Relationships and Families

Question 1

Who does the Bible say created men and women?

Answer 1

God

Question 2

Why are men and women seen as equal in the Catholic Church?

Answer 2

Because they were created in the image of God and so are of equal importance and are designed to compliment each other.

Question 3

What was God’s plan for Adam and Eve in terms of procreation?

Answer 3

To ‘be fruitful and multiply’

Question 4

How does the Catholic Church view sex?

Answer 4

Exclusively marital (for marriage) as its unitive (joining people together) and procreative (open to creating new life).

Question 5

What was Pope John Paul II’s Theology of the Body?

Answer 5

A series of talks and a summary of traditional Catholic teaching about the human body and sexual relationships.

Question 6

What did Pope John Paul II say in his Theology of the Body?

Answer 6

• God loves every person and created both sexes to have dignity and value.
• The full meaning of the body is appreciated through a deep relationship with the opposite sex in marriage.
• Sex is an essential part of marriage and should only occur within marriage.
• True mutual love includes having only the number of children that can be lovingly cared for.

Question 7

How is homosexual sex seen in the Catholic Church?

Answer 7

Its seen as not acceptable and should be between a man and a woman, exclusively within marriage.

Question 8

How is adultery seen in the Catholic Church?

Answer 8

Its seen as wrong and an act of betrayal.

Question 9

What must be done for the Catholic Church to view a marriage as valid?

Answer 9

It must meet a set of conditions.

Question 10

What happens after a marriage is viewed as valid?

Answer 10

The consent (the moment when the couple commit themselves to each other for life) is made.

Question 11

Why are same-sex marriages not recognised as valid in the eyes of the Catholic Church?

Answer 11

They don’t allow for the acceptance of children from God.

Question 12

What does the Church teach about marriage as a commitment?

Answer 12

Its a valuable commitment that can strengthen over time.

Question 13

Does the Church disagree with cohabitation?

Answer 13

Yes, although many people believe it is acceptable.

Question 14

What is an annulment?

Answer 14

A statement by the Catholic Church that there was no valid marriage in the first place only if theres a reason why a marriage was not valid according to the Church.

Question 15

Are two people who had an annulment free to marry again in the Catholic Church?

Answer 15

Yes

Question 16

Does the Catholic Church accept the possibility of remarriage?

Answer 16

It doesen’t accept it in a valid sacramental marriage after a divorce.

Question 17

What does the Catholic Church allow and not allow in terms of contraception?

Answer 17

It allows natural family planning (using the womans natural cycle) but doesn’t allow artificial contraception.

Question 18

What is most people’s opinion on the Church’s view on artifical contraception?

Answer 18

Most people disagree with it for both family planning and health reasons.

Question 19

How does the Church view the family?

Answer 19

As a Church in miniature, with several important roles.

Question 20

What is the family the best place for?

Answer 20

Procreation and raising children.

Question 21

What does the family provide children?

Answer 21

Stability and education for life.

Question 22

What does the Catholic Church believe about the individuals in the family?

Answer 22

They play different roles within a family with the purpose of working together to produce a harmonious whole.

Question 23

What does the Church encourage families to be founded on?

Answer 23

The marriage between a man and a woman.

Question 24

In what time was the Bible written in terms of gender equality?

Answer 24

During a time when men were percieved as superior to women.

Question 25

Why are women not inferior to men in early Christianity?

Answer 25

Women play a very important role in the Bible and the early Christian Church.

Question 26

What do the Genesis stories show about men and women?

Answer 26

That men and women were created equals.

Question 27

What does the Catholic Church believe about gender equality?

Answer 27

It believes in the equality of men and women, as God made them both in his image and likeliness.

Question 28

What does gender equality mean for men and women?

Answer 28

They are not the same but that they have equal dignity and equal rights.

Question 29

What happens to the differences God gave to men and women when they unite in marriage?

Answer 29

They create a natural bond that strengthens and completes them as individuals and as a couple.

Question 30

What does the fact that men and women aren’t identical help them to do?

Answer 30

To value the gifts and qualities of each other.

Question 31

What is gender prejudice and how might it result?

Answer 31

The attitude that men are superior to women or women are superior to men. It can result from stereotyping (expecting a man or a women to behave in a certain way because of their gender).

Question 32

What is the name for putting gender prejudice into action and give an example.

Answer 32

Putting gender prejudice into action is gender descrimination, for example, a manager of a building site may refuse to employ a women because she or he thinks a man is stronger.

Question 33

Does the Church accept gender discrimination?

Answer 33

No, it doesn’t, althpugh some people say that the Church’s view on the different roles of men and women can lead to gender descrimination.