§ IV. On Sacrilege

424. • Sacrilege, insofar as it is a sin of lust, is the violation of a sacred person or place through a venereal act.

Sacrilege, besides sin against chastity, also embraces sin against Religion or against the reverence owed to God, and therefore also to sacred places.

Resolves. - 1. A person consecrated to God who sins with another of the same condition commits double sacrilege, because he offends Religion doubly. - St. Lig., n. 456.

2. A priest who is also a Religious, who sins against chastity, more probably does not commit double sacrilege; because although from a double title he remains bound by the vow of chastity, nevertheless he sins against the same formal precept, or one imposed from the same motive. - St. Lig., n. 455.

3. He is sacrilegious who by counsel induces a sacred person to a sin of lust, although he himself does not sin with that person; because he cooperates in that person's sin.

4. Voluntary pollution in a Church is sacrilege, although it is secret, and although the Church does not need reconciliation, as it does need it in notorious pollution.

5. Touches lightly base in a Church, according to the more common opinion, are not grave ¹, because from them there does not result great irreverence toward the sacred place. But otherwise, if they are enormously grave. - But if they are simply grave, a double opinion is given: as St. Lig. affirms as absolutely more probable, because dishonorable touches have the same malice as copula itself, and although by these acts the Church is not violated, nevertheless grave irreverence is inflicted on it. The holy Author says the same about gravely obscene words and looks, n. 459-461, and Hom. apost., n. 22. - But internal acts, or thoughts, or wicked desires had in a Church are not grave sacrileges, if you except desires of sinning externally in the Church itself. - St. Alph., n. 462, and Hom. apost., ibid.

¹ It is said that they are not grave sacrileges, because some malice of sacrilege, if sin is committed in a church, is never not present; nevertheless this is not always grave and to be expressed in confession. See the things noted above at n. 286, q. 2, resp. 2.