33 min listen
For Nolan | ACW130
ratings:
Length:
44 minutes
Released:
Jun 28, 2021
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
Are wet dreams sinful? Are there any exceptions in which getting a vasectomy would be permitted?
Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II’s beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.
Want to support the Theology of the Body Institute and have a better chance of us answering your question? Join our Patron Community (https://tobpatron.com)!
Patron Question:
I submitted a question to you a few weeks ago but I HAD to thank you for recommending John Paul IIs "Jewelers Shop." It has changed me, maybe forever. Utterly. Also, your beautiful words regarding Elisabeth Leseur: I was aware of her but it was wonderful to hear. She is one of my “special saints.” Finally, I'm doing a doctorate on spirituality, embodiment, and dementia. I see so much in Theology of the Body that relates. Maybe I can someday work with you on issues related to aging. It’s a challenging field, dementia and TOB. God bless! I Adore you both!
Question 2:
Christopher, how would you approach the topic of wet dreams? To me they seem involuntary or uncontrolled, and the sometimes very lustful content of them shocks me. Since I don't masturbate or watch porn anymore, and desire to live chastely. I have them about once a week, and when I wake up, I'm usually a little bit confused about my body and my mind.
Qestion 3:
I just listened to Matt Fradd's latest interview with you and found it beautiful. I'm a father of four who's just coming up on forty this year and was really struck by your reflections on parenting, growing older, and God's Grace throughout it all. My wife and I both really enjoyed it.
Speaking of my wife, we have been married for almost twelve years and have four beautiful children. We met in church and were, right out of the gate, practitioners of and advocates for the Theology of the Body and Natural Family Planning. Yet now, I find myself waiting for a urologist consultation to get a vasectomy.
I'm in a position where it is unsafe for my wife to become pregnant. In fact, my doctor said he normally dissuades young men from getting them but is making an exception because of my wife's situation.
Being married for over a decade and being around other long-lasting marriages has revealed a lot of otherwise conservative Catholic couples with lots of kids who use contraception. I cannot see any demonstrable reason why it's bad, in an otherwise healthy marriage, unlike abuses like porn or alcohol addiction.
So, between our medical situation and my lived experience, I'm struggling. I understand there's Natural Family Planning, but we’ve experienced two surprise pregnancies and we honestly view it now with suspicion.
That's where I'm at. I've talked to priests about this and other strong Catholics. Their advice always is, "The Church's teaching is clear but you are right to protect your wife." Again, it was a wonderful talk with Matt Fradd and I'm sure God led us to it for multiple reasons. I hope you can give me some clarity to square my conscience with Church teaching.
Submit your question at AskChristopherWest.com (http://www.askchristopherwest.com).
Resources mentioned this week:
*Our Sponsor: *We can't say enough about Rose Sweet (https://rosesweet.com) and her ministry! Be sure to learn more about her work by clicking the link.
View our COURSE SCHEDULE (https://tobinstitute.org/programs/tobi-schedule/) to register for a course, ONLINE or IN-PERSON!
If you are in financial need and honestly cannot afford a book or resource recomended on this podcast, contact: michele@tobinstitute.org
Find Christopher West on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/cwestofficial) and Instagram (http://www.instagram.com/cwestofficial).
Discover the Theology of the Body Institute (http://www.tobinstitute.org).
If you enjoy the podcast, help us out by
Ask Christopher West is a weekly podcast in which Theology of the Body Institute President Christopher West and his beloved wife Wendy share their humor and wisdom, answering questions about marriage, relationships, life, and the Catholic faith, all in light of John Paul II’s beautiful teachings on the Theology of the Body.
Want to support the Theology of the Body Institute and have a better chance of us answering your question? Join our Patron Community (https://tobpatron.com)!
Patron Question:
I submitted a question to you a few weeks ago but I HAD to thank you for recommending John Paul IIs "Jewelers Shop." It has changed me, maybe forever. Utterly. Also, your beautiful words regarding Elisabeth Leseur: I was aware of her but it was wonderful to hear. She is one of my “special saints.” Finally, I'm doing a doctorate on spirituality, embodiment, and dementia. I see so much in Theology of the Body that relates. Maybe I can someday work with you on issues related to aging. It’s a challenging field, dementia and TOB. God bless! I Adore you both!
Question 2:
Christopher, how would you approach the topic of wet dreams? To me they seem involuntary or uncontrolled, and the sometimes very lustful content of them shocks me. Since I don't masturbate or watch porn anymore, and desire to live chastely. I have them about once a week, and when I wake up, I'm usually a little bit confused about my body and my mind.
Qestion 3:
I just listened to Matt Fradd's latest interview with you and found it beautiful. I'm a father of four who's just coming up on forty this year and was really struck by your reflections on parenting, growing older, and God's Grace throughout it all. My wife and I both really enjoyed it.
Speaking of my wife, we have been married for almost twelve years and have four beautiful children. We met in church and were, right out of the gate, practitioners of and advocates for the Theology of the Body and Natural Family Planning. Yet now, I find myself waiting for a urologist consultation to get a vasectomy.
I'm in a position where it is unsafe for my wife to become pregnant. In fact, my doctor said he normally dissuades young men from getting them but is making an exception because of my wife's situation.
Being married for over a decade and being around other long-lasting marriages has revealed a lot of otherwise conservative Catholic couples with lots of kids who use contraception. I cannot see any demonstrable reason why it's bad, in an otherwise healthy marriage, unlike abuses like porn or alcohol addiction.
So, between our medical situation and my lived experience, I'm struggling. I understand there's Natural Family Planning, but we’ve experienced two surprise pregnancies and we honestly view it now with suspicion.
That's where I'm at. I've talked to priests about this and other strong Catholics. Their advice always is, "The Church's teaching is clear but you are right to protect your wife." Again, it was a wonderful talk with Matt Fradd and I'm sure God led us to it for multiple reasons. I hope you can give me some clarity to square my conscience with Church teaching.
Submit your question at AskChristopherWest.com (http://www.askchristopherwest.com).
Resources mentioned this week:
*Our Sponsor: *We can't say enough about Rose Sweet (https://rosesweet.com) and her ministry! Be sure to learn more about her work by clicking the link.
View our COURSE SCHEDULE (https://tobinstitute.org/programs/tobi-schedule/) to register for a course, ONLINE or IN-PERSON!
If you are in financial need and honestly cannot afford a book or resource recomended on this podcast, contact: michele@tobinstitute.org
Find Christopher West on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/cwestofficial) and Instagram (http://www.instagram.com/cwestofficial).
Discover the Theology of the Body Institute (http://www.tobinstitute.org).
If you enjoy the podcast, help us out by
Released:
Jun 28, 2021
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (100)
I Love the Way You Crack an Egg | ACW1: Should there be a Theology of the Body dating site? Do people in committed marriages need to understand TOB? What about people who are really struggling with life issues? Christopher and Wendy plunge into these questions and more on the first episode of the Ask Christopher West Podcast. by Ask Christopher West