I. On Sodomy

343. - Sodomy is defined as the lustful lying together of two persons of the same sex. A person who violates nature by this rationale is delighted by his own sex. This enjoyment of the body of another, but of the same sex, is theologically essential to sodomy. But it supposes a lying together, or the application of one body to another, although no penetration of the sexual organ into any vessel is required. Sodomy is completed when, in this lying together, the agent obtains satiating pleasure, whether, penetration having been made, he casts semen into the vessel of the other; or pours it merely between the thighs or externally upon the body; or pours forth no semen, as occurs of itself when the matter is between women.

2. But an effusion into the anus appears to pertain to the canonical rationale of perfect sodomy. Wherefore, when not every sin against nature perpetrated with another, but sodomy alone, is reserved, the reserved sin is understood to be so perfect that the vessel of the other has received the semen or quasi-semen poured forth by the other. This can scarcely occur between women.

344. - 2. Specific varieties.

a) The circumstances of a vow, relationship, or conjugal bond add respectively the malice of personal sacrilege, incest, or adultery. Concerning local sacrilege, the observation made in no. 314 returns.

b) The circumstance of the agent or patient does not change the species of the exterior act, nor must it of itself be declared. The patient was formerly called properly the pathic or effeminate. Cf. 1 Corinthians 6:10.

But in the patient a perverse affection can more easily be absent than in the agent.

Wherefore, one who declares the passive part must also disclose whether or not he himself experienced pollution.

On the contrary, one who confesses himself the agent already tacitly confesses his own pollution; he must expressly accuse only the pollution of the other, of which he was necessarily an accomplice by his action.

Among women, the parts and the commotions can rather be presumed equal, so that they need not be questioned concerning pollution.

c) This shameful act committed with a boy receives the special name of pederasty. And because the boy is incapable of consent, the moral malice of stuprum then easily accrues. One sinning thus was called a paedico or paedicator.

Paganism was so infected with this abominable vice that boys were trained for these shameful acts, or slaves, even after castration had been performed, were destined and sold for them.

345. - 3. Stuprum of the mouth itself, or irrumation ¹, that is, pollution performed in the mouth of another male, of itself betrays merely a sodomitical affection, just as in the mouth of a woman it would of itself manifest a fornicatory affection. St. Alphonsus, book 3, no. 466.

¹ The same name is retained when pollution is absent. Cf. St. Alphonsus, book 6, no. 935.

Performed in the posterior vessel of a woman, it is accustomed to be designated by the name of imperfect sodomy. But attention must be given to the affection, which often will be merely fornicatory, as when it is performed in the mouth. Cf. what was said above, no. 269.

346. - 4. Finally, mutual pollution through touches alone, for example of the hands, is of itself a double effeminacy, to which a sodomitical affection can accrue.