Appendix: On Sexual Pathology

— As we noted above, n. 96-99, there are various perversions of the sexual appetite (sexual paresthesias).

In order that we may speak of the obligations of those who, in an unusual manner, either are moved carnally or, on the contrary, remain frigid:

1. Unmarried persons are forbidden to seek or intend venereal pleasures by unusual means as well as by usual means. And the proximate occasion of sin must be fled by all.

2. But by the distinction between pleasure strictly venereal and sensible carnal pleasure, these infirm persons will be helped, so that they can weigh the quality of the subjective affection and the gravity of the obligation. The sensible pleasure is not yet grave in itself.

3. But must they, on account of their special readiness for commotion, abstain from an action which is lawful for others, or at least is not gravely forbidden? Certainly they are greatly to be exhorted to take care of this without anxiety. We say this at least of itself. For the inconveniences of flight also must be weighed. And, with the danger of illusion and of consent excluded, this does not seem able to be prescribed under grave obligation, both because a precept of positively avoiding carnal movements is not demonstrated, and because to abstain from a thing which is lawful for others is already hard.

4. If certain things which move others leave these persons in a condition of perfect frigidity, they will have to abstain from these only insofar as the reason of scandal or positive law requires it. These, therefore, will be the privileges of that state.

— Concerning the imputation of depraved acts to those who are affected by psychic diseases, one must speak very circumspectly. (Cf. what we said in general theology, n. 103-104, concerning troublesome cases which occur in libidinous matters.) Here let it suffice to have noted that grave guilt itself can be had with diminished imputability; nor, universally or of itself, can those be excused who, truly awake during the night, indulge a depraved habit which by day they abhor.

I. Modesty is the virtue itself of chastity, which avoids every signification of lust and protects itself from occasions of sin.

II. Immodest acts are, by their external species itself, akin to lustful acts. Such acts can be done on account of a cause that is honorable, suspect, or strictly libidinous.

The judgments of theologians concerning these acts, when they are not perfectly excused, must be explained by a twofold presumption: of the danger of consent, and of hidden direct lust, that is, lust covered over by a pretext.

Presumptions can fall short of the truth. Therefore a prudent confessor will sometimes have to respond more benignly, sometimes more severely. These rules can be proposed: a) he who, without an equitable cause, does that from which, of itself, or as it were directly, he experiences pollution or a pleasure sufficiently proximate to pollution, is, practically and of itself, to be said to sin gravely, on account of the true intention by which he is led or the proximate danger of sinning. b) The more an exterior act bears the species of a libidinous demonstration, and the less the reason for acting is explained by a just and honorable cause, the more difficult it will be for it to be excused.

But efficacy toward a grave carnal movement is shown to be partly relative, or different in different persons. Yet in a thing truly immodest, and in the lingering manner in which looking, touching, or mental consideration takes place, this efficacy is commonly judged to be present.

These rules must prudently be applied to foul words, gestures, and writings, to immodest looks and touches, in which the principal agents, their cooperators, and those who undergo their action must be distinguished.

Immodest phantasms, concerning which there is a special question, can never, by a libidinous intention, either be stirred up, or fostered, or attended to. And if they move gravely, lingering consideration of them will generally be gravely culpable, because it contains a proximate occasion sought without utility. A grave obligation of positively repelling them is not demonstrated, saving the necessity of fleeing the proximate occasion. Quiet repudiation is to be preferred to anxious repudiation.

The scenic plays of theaters and modern dances must be judged alien from the evangelical spirit. Therefore these things must be declined by Christians, insofar as this can honorably be done.

Moreover, the excessive worldly servitude of Catholics in the clothing of women, girls, and adolescents is to be deplored.

In visiting museums of the arts, certain things sometimes will have to be tolerated; nevertheless only visits truly useful scientifically can be positively approved.

And generally one must strive more that the incentives of lust be warded off without scruple or timidity.

III. Those who, on account of a perverse sexual appetite, are carnally excited in an unusual manner, or remain frigid, have in common with the rest the obligation of declining every formal lust. Nevertheless, with the danger of illusion and of consent excluded, they are not bound under grave obligation to abstain from an action which is lawful for others, or not gravely unlawful. At the same time they can receive the advantage of their frigidity, insofar as, with scandal or the prohibition of positive law excluded, they are not bound to abstain from seeing, etc., those things which allow them to be perfectly frigid.

— In the first place, we wish this to be well noted: when, in the course of our work, we indicate what various documents or counsels are to be handed on to persons, according to various circumstances, we do not at all intend that these be handed on either in sacramental confession or by the confessor as such. Here there is need of great prudence and discretion. And in so delicate a matter, it is to be advised that what a priest can furnish through books or lay persons, he should furnish by this indirect manner. But here age, knowledge, the name of the confessor, the person whom he bears for his client, and the qualities of the persons who approach the confessor must be weighed. For the priest can be merely a confessor; he can, besides, be a pastor, a spiritual director in whom a young man has trusted for many years. One must act differently with a person of the weaker sex, differently with a man; differently with one pious and religious, differently with one little faithful; differently with one well known, differently with one unknown.

When in n. 21 we were treating of the revelation of the mysteries of life, we proposed no method of fuller revelation, when it seemed to have to be made. For since circumstances vary so greatly, we judge that no formula is to be proposed. In certain regions, pious priests have written excellent little books on this matter (for example, at Lyons, P. Guitton, De la Chasteté), which it will then suffice to hand over to be read. Nevertheless, these few things can be indicated. Let the instruction be simple, without solemn apparatus. - If a comparison must be used, let it be taken from the vegetable order rather than from the animal. - Let the sanctity and nobility of the action by which parents cooperate with God the Creator be set forth. Therefore let speech be made concerning the creation and infusion of the spiritual soul. Let the sanctity of the Christian body be recalled, as St. Paul gave us an example in I Cor., c. 3 and 6. With these things premised:

In causes of chastity and of the opposite lust, the confessor, although he cannot put forward false things, nevertheless must act so prudently that, as far as he can, he may avert from penitents the danger of falling; especially since it is often most difficult to pronounce with certainty concerning light or grave sin, concerning full or only imperfect imputation; and rash condemnation has not rarely led souls to despair, improvident hesitation to anxiety scarcely curable, and ill-considered excuse to destructive audacity. Therefore let him quiet the fearful with firm responses, yet at the same time efficaciously lead penitents, especially clerics and younger persons, to follow safer things, according to that saying: "In this matter of the sixth precept, it is necessary, as far as possible, to apply every severity." (St. Alph., Homo apost., tr. 9, n. 34.)

But paternal severity, which keeps rash actions away, by no means excludes benevolence toward persons.

Yet in order that he may take counsel for his own security and perfection, let the confessor sedulously attend to this, that his affability remain supernatural, and that in no matter he seek himself.

Thus also he will exhibit himself courteous and benign, so that he gives place to no sexual affection among others.

Let him not be ignorant that beneath the covering of intense piety there can lie religious paranoia, which is rooted in a morbid but most vehement concupiscence. Let him not be ignorant that there are persons for whom, in order to experience pleasure, it is enough to speak with another about sexual matters. Therefore persons of this kind, especially unmarried women, can seek base satisfactions in the very tribunal of penance.

"Let him be mindful of canon 888, §2: Let him beware entirely... lest by curious or useless questions, especially concerning the sixth precept of the Decalogue, he detain anyone, and especially lest he imprudently question younger persons concerning things which they do not know. Indeed St. Alphonsus, l. VI, n. 632, approves these things already laid down by Busembaum: Questions in the matter of chastity ought to be few and cautious, lest he either give occasion for investigating or drawing out the confession, or teach or offend one ignorant, or expose himself or another to danger. - And if he fears these things, he ought rather to suffer something to be lacking from material integrity." Therefore, let him be silent - I say - not for conniving at sins, but often for avoiding conversations which accord little with the sanctity of the sacrament. Let him take care that the confession be made at once modestly and sincerely, and dispense the penitent from the necessity of narrating particulars, so that he in no way fear that the confession is incomplete because of these things omitted; let him dexterously detect depraved habits of adolescents in order to extirpate them. And let him implore light from God, so that he can take sufficient counsel for the correction of vices and at the same time remove from himself every suspicion of curiosity. Only when compelled by necessity let him appear to interrogate prudently concerning the right use of matrimony or concerning onanistic abuse, according to the responses of the Holy See.

To spouses he will advise that tenor of life by which, each being content with the other, they may live and grow in mutual love and esteem. Although he will not neglect to lead them on to more perfect counsels.

But others he will chiefly exhort to these things:

That they flee whatever things are strange and unusual in these matters.

That if there is a grave cause for seeing, reading, or handling something which can move sense, they keep a simple, not anxious, manner of acting.

That, excepting a just cause, they be occupied as little as possible in these matters, and strongly repel specious pretexts.

That, even in a necessary action, they study to avoid less pure affections and movements of the flesh.

That they esteem sincerity and strength of soul very highly and acquire them for themselves.

That they be mindful of human dignity and of the love by which Christ has espoused the soul of the faithful person to himself.

That they foster higher studies earnestly.

That they most frequently taste the heavenly food of the Eucharist, with that devotion by which it is fitting.

That, also by tender devotion toward the most pure Virgin, they foster in themselves not only horror of sin but an apostolic love of chastity, of which St. Paul handed down an excellent lesson.

In this way he will inculcate delicate and joyful purity; and he will form Christians of whom Athenagoras already said in the second century: "Since we have the hope of eternal life, we despise the pleasures of this life." (Legatio pro Christianis, n. 22. P. G. 6, 966.)