The Parts of Lust

The parts of lust are the species or types of lustfulsins. These parts are six: fornication, adultery, incest,seduction, rape, unnatural vice.

Fornication is the normal, but unlawful, use of sex by an unmarried man and an unmarried woman. Fornication is a mortal sin,for it is a great inordinateness in the parties who are guilty of it; is opposed to the good of offspring (for only marriage establishes the home which children require, and to which they have a right), and it is plainly against the common welfare both in physical and moral effects.

Fornication is a grave sin of the flesh. It is not the greatest of all sins, for sins of the spirit, sins of malice, are more grievous than any carnal sin.

Kisses and touches that are lustful are also mortal sins.

Whatever occurs in sleep cannot be sinful in itself. Yet it may be sinful in its cause. If, before sleeping, a person is guilty of thoughts, desires, or deeds that are lustful, he is atleast partly responsible for impurities that subsequently occur during sleep.

Seduction is the violation of a virgin. It is a species of lust, and is therefore a grievous sin.

Rape is a species of lust-and gravely sinful-in which force is employed in committing a lustful action.

Adultery is the normal, but unlawful, use of sex by a married and a single person, or by two married persons, who,however, are not married to each other. This grievous sin is far worse than fornication, for it violates not only chastity, but itis a gross violation of justice (committed against the true spouse of the married party, or against both spouses of the married parties). Besides, it is a more damaging offense against the common good than fornication is.

Incest is the use of sex by man and woman who are related by ties of blood, or by affinity, that is, by relationship arising out of a marriage. It has all the grievous character of lust, plus the violation of justice (if either party is married),and the violation of the virtue of piety.

Lust becomes sacrilege when it involves sacred or consecrated persons, things, or places.

Unnatural vice is any lustful perversion of normal and natural processes for procuring sex pleasures.

Unnatural vice is the worst of all sins of lust, for it is most gravely shameful as acting against the ordinance of nature. Yet all willful sins of lust are mortal sins.