1. Difficult Issues in
Sexual Ethics:
Homosexuality &
Gender
Presented by
Rev. James T. Bretzke, S.J., S.T.D.
Boston College

2. Some Starting Principles
God created the whole world, and saw that it was good.
The nature of the good is to be done and fostered, and evil is to be avoided
Grace builds on nature and completes it
Always follow your formed and informed conscience
We come from God, made in God’s image (Imago Dei), and we are in the process of returning to God….

3. Cultural Transcendental Conscience
4 Basic Modalities or Ways of Being Truly Human
Cultural
Transcendental
Conscience
Sexual
Each of these 4 Modalities Help to Constitute our Core Identity

4. CONSCIENCE-BASED MORAL LIVING
Sanctuary of Conscience
Sacred Place: Where we meet God
Safe Place: No outside authority may enter
“Conscience is the aboriginal Vicar of Christ”
[Blessed John Henry Cardinal Newman, Letter to the Duke of Norfolk]
Primacy of Conscience
Always follow your conscience
Even when “erroneous”
Even if it would lead to excommunication
[St. Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on the Sentences]
But take care to form and inform

5. What’s Our Picture of Sex and Sexuality?
And How Does Sin Fit Into This Picture?

6. Contra Naturam & “Intrinsically Disordered”
Against the “nature” or purpose of a faculty of the human person, such as the faculty of sex ordered to procreation
Thus, every form of non-procreative sexual activity is considered “intrinsically disordered” since it frustrates the “nature” of sexual relations in blocking procreation.
Adultery, Bestiality, Fornication, Homogenital acts, Masturbation, Rape, etc. are all “disordered” acts
Persons are not in themselves “disordered”

7. Deus impossibilia non iubet
"God does not command of humans things which are impossible to do“
Key here is distinction between “moral” vs. “physical” possibility or impossibility
Thus, God’s grace understood to always be present to enable people to do the morally correct thing, which is genuinely promotive of human flourishing.
Yet, we must keep in mind that if something is morally impossible then it cannot be commanded by God, since it would harm rather than promote human flourishing.

8. The Physicalist Paradigm
Moral obligation comes from following the physical or “natural” structure of the given “faculty”
Thus, for the “faculty” of speech one must always communicate the truth
To do otherwise would be to accept contra naturam [against the nature] of the faculty
Moral possibility tends to be collapsed into physical possibility

9. Personalist Paradigm Begins with the individual human person
In his or her concrete situation
Looking at his or her personal attributes, needs, goals, desires
Pays special attention to the relations with others (especially close relations)
All these to some extent will be unique
Moral “possibility” and “impossibility” as well will be necessarily subjective

10. Sexual Ethics in the Catechism
Context of the Decalogue
Tradition of the Church
Vision of the Normatively Human
Integration of Human Experience
Image from (accessed March 5, 2017)

11. Sexuality as Human Modality
2332 Sexuality affects all aspects of the human person in the unity of his body and soul. It especially concerns affectivity, the capacity to love and to procreate, and in a more general way the aptitude for forming bonds of communion with others.
2333 Everyone, man and woman, should acknowledge and accept his sexual identity.

12. The Vocation of Chastity
2337 Chastity means the successful integration of sexuality within the person and thus the inner unity of man in his bodily and spiritual being.
Sexuality, in which man's belonging to the bodily and biological world is expressed, becomes personal and truly human when it is integrated into the relationship of one person to another, in the complete and lifelong mutual gift of a man and a woman.

13. Personal Integrity of Sexuality
2338 The chaste person maintains the integrity of the powers of life and love placed in him. This integrity ensures the unity of the person; it is opposed to any behavior that would impair it. It tolerates neither a double life nor duplicity in speech.

14. Male and Female Created
Male and female God created them, and God blessed them and named them Human when they were created.
CCC 2335

23. A Difficult Issue for Sexual Ethics
Homosexuality in Catholic Moral Theology & Pastoral Practice

24. Catechism & Homosexuality
2357 “Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexuality as a grave depravity, tradition has always declared that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered. They are contrary to the natural law. They close the sexual act to the gift of life. They do not proceed from genuine affective and sexual complementarity. Under no circumstances can they be approved.”

25. Issues Angle Judgment Angle Application Angle Assumptions Features
Principles
Strategies
Truth Claims
Goals
Judgment Angle
Application Angle

26. Homosexuality Is NOT Chosen
2358 “They do not choose their condition. For most of them it is a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion and sensitivity. Every form of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided.”

27. Homosexuals Called to Chastity
2359 “Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.”

28. The Disease Model
Thus, in the Catechism of the Catholic Church the model of understanding homosexuality is analogous to a disease like diabetes or alcoholism. The diabetic or alcoholic is not considered sinful because of the condition, but is called upon to live a healthy life (e.g., watch diet, or no alcohol consumption). But….

29. Some Ask Though: Is the Analogy Completely Accurate?
Those who would dispute this line of reasoning and conclusion would argue along these lines:
If an alcoholic drinks the bad effects are clear
But if a gay person establishes a loving, committed, stable, and monogamous relationship, where exactly is the analogous harm?

30. The Counter-Argument
Sexuality is a gift from God and the basic modality of human being; every person is to live authentically his or her sexual identity
Homosexuality is a basic orientation not freely chosen
If a gay person were to marry someone of the opposite sex, this would be contra naturam

31. The Counter-Conclusion
Therefore gay people are called to live authentically their sexual identity in ways that correspond to the human spiritual values of love and commitment
And that for them this would be best done in a stable, committed, loving monogamous relationship
And that this relationship would be a positive good

33. Truth Claims
And Counter-Claims

34. Three Legs of Moral Discernment
Openness to God’s Spirit
Community Discussion
Individual Effort

35. Prayer of St. Theresa Avila
Christ has no body on earth but yours
No hands on earth but your hands.
Yours are the eyes through which He looks out with compassion on the world.
Yours are the feet with which He chooses to go about doing good.
For as He is the Head, so you are the members
and we are all one in Christ Jesus.