A Topic of Moral Theology

Sins of Thought

Morose delectation, evil desire, and complacency — how interior acts become sinful.

Within this topic

Also asked about as…

bad thoughts · fantasizing · impure thoughts · sinful thoughts (ed.)

In the index as Desire (Desiderium) · Joy · Morose delectation · Concupiscence · Complacency · Impure desire · Morose pleasure · Movements of the sensitive appetite · Boasting · Delight (Delectatio) · Impure thoughts · Joy concerning an evil thing · Joy over evil (Gaudium de malo) · Pleasure · Pollution · Sin · Thought (Cogitatio) · Desire of an evil thing · Distinction of sins · Internal sins · Sadness · State, as condition of fortune (Status, ut conditio fortunae) · Capital sins · Carnal intercourse

In the manuals

Summa of Moral Theology (Summa Theologiae Moralis)

Noldin, Summa of Moral Theology, On the Principles of Moral…, Book Sixth. On Sins., Question Sixth. On Internal Sins., n. 327 — 327. Notions. 1. Those sins are called internal which are completed solely by the internal powers of the soul, namely by the mind and the will. All are reduced to three classes: a. to desire, b. to joy, c. to morose dele… Read in context →

Noldin, Summa of Moral Theology, On the Sixth Precept and t…, Book First. On the Sixth a…, Question Four. On the Sins…, Article Three. On Internal Sins., nn. ¶1, 61, 62 & 63 (4 passages — hover a number to read it)

A Manual of Moral Theology for English-Speaking Countries

Vol. I, Bk. IV, Pt. II, Chapter I. Sins of Thought, nn. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 (7 passages — hover a number to read it)

Manual of Moral Theology (Manuale Theologiae Moralis)

Vol. I, Bk. I, Tr. II, Diss. II, Pt. II, Sect. III, Ch. II, Article III. On Internal Sins, n. ¶1 — (St. Thomas, I-II, q. 74, a. 8; St. Alphonsus, Theologia Moralis, bk. V, 12-28; Homo Apostolicus, tract. 3, nn. 47-54.) Three internal sins are distinguished: morose delectation, desire, and joy, insofar as the will is b… Read in context →

Vol. III, Bk. II, Appendix I. On Internal Sins Against Chastity, n. ¶1 — (St. Thomas, I-II, q. 74, a. 8; St. Alphonsus, Theologia Moralis V, 12-28.) Internal sins are distinguished as three: morose pleasure, desire, and joy, according as the will is borne toward an act as such, with abstracti… Read in context →

Vol. III, Bk. II, Appendix I. On Internal Si…, II. On Desire and Joy, nn. 122, 123, 124, 125 & 126 (5 passages — hover a number to read it)

Compendium of Moral Theology of Fr. John Peter Gury, S.J., with the Notes of Antonio Ballerini, S.J.

Vol. I, Treatise On Sins, Part Two. On Sins in Species, Chapter I. On Internal Sins, nn. 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172 & 173 (27 passages — hover a number to read it)

Synopsis of Moral and Pastoral Theology

Vol. II, Fundamental Moral Theology…, On Sins and Vices, nn. 499, 500, 501, 502, 503, 504, 505 & 506 (8 passages — hover a number to read it)

Theologia Moralis: Principles — Responses — Counsels

Vol. I, Tr. V, Chapter I: Concerning Internal Sins, n. 458 — — Notion of the argument. From the definition handed down above, n. 402, from St. Augustine, "a word, or deed, or thing desired," there are distinguished sins of heart, of mouth, and of work. This distinction is formal w… Read in context →

Manuale Theologiae Moralis

Vol. I, Pt. I, Tract V. On Sins In General, Chapter VII. On internal sins, n. 394 — 394. Notions. Internal sins are called those which are perfected within the heart of man and do not appear outwardly, except perhaps because of an effect accidentally following from them. There are three species of them:… Read in context →

Institutiones Morales Alphonsianae

Vol. I, Part First: On the First P…, Tr. IV, Chapter IV: On Internal Sins, nn. ¶1 & ¶345 (2 passages — hover a number to read it)

Vol. I, Part First: On the First P…, Tr. IV, Ch. IV, Article I: On Depraved Desires and Purposes, nn. ¶346, ¶347, ¶348 & ¶349 (4 passages — hover a number to read it)

Vol. I, Part First: On the First P…, Tr. IV, Ch. IV, Article II: On Complacency and Joy, nn. ¶350, ¶351, ¶352 & ¶353 (4 passages — hover a number to read it)

Vol. I, Part First: On the First P…, Tr. IV, Ch. IV, Article III: On Morose Delectation, nn. ¶354, ¶355, ¶356, ¶357 & ¶358 (5 passages — hover a number to read it)

Theologia Moralis Sancti Alphonsi: Reduced into a Compendium

Vol. I, TREATISE ON SINS, PART SECOND: ON SINS IN SP…, CHAPTER I: ON INTERNAL SINS, nn. ¶228, ¶229, ¶230, ¶231, ¶232, ¶233, ¶234 & ¶235 (8 passages — hover a number to read it)

Summa Theologiae Moralis

Vol. I, General Moral Theology, Treatise: On Sins in General, First Part: On Sin Accordi…, Fourth Question: On the Su…, Article I: On Movements or Sins of Sensuality, nn. ¶1, 448, 449, 450 & 451 (33 passages — hover a number to read it)

Compendium of Moral Theology

Vol. I, Tr. IV, Pt. II, Chapter I. On Internal Sins, nn. 135, 136, 137, 137, Q. 2, 137, Q. 3 & 138 (6 passages — hover a number to read it)

Cases of Conscience for English-Speaking Countries, Volume I

Slater, Cases I, Sin, Case 5. Sexual Curiosity, nn. ¶1, ¶2, ¶3, ¶4, ¶5, ¶6, ¶7 & ¶8 (8 passages — hover a number to read it)

The Catechism of the Council of Trent (The Roman Catechism)

Pt. III, The Ninth and Tenth Commandments, nn. ¶11, ¶12, ¶13, ¶14, ¶15, ¶16, ¶17, ¶18, ¶19 & ¶20 (10 passages — hover a number to read it)

Moral Theology: A Complete Course (McHugh & Callan)

Vol. I, Pt. I, Q. I, Art. 5. The Passions, Division, n. 119 — The concupiscible passions are defined as follows: (a) love, the first of the passions and the cause of all the others, tends to sensible good considered as desirable, abstracting from its presence or absence; while hatr… Read in context →

Vol. I, Pt. I, Q. II, Art. 3. Bad Habits, or Vices, The Subjects of Sins, nn. 232, 237 & 240 (3 passages — hover a number to read it)

Vol. I, Pt. II, Q. I, Art. 6. The Effects of Cha…, Joy, n. 1194 — Joy. Joy.—The precept of charity includes a precept of joy, and hence the Apostle says: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice” (Philip., iv. 4, 5). This joy of charity has the following properties: (a) it is abou… Read in context →

Vol. II, Pt. II, Q. II, Art. 8. The Virtue of Temp…, Impure Thoughts, nn. 2505 & 2506 (2 passages — hover a number to read it)

Vol. II, Pt. II, Q. II, Art. 8. The Virtue of Temp…, Impure Desire, nn. 2508 & 2509 (2 passages — hover a number to read it)

Institutions of Moral Theology (Institutiones Theologiae Moralis)

Vol. I, On Human Acts, I. On the Nature of the Human Act, nn. 17 & 23 (2 passages — hover a number to read it)

Vol. I, On Conscience, II. On Certain Conscience, n. 108 — Can someone labor under an invincibly erroneous conscience as regards depraved desires and other merely internal acts, namely if no exterior action follows? - Speaking explicitly and generally about desire, Elbel has thi… Read in context →

Vol. I, On Laws, IV. On the Obligation of Law, n. 208 — Note: One sins against the law not only by action, namely by commission or omission, by doing or not doing those things which are prohibited or commanded by law, but also by simple desire, without execution of the thing,… Read in context →

Vol. I, On Sins and Virtues, I. On the Nature of Sin, nn. 291, 292 & 293 (3 passages — hover a number to read it)

Vol. I, On the Precept of Charity, II. On the Order of Charity, n. 389 — What order generally is to be observed in charity toward neighbor? In the order of charity each one is bound after God to love: 1. himself according to spiritual goods, insofar as he wills God, his end, i.e., the supreme… Read in context →

Commentaries on the Nature of Moral Theology, on Conscience and Probabilism, on the Fourth Precept, and on the Sixth and Ninth Precepts of the Decalogue (Commentarii)

Chapter V: On the Internal Sins of Lust, nn. ¶1, 224, 225 & 226 (17 passages — hover a number to read it)

Pastoral Questions

Merkelbach, Pastoral Questions, I. Questions Concerning Ch…, On Chastity and Lust, Question Six: Concerning Internal Lust, nn. ¶404–¶440 (37 passages)

Moral Enchiridion, Comprising Select Decrees and Definitions of the Holy See, of Ecumenical Councils and of the Sacred Roman Congregations (Enchiridion Morale), Fourth Edition

Bucceroni, Moral Enchiridion (4th ed., 1905), On Sins, n. 294 — Delight and Desire Concerning an Evil Thing. Cf. nn. 288, 389.Read in context →

On Chastity and on the Contrary Vices: A Doctrinal and Moral Treatise

Ch. III, Article I. On Adulterous Desires, nn. 215, ¶1190, ¶1191, ¶1192 & ¶1193 (5 passages — hover a number to read it)

Ch. II, Article III. On Interior Acts, nn. 365 & ¶1900 (2 passages — hover a number to read it)

Ch. II, Art. III, I. On Interior Acts Insofar as They Excite the Flesh, nn. 366, ¶1901, ¶1902, ¶1903, ¶1904, 367 & ¶1905–¶1919 (21 passages — hover a number to read it)

Ch. II, Art. III, II. On More Intellectual Acts, nn. 368, ¶1920, ¶1921, ¶1922, 369, ¶1923, ¶1924, ¶1925, ¶1926, ¶1927, ¶1928, ¶1929, ¶1930, ¶1931, 370, ¶1932, ¶1933, ¶1934, ¶1935, ¶1936, 371, ¶1937, ¶1938, ¶1939, ¶1940 & ¶1941 (26 passages — hover a number to read it)

Treated under the broader heading Sin — Bucceroni, Cases of Conscience · Vermeersch, On Forbidden Books · Koch–Preuss · Billuart, Summa Summae · Spirago · Slater, Foundation — these works do not divide the matter as finely as we do here, so their treatment stands one heading up (ed.)