Article I. On Looks

I. Commonly it will be grave:

1. To look deliberately at the immodest parts of a person of diverse sex or at human intercourse (St. Alphonsus III, 421). Make exception if it is done from afar and in passing; or if an infant is looked at, because this moves less. Therefore maids, who, while caring for boys entrusted to them, look at their shameful parts, are immune from grave fault; indeed in practice, on account of a cause, they are commonly altogether excused.²

2. To look lingeringly at the breasts of a beautiful woman, wholly uncovered or covered only with a very thin veil. But in itself it is not grave to look at nursing women, or at the bare chest of another woman, or of a girl not yet formed (St. Alphonsus III, 423).

3. To look at representations, for example in motion pictures, or at dances truly obscene by reason of nudity or movements.

4. To look lingeringly at sculptures or images which exhibit obscene acts or the naked shameful parts of a person of the other sex and of more mature age (St. Alphonsus III, 424). Exception is made if they are looked at from a distance, or if the picture moves less by reason of age.

II. Commonly it is only venial:

1. To look at the immodest parts of a person of the same sex (St. Alphonsus III, 420). Make exception if the look is very lingering. Hence, in themselves, persons of the same sex swimming together with the shameful parts uncovered are excused from grave fault; nevertheless it is very much to be advised that they not swim together without a loincloth. Moreover, concerning swimming, it should be noted that it often happens that boys swimming together do immodest things among themselves. Besides, swimming near a public road easily takes on the character of scandal on account of persons of diverse sex passing by.

2. "To look at ... the less honorable parts ... of a woman" (St. Alphonsus III, 423); yet if the look is prolonged, it will be mortal for many. A look at the honorable parts of a person of diverse sex is in itself without fault. Nevertheless a prolonged look will commonly be venial, indeed mortal, if someone is affected by inordinate love toward the person looked at (St. Alphonsus III, 422).

3. To look at one's own genitals, likewise at the genitals or intercourse of brute animals; nevertheless a prolonged or often repeated look will again not rarely be mortal for many (St. Alphonsus III, 419).

Note. As regards "those who use baths, as they say, of air or of sun, for strengthening health and increasing the vigor of the nerves, they act lawfully in themselves, if cautions are employed. The cautions are the following: with a reasonable end standing, curiosity with respect to oneself or another should be excluded; at least the shameful parts should be covered. It would be better if a very thin and ample garment were used, clothed in which the patient would attain the intended end equally easily. The modern theory concerning the advisability of accustoming the eyes to the sight of nudity is altogether to be rejected. It smells of the sense and lust of pagans."³

III. The practice of painters and sculptors of taking naked persons as models seems to be judged thus, provided, namely, as those skilled in the art assert, that this is necessary or useful for acquiring the art:

1. Directors of an academy who promote such a practice are excused; the students themselves are commonly in a necessary occasion, and are to be treated according to the rules for treating such an occasion.

2. Parents who thus expose their daughters to danger can theoretically be excused on account of urgent necessity, but in practice scarcely can be excused.

3. Persons presenting themselves as models by command of their parents are commonly in a necessary occasion, and must be treated thus; those who are their own masters are excused only by urgent necessity.⁴

¹ For the sake of practice, we apply the principles set forth also to speeches, songs, and readings, although, strictly speaking, they are occasions of internal lust rather than immodest acts.

² Aertnys-Damen, Theologia Moralis, I, n. 636.

³ Marc-Gestermann, Institutiones Morales Alphonsianae, I, n. 814, note.

⁴ Cf. Marc-Gestermann, op. cit., I, n. 815.