St. Damian: Clerical Sodomy Past and Present and Confronting the Clergy

There seems to be homosexuality and approval for sodomy in the ranks of prelates in Rome. It is not mentioned, not rebuked.  Unhappily it seems to be ignored and condoned. Very few bishops have mentioned or addressed it. Laicized pervert McCarrick and his collaborators and protectors are good examples. He advanced all the way to the top and those at the top knew it and did nothing.

For those who consider homosexual practice acceptable, it would be good to study Scripture and the ancient and continual tradition of the Church (Rom 1:25-27; CCC 2357).

Now I know a lot of priests and — all good and holy men! The vast majority of the clergy are good men, faithful, celibate and true. I feel sorry for these great clerics because the reprobates among them cause a cloud to overshadow them all. We need to support and encourage those who are faithful to their vows.

The same thing was happening a thousand years ago. But a courageous cardinal spoke out against homosexuality and sexual perversion in the ranks of the clergy, pointing to bishops, priests and deacons. His name was Peter Damian. He was raised to Cardinal and Doctor of the Church. He was charged by the papacy with fighting against this scourge of sexual perversion and sodomy. I wish our Pope would do the same.

St. Damian wrote a document entitled The Book of Gomorrah which was completed in 1054. It exposed the sodomy and perversion in the ranks. I suggest people get this book and read it today and pass it around. Pope Leo IX responded to this extensive letter with unreserved praise. He said, “everything that this book contains has been pleasing to our judgment, being as opposed to diabolical fire as is water.”

For an excellent review of the book and interview with the translator in Catholic World Report, click here.

Here are quotes from his book. The first is describing the sins (and is a bit graphic)

“So that the whole matter might be presented to you in an orderly way, I distinguish four types of this nefarious sin. Some pollute themselves, others are soiled by fondling each other’s male parts, others fornicate between the thighs or in the rear, and these ascend by grades, such that each one is worse than the previous.

Accordingly, the penance that is imposed on those who fall into sin with others is greater than those who dirty themselves alone by the discharged contagion of semen, and those who contaminate others in the rear are more strictly judged than those who copulate between the thighs. The skilled machination of the devil thus contrives these grades of corruption, so that the more it ascends them, the more deeply the unhappy soul may be plunged into the depths of hell” (pg. 83).

The second is an overview of what needs to be done. And needs to be done again today.

“Alas, it is shameful to speak of it! It is shameful to relate such a disgusting scandal to sacred ears! But if the doctor fears the virus of the plague, who will apply the cauterization? If he is nauseated by those whom he is to cure, who will lead sick souls back to the state of health?

The cancer of sodomitic impurity is thus creeping through the clerical order, and indeed is raging like a cruel beast within the sheepfold of Christ with the audacity of such liberty, that for many it would have been much more salutary to be oppressed by the yoke of worldly duties than to be surrendered so freely to the iron rule of diabolical tyranny under the pretense of religion.

It would have been better to perish alone in secular dress than, having changed one’s clothes but not one’s heart, to also drag others to destruction, as the Truth testifies, saying, “He that shall scandalize one of these little ones that believe in me, it is expedient for him’ that a millstone be hanged about his neck, and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea.” And unless the force of the Apostolic See opposes it as quickly as possible, there is no doubt that when it finally wishes for the unbridled evil to be restrained, it may not be able to halt the fury of its advance.”

There is a lot more to this book. I have only provided two short passages. But St. Damian goes through it all and confronts it head on — with both mercy and judgment in the proper balance.

Another document from an even earlier period in Spain.

In A History of the Councils of the Church the author details many of the laws promulgated in the Church at the time. I found this law concerning sodomy among bishops, priests and deacons interesting. The Intro to the actual laws states, “In Spain, so rich in Synods, on May 2, 693, was opened the sixteenth Synod of Toledo, in the Church of SS. Peter and Paul. There were present fifty-nine bishops out of all the ecclesiastical provinces of Spain, besides five abbots, three representatives of bishops, and sixteen secular counts. King Egiza appeared personally…”

Law 3, “The prevalence of sodomy makes severe punishments necessary. If a bishop, priest, or deacon commits this sin, he shall be deposed and banished for life. Moreover, the old law remains in force, according to which every such sinner is excluded from all communion with Christians, scourged with rods, deprived of his hair in disgrace, and banished. If they have not sufficiently done penance, the communion is not to be administered to them even on their deathbed.”
(Charles Joseph Hefele, A History of the Councils of the Church, trans. William R. Clark, vol. 5 (Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1896), 245.)

What we are facing is nothing new. What is new is that it is being accepted and even approved. We have priests going around promoting tolerance for the LGBTQ lifestyle even within the Church. We have a papacy and magisterium that is silent about the problem. We must pray for our Church and defend her.

When cancer invades a human body it is unloving to ignore it. What if the doctor says, “We don’t want to operate since that is invasive and painful.” The best thing for the patient is to deal with the cancer and do what is best for the patient. Lovingly remove the cancer for the health of the whole body.

St. Peter (Cardinal) Damian, Doctor of the Church, pray for us!