Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis has told French young people that sex is a "great" gift from God, not a taboo, and should be lived as a lifelong, passionate love between man and woman.
Francis urged the group of young Catholics from the Grenoble diocese to protect their sexuality from pornography and other temptations that separate sex from love.
He acknowledged people "fall" and commit sin — but said "this isn't the sexuality of love."
He said: "Sex is a gift of God. Not a taboo" and has two aims: to show love, and create life.
Church teaching forbids premarital sex, and reserves intercourse for husband and wife. The church also opposes artificial birth control.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.