Expert: J.M.J. West - 4/25/2008

Question
Deus Caritas Est. Iam a lay catholic interested in Theology. My name is James N from Bombay diocese India. My questions are as below:
1 If one has homosexual tendency without one's fault one can act on it or not?Can the person engage in homosexual activity. What is the stand of our catholic church? God bless thee. James N

Answer
Hello again, James,

Great question.  The answer is N\no, one cannot act upon it.  For the same reason that just because I feel an "adulterous tendency" (i.e. I want to have sexual relations with many beautiful women that I see) does not give me the right to act upon this feeling - regardless of how much the actual temptation is or isn't my fault.

The Church doesn't care - in so far as this question is concerned - if the ultimate answer is that homosexual feelings are brought on by circumstances (I believe many are, stemming from early sexual abuse), or if they are a natural inclination.  The heart of the matter is it is a disordered sexual desire, because sex is meant to be expressed between one man and one woman within marriage, which is a mystery built into our very bodies to show us the mystery of a Triune Godhead.

Hopefully that helps.

Pax Christi,

-J.M.J. West