: to help couples bring Catholic teachings into their relationships in ways that enrich their spiritual, intellectual, emotional, and physical intimacy.

Why Catholic Intimacy is an Essential Ministry Tool

1. A Compassionate Answer to Tough Questions: Some priests and deacons have privately expressed how Catholic Intimacy has helped them address difficult questions couples bring to them, whether in confession, counseling, or everyday ministry. From addressing delicate issues about intimacy to offering advice on strengthening emotional connection, this resource provides clear, doctrinally sound, and compassionate answers that are easy to share.

2. Transforming Marriages, One Couple at a Time: This isn’t just a theoretical resource—it’s making a tangible difference in the lives of real couples. Whitney D., a Catholic wife and mother who benefited from our coaching, shared this heartfelt testimony:

   “We went from just coexisting to meeting each other again, and now we're living with a renewed sense of purpose. I used to see sex as an obligation that I had to fulfill, but now it's something that I look forward to and enjoy a lot - just like when we were newly married and without children lol.”

   Stories like these highlight the real impact this resource can have: helping couples overcome challenges and rediscover the joy, unity, and purpose of their sacramental vocation.

3. A Practical Resource for Clergy: Catholic Intimacy offers tools designed to make your ministry easier and more effective, including:

• Pre-Marriage Preparation Materials: Articles and videos to help engaged couples lay a strong, faith-filled foundation for their marriage. For example, see our Sex Ed for Married Catholics course.

• Guidance for Married Couples: Resources that deepen emotional and spiritual intimacy, help resolve conflicts, and strengthen family life, in particular our Catholic Relationship and Sex Coaching.

• Clergy Support: Clear, Church-aligned explanations on sensitive topics to help you confidently guide couples when they seek your advice. For more information, see our growing list of journal articles.

Trusted by the Catholic Military Ordinariate of Australia

Military couples, who often face unique challenges like frequent relocations, long separations, and stressful environments, have found this resource to be a lifeline for their marriages. If it can support couples in such demanding circumstances, think of the incredible impact it could have on couples in your own parish community.

How to Incorporate Catholic Intimacy into Your Ministry

Here are some ways you can use Catholic Intimacy to support the couples you serve:

• Pre-Cana Programs: Include its articles or videos in your marriage preparation classes to spark meaningful discussions.

• Marriage Enrichment Events: Share its resources during retreats or workshops to help couples reconnect and grow closer.

• Pastoral Counseling: Offer it as a resource for couples dealing with struggles in intimacy, communication, or understanding Catholic teachings about marriage.

• Referral: When appropriate, you can also direct couples to our Catholic Relationship & Sex Coaching, a personalized service that provides faith-based support tailored to their specific challenges. This coaching complements your pastoral guidance by offering practical tools and strategies to strengthen their relationship while staying rooted in Catholic values.

Strengthening Marriages to Build a Stronger Church

As clergy and religious, you understand that the health of marriages plays a vital role in the strength of the Church. By equipping couples with tools to build joyful, faith-filled relationships, you’re helping them live out their vocation in a way that reflects Christ’s love for the Church. Catholic Intimacy is here to support you in that mission. Together, let’s nurture holy, thriving marriages that shine as a testament to God’s love—one couple at a time.