Love, Lust and Marriage: What St. John Paul II Actually Taught

Mary Beth Bonacci of Denver Catholic clarifies a common misunderstanding regarding St. John Paul II's teachings on marital intimacy and attraction.

The report addresses a misconception stemming from the Pope's Theology of the Body talks during a General Audience on October 8, 1980. While some reports suggested the Pope claimed husbands should not be attracted to their wives, Bonacci states he did not actually say this. The teaching instead emphasizes that authentic marital intimacy is based on self-gift rather than use.