Article VII: On Kisses and Embraces

22. Kisses can be of three kinds: of honesty, of levity, of pleasure. - Kisses of honesty, or those which are made according to the custom of the country, for the sake of urbanity, or for attesting honorable love, friendship, peace, reconciliation, or from another honorable end, are no sin. The reason is that similar kisses are of themselves indifferent; and therefore, if they are done from an honorable motive, they can exhibit no dishonesty. Therefore kisses which mothers or nurses are accustomed to imprint on infants are free from every fault. And the same is to be said at least ordinarily of others who kiss infants of tender age even of the other sex, every depraved affection being excluded. Yet it does not befit nuns, religious, and clerics to kiss persons of the other sex, except relatives in the first degree of consanguinity or affinity, on account of a certain natural indecency and the scandal which would follow from it. - G. 415.

Kisses of levity, curiosity, or even sensuality, provided they are not base from the object or manner, per se do not exceed venial sin. The reason is that they do not exhibit the proximate danger of venereal delectation.

Finally, kisses of pleasure, that is, venereal pleasure, are grave sin. Such certainly are kisses in the base parts, that is, the genital parts or neighboring parts. Such also almost must be held to be kisses impressed on less honorable and usual parts of the body, especially between persons of the other sex, for example on the breast, breasts, etc.; or even on honorable parts, but in a less usual manner, for example if they are very lingering, or repeated and pressed, and especially with the tongue introduced into the mouth, etc. The reason is that kisses of this kind show an affection for venereal delectation and contain the proximate danger of venereal delectation. - Ithurriaga, Cas. 18, n. 3, 4; Billuart, l. c.

23. As kisses, so embraces are of three kinds: of honesty, of levity, of pleasure. - Embraces of honesty, which are made from the custom of the country, or by reason of office or benevolence, per se speaking, are altogether free from every fault. - Embraces of levity, curiosity, or sensuality, provided they are not base from the object or manner, per se do not exceed venial sin. - Finally, embraces of pleasure, namely venereal pleasure, are mortal sin. Such ordinarily are embraces which are made very lingeringly and closely between persons of the other sex. - The reason for this threefold resolution is always the same, namely danger of venereal delectation, only remote or proximate. - Billuart, l. c.; L. 417, 429, 430.