April 23, 2022Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
A Blessed Eastertide to all our founding members and new members of the League.
Over the next four or five months I will bring you the text of the original manuscript as translated by Father Owen J. Blum, O.F.M. This includes the postscript letter from Pope Leo IX who was only in office a few months before receiving the work from the hand of Peter Damian.
In the Book of Gomorrah, written in 1049, Peter Damian distinguishes the four classes of unnatural vice to which many of the secular clergy of his region were addicted. He condemns the vice in thought, word, and deed, and explains why the practice of sodomy, in its different forms, degrades the priesthood and leads to disastrous spiritual consequences for the afflicted clergy.
Unlike the German Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising who believes and teaches that homosɛҳuąƖ acts are not a sin, Saint Peter Damian preached and taught that sodomy is a grave sin as is its handmaiden, pederasty, that is, ɧoɱosɛҳųαƖ acts performed on young boys.
God Bless you all,
Randy Engel, Director
STUDY GUIDE #31 April 23, 2022
St. Peter Damian’s Letter 31 (1049 AD)
The Book of Gomorrah
Part I
By The Humble Monk, Peter Damian
(1)To the blessed Pope Leo, Peter, the monks’ least servant, send the homage of his proper devotion.
(2) Since we know from the mouth of Truth itself that the Apostolic See is the mother of all churches, it is proper that if any doubt should arise in matters pertaining to the welfare of souls, one should have recourse to her as to the teacher and, as one might say, to the source of heavenly wisdom, so that from this unique principle of ecclesiastical discipline a light may go forth by which the entire body of the Church is bathed in the utter brilliance that Truth imparts, once the darkness of uncertainty has been dispelled. In our region a certain abominable and most shameful vice has developed, and unless it be prevented as soon as possible by the severest punishment, it is certain that the sword of divine fury will be unsheathed, leading in its unchecked violence to the destruction of many. One is nauseated with shame and embarrassment to speak of things so disgracefully foul, or even to mention them within earshot of Your Holiness. But if a physician is appalled by the contagion of the plague, who is likely to wield the cautery? If he grows squeamish when he is about to apply the cure, who will restore health to stricken hearts?
The befouling cancer of sodomy is, in fact, spreading so through the clergy or rather, like a savage beast, is raging with such shameless abandon through the flock of Christ, that for many of them it would be more salutary to be burdened with service to the world than, under the pretext of religion, to be enslaved so easily under the iron rule of satanic tyranny.
It would be better for them to perish alone as laymen than, after having changed their attire but not their disposition, to drag others with them to destruction, as Truth itself testifies when it says, “But if anyone is a cause of stumbling to one of these little ones, it would be better for him to be drowned in the depths of the seas with a great millstone round his neck.” Unless immediate effort be exerted by the Apostolic See, there is little doubt that, even if one wished to curb this unbridled evil, he could not check the momentum of its progress.
On the Variety of Sodomites
(3) But that the matter be completely clear to you and be properly presented, there appears to be four varieties of this criminal vice. There are some who pollute themselves; there are others who befoul one another by mutually handling their genitals. Others still who fornicate between the thighs; and others who do so from the rear. Of these, as we proceed through the various degrees, the two latter are to be judged more serious than the others.
Certainly, a greater penance must be imposed on those who sin with others, than on those who masturbate alone; and a more severe judgment is to be passed on those who couple between the thighs. The ingenious artifice of the devil contrived these states of corruption, so that the higher the unhappy soul rises in the scale of vice, the deeper it is likely to be buried in hell.
That Improper Leniency on the Part of Prelates
Does Not Check Those Who Deviate from Right Conduct
(4) It often happens that those who are guilty of this abandoned behavior come to their sensesthrough the generosity of divine mercy, are led to repentance, and devoutly submit to public penance, no matter how severe, but dread to face the loss of ecclesiastical status. Some prelates, however, acting perhaps more leniently than they should, in respect to this vice flatly decide that no one need be deposed from orders because of the first three degrees we listed earlier; they do not refuse to degrade only those who are known to have committed anal intercourse. In other words, should one prompt an ejaculation by his own effort, or pollute another by manipulating him with his hands, or lie with another between the thighs in the manner of the different sexes, so long as he avoids violating his partner from the rear, he should be given a penance commensurate with his crime, but not deprived of clerical status. Thus it happens that a man is known to have committed this sin with eight or even ten equally foul companions, is still permitted to continue in his rank. Without a doubt, such permissive indulgence hardly excises the lesion but only stimulates its growth; it does not promote in the culprit bitter regrets over his daringly illicit acts, but rather grants him freedom for future ventures. It would seem that an erotic cleric, whatever his rank in orders, dreads more to be despised by men than to be condemned under the scrutiny of the divine Judge. As a result, he prefers any penance, no matter how severe or enduring, to the danger of losing his stature. And while because of this imprudent discretion he does not fear to lose his benefice, he is challenged both to dare novel sins and to persist the longer in deeds for which he has come off unscathed. And so, to put it another way, so long as he is not struck in the place where his illness is more severe, he sensuously wallows in the foul slough of obscenity into which he has fallen.
That Those Who Are Addicted to Impure Practices Should Be neither Promoted to Orders nor, if Already Ordained, Be Allowed to Continue
(5) On the other hand, it seems to me to be utterly preposterous for those who are habituated to this filth of this festering disease to dare to present themselves for orders, or to remain in them if they have been ordained. It is clearly contrary to reason and opposed to the canonical decrees of the Fathers. I state this, not to render a definitive opinion in your august presence, but only to make my position clear. It is not without cause that this shameful deed is considered to be the worst of crimes, seeing that Almighty God is always read to have detested it, even when he had not yet curbed other vices, he already kept condemning this one with the precepts of the Law, under pain of the strictest penalty. Passing over the fact that with sulfurous fire from heaven he destroyed the two eminent cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and all the surrounding countryside;he struck down Onan, the son of Judah, because of the enormity and brought him to an untimely death, as Scripture relates: “But Onan, knowing that the offspring would not be his, spilt his seed on the ground every time he slept with his brother’s wife, to avoid providing children for his brother. And therefore, the Lord killed him because he had done a detestable thing.” In the Law it also says, “If a man lies with a man in the same way as with a woman, both have done a hateful thing; they must die, their blood shall be on their own heads.”
(6) He, moreover, who has committed this crime for which the Old Testament prescribes the death penalty, should not be promoted to ecclesiastical orders. This is borne out in the letters of Pope Gregory, writing to Passivus the bishop: “You, my brothers,” he says, “are well aware how long the Abruzzi has been without pastoral care. For a long time we have sought for someone worthy of ordination from that district, and were totally unable to find one. But since Importunusis highly recommended to me because of his moral life, his zeal for chanting the psalms, and his love of prayer, and is reported to lead a holy life, I wish that you, my brother, would have him visit you and that you would provide him spiritual advice so that he may progress in virtue. Andif it is clear that he is innocent of any sins that according to the tenor of the Law are punishable by death, let him be ordained, either to become a monk, or raised by you to the subdiaconate, and after some time, God willing, let him be promoted to the cure of souls.”
(7) Notice that in this context it is clearly understood that any man who sins with a man by intercourse as with a woman, that is, between the thighs, which crime, as we stated above, was punishable by death in the Old Law, even though he enjoys a good reputation, is zealous in promoting psalmody, is preeminent for his love of prayer, and is held in high esteem for his holy life; such a man can indeed receive full forgiveness of his guilt, but nowise can he be permitted to aspire to ecclesiastical orders. At the same time that Importunus, a venerable man, is praised and acclaimed, is honored and highly regarded for his upright and holy life, and esteemed for his many virtues, it is, nonetheless, later written of him, “If it is evident that he is innocent of any sins which, according to the tenor of the Law are punishable by death, then let him be ordained.” It is perfectly clear that when a capital crime has degraded a man, no subsequence holy life will reform him to the point where he might receive orders and ecclesiastical status. No one may aspire to reach the heights of preferment who has surely fallen into the depths of mortal sin. Hence, it is as plain as day that anyone proven guilty of fornicating with a man between his thighs, which, without a doubt is a mortal sin, will be promoted to ecclesiastical orders in total opposition to the norms of Holy Scripture and in complete disregard of the regulations ordained by God.
Whether Such Men May Be Permitted to Discharge This Office if Ecclesiastical Necessity Demands
(8) But perhaps someone will say that necessity demands and that no one is present who can celebrate divine services in the Church: consequently, the decision, which, as justice required, was at first appropriately severe, is now softened in the face of practical necessity. I am going to reply to this in a summary way: Was it not a pressing matter, and one fraught with necessity, at the time when the Apostolic See was without a shepherd? Shall we wipe out a vigorous judgment to benefit an individual, but retain it unchanged even to the deprivation of an entire people? If we do not sacrifice a principle to benefit a vast multitude, shall we violate it to promote one man’s advantage? Let the eminent preacher come forward and explain what he thinks about this vice. In his letter to the Ephesians, he says, “For you can be quite certain that no one who indulges in fornication or impurity or avarice can inherit anything of the kingdom of Christ and of God.”Therefore, how can he be so arrogant as to presume apposition of honor in the Church, which is surely the kingdom of God? Will he also fear to despise the Divine Law, which he disregarded by steeping himself in crime, when he assumes the dignity of ecclesiastical office? Indeed, he saves nothing for himself, because at every turn he was not afraid to be in contempt of God.
(9) This Law was imposed especially on those who violated it, as Paul attests when writing to Timothy: “The Law is not irreligious and for sinners, for the sacrilegious and defiled; it is for people who kill their fathers or mothers and for murderers, for those who are immoral with women or with men, for slavers, for liars and perjurers, and for everything else that is contrary to sound teaching.” Hence, as we have demonstrated, since the Law was instituted for those who are immoral with men to prevent them from daring to dishonor holy orders, by whom, I ask, should it be observed if it is despised in particular by those upon whom it is enjoined? No doubt , if he is such a capable person, it is obvious that the more prudent he is in choosing means to an end, the more careful he should be in observing the precepts of valid law.
The more aware a person is, the more reprehensible is his offense, because anyone who, had he wished, could prudently have avoided sin, will inevitably deserve punishment. For as James says, “Everyone who knows what is the right thing to do and does not do it commits a sin.” And Truth itself says, “Everyone to whom much is given, of him more will be required.” If a learned man violates the right order of ecclesiastical law, it would be surprising if an ignorant man observed it. If, however, just any educated man were irregularly ordained, it seems that he, in a sense, paving the way to error, which he so arrogantly set out to tread, for those who follow him, who are, I am sure, less gifted. Moreover, he is to be condemned, not only because he sinned, but for the further reason that by example of his own presumption he has others to emulate his sin.
That Those Who Desire Ordination After Incurring This Vice Have Become Depraved
(10) Who can turn a deaf ear, or, more to the point, who does not tremble through and through at the words Paul, like a mighty trumpet, blasts at such as these? “God abandoned them to their hearts’ desire and to the practices with which they dishonor their own bodies.” And almost immediately following he said, “that is why God has abandoned them to degrading passions. For their women have turned from natural intercourse to unnatural practices, and their menfolk likewise have given up natural intercourse with women to be consumed with passion for each other, men doing shameless things with men and getting an appropriate reward for their perversion. And since they refused to see that it was rational to acknowledge God, God has abandoned them to their depraved ideas to do that which was reprehensible.” Why is it that they are so eager to reach the top in ecclesiastical rank after such a grievous fall? What should we think, and what conclusion should we draw but that God has abandoned them to their depravity?
While they are slaves to sin he does not permit them to see what they need to do. Since the sun, that is, he who rises over death, has set for them, and after losing the sight furnished by their conscience, they are unable to judge the malice of the filthy acts that they perform, and to conclude that it is even worse that they desire ordination uncanonically, against the will of God. Accordingly, as is usually the case according to God’s decrees, they who defile themselves with this corrupting vice are smitten with a due judgement of punishment and incur a benighting blindness. Thus we read of the primitive originators of this foulness: They were about to use violence against the upright Lot and were at the point of breaking down the door. “But then, Scripture says, “the men reached out, pulled Lot back into the house, and shut the door. And they struck the men outside the house with blindness, from the youngest to the oldest, so that they could not find the doorway.” It is evident, moreover, that the two angels who, we read, were sent to blessed Lot, aptly represented the persons of the Father and the Son. This becomes clear from what Lot said to them: I beg you my lord, your servant has won your favor and you have shown great kindness to me in saving my life.” Certainly, one who speaks in the singular to two people as you would to one, is surely honoring one substance in two persons.
(To be continued next month)
Topic: The Book of Gomorrah By The Humble Monk, Peter Damian (Read 1213 times)