Day 307: Offenses Against Chastity

Offences against Chastity

In this podcast episode, Father Mike Schmitz discusses the offences against chastity as outlined in paragraphs 2351 to 2356 of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Lust is identified as a disordered desire for or excessive enjoyment of sexual pleasure. Masturbation, the deliberate stimulation of the genital organs for sexual pleasure, is considered intrinsically and gravely disordered. Fornication, a carnal union between unmarried individuals, is seen as contrary to human dignity and scandalous. Pornography, the removal of sexual acts from intimacy for display to others, perverts the conjugal act and brings grave injury to the dignity of all involved. Prostitution reduces individuals to objects of sexual pleasure and is a social scourge. Rape, the forcible violation of sexual intimacy, deeply wounds the respect, freedom, and integrity of victims. The last paragraph emphasizes that victims of these offenses retain their dignity and encourages them to seek healing and consolation in the love of God.