Missing Pieces: Female Perspectives on Sex for Catholic Women

Do you remember being fully prepared for marriage and a lifetime of sexual intimacy? If not, you’re not alone. Many Catholics were equipped with plenty of information to help save sex for marriage, but not to understand a healthy sexual relationship for both the man and the woman within marriage. Our Catholic culture is saturated with incredible wisdom from male points of view on the Theology of the Body, but is starving for some insight into the various aspects of women, for whom sex tends to be more complex.Missing Pieces: Female Perspectives on Sex for Catholic Women bridges the gap between your high school sex talks, male and female differences, and a healthy marriage with holy sex that is pleasurable for both spouses and a deep, rewarding intimacy whether you’re having it or saying “no” out of love. This is not a book about techniques, but healthy expectations. Whether you’re engaged or married, it will provide a much-needed spark to challenge and revitalize all you thought you knew about physiology, the first time, how “good sex” starts, authentic sacrificial love, and the intelligence of the human body. Within these pages, you’ll discover some valuable sex basics for Catholic men and women that will leave you wondering why something so obvious and important was left out during your formation."Missing Pieces is essential reading for any Catholic woman (or man) seeking to gain an introduction into female sexuality and reduce feelings of shame about navigating challenges in sexual intimacy. Mary offers meaningful personal reflections, accessible scientific information, and concrete resources to help guide those among us who long for faith-congruent sex education in marriage. I have been waiting for something authentically Catholic to recommend to my clients who want to improve self-understanding and sexual intimacy, and am so grateful for this option!"Julia Sadusky, PsyD, Licensed Psychologist, author of Start Talking to Your Kids About Sex: A Practical Guide for Catholics and Talking with Your Teen About Sex: A Practical Guide for Catholics"With sensitivity, candor, and a deep grasp of both the theological significance of intimacy and the importance of women's lived experience, Mary Bruno offers a long-overdue correction to the absence of Catholic women's voices in the conversation about living out an authentic marital intimacy when difficulties, pain, and frustration show up. Unfortunately, just knowing the theology of the body and avoiding contraception do not guarantee that a woman will experience her sex life with her husband as a glimpse of the love of the Trinity and a foretaste of heaven. Too often, we women hear the message that this is just the cross we must bear, so offer it up. This is a huge disservice, sidestepping the growth, healing, sex education, honest communication, and attunement a woman and her husband need to gain an understanding of what's going wrong and how to correct it..."Sarah Bartel, Ph.D. Moral theologian, Catholic sex and marriage coach at CanaFeast.com“In Missing Pieces, Mary Bruno weaves together quotes from the Catechism with personal experiences and practical wisdom that is both enlightening and empowering. A groundbreaking work that fills crucial gaps in the conversation, Missing Pieces is a must-read for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of women’s experiences with sex.”Samantha Povlock, Founder, FemCatholic“Missing Pieces offers one of the most honest and comprehensive discussions on sexual intimacy I have encountered. Mary understands and respects the innately personal nature of sexual intimacy and offers approachable conversations about how the sexual relationship between a husband and wife is influenced by the mind, the body, and the soul..."Emily Jurschak, PT, DPT Board-Certified Clinical Specialist in Orthopaedic Physical Therapy, Owner of Fiat Physical Therapy Read more