God created you with a yearning to know Him, a beacon of curiosity guiding you towards your Creator. This innate desire, whether recognized or not, drives us to seek understanding and purpose. For you, as a Catholic man, this yearning is a call to know, love, and serve God in this world, ultimately finding eternal happiness with Him in Heaven. This is the ultimate goal of every man: to attain heaven.
This guide serves to redirect you towards Heaven, aiding you in the battle against temptations and actions of impurity that can lead souls astray. Christ calls for absolute sexual continence outside of marriage, a principle often disregarded in today’s society. Drawing upon the wisdom of spiritual masters like Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Saint John-Marie Vianney, Saint Augustine, Saint Louis de Montfort, Saint Catherine of Bologna, and the Catechism of the Council of Trent, this guide offers remedies for overcoming sins of impurity.
It is important to note, as Saint Alphonsus Liguori advises, that we must avoid scandalizing the innocent by explicitly detailing sins of impurity. Therefore, this guide refrains from obscene descriptions, referring to sins against the sixth and ninth commandments as sins of impurity.
The Dishonor of Impurity: Understanding the Stakes
The battle for purity is a war, an exhausting struggle filled with crosses and obstacles. The more you have indulged in sins of impurity, the harder it will be to break free. Yet, Christ offers solace and strength: “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Let’s explore the goodness of the marital act, why impurity is a grave evil, its impact on the soul, and even how demons recoil from it.
The Sacredness of Marriage and the Marital Act
The marital act is a beautiful and holy gift from God, essential for the continuation of the human race and the sanctification of souls. God grants the man and woman the power to assist Him in creating a new, unique human soul in His image. When practiced chastely within the Sacrament of Matrimony, the marital act increases grace and earns merit.
However, the marital act is exclusively reserved for marriage. Any expression of it outside of this context is condemned by Biblical tradition, Christ, and the Magisterium of the Roman Catholic Church. This teaching is often disregarded in the modern world, sadly even within the Catholic Church. This is largely due to a self-centered and hedonistic culture that prioritizes personal gratification over service and commitment.
The Malice of Impurity: A Mortal Threat
Impurity is especially malicious because willful actions against chastity constitute mortal sin. Mortal sin deprives the soul of sanctifying grace, making you an enemy of God and closing the gates of Heaven. Church teachings state that a soul dying in mortal sin descends immediately into Hell for eternity.
Besides losing grace, impurity has detrimental effects on the soul. St. Alphonsus identifies three consequences: it blinds the sinner, hardens the heart, and leads to a multitude of other sins like anger, hatred, blasphemy, false oaths, and perjury.
Demons delight in sins of impurity, as it is difficult to break free from this vice. St. John Marie Vianney compares the impure soul to cloth stained with oil, requiring a miracle to cleanse. While grace makes anything possible, and many saints have overcome this vice, impurity is a grave offense that leads souls to Hell.
Impurity as an Offense Against God
Some misguided individuals claim that sins of impurity are minor offenses. However, these individuals are blinded to the terrible damage impurity inflicts upon the soul and the Body of Christ. As a soul created in God’s image, a child of God, and an heir to Heaven, your body is a temple of the Holy Ghost, redeemed by Christ’s blood!
Impurity dishonors your soul by robbing it of God’s life of grace. It dishonors your body, the temple of the Holy Ghost. And it dishonors God by misusing the marital act, created as a good, to commit evil.
Consider the story shared by St. Alphonsus: a magician, after committing a sin of impurity, summoned the devil. The devil appeared but refused to approach, stating, “Your lust does not permit me to approach you.” If the devil cannot look upon the impure man, how can God, who is All Good, All Holy, All Powerful, and All Just? An impure man becomes like an unclean animal, an object of horror in the eyes of God and His angels.
Therefore, beg God for true sorrow and repentance. The struggle for purity cannot be achieved alone. You must be in a state of grace. If you are in a state of mortal sin, go to confession immediately. Review your conscience, ask God for the grace of sorrow, make a firm purpose of amendment, and return to God through a good confession. With grace, you will be ready to use the weapons the Saints have provided to defeat the enemy and gain an eternal crown of glory.
Sins Against Thought: Navigating the Inner Landscape
A dedicated section regarding sins of thought against purity is essential, as this is a common point of confusion. Some scrupulous individuals mistakenly believe that temptations themselves are gravely sinful, while others fail to recognize the sinfulness of indulging in impure thoughts. Drawing on the teachings of St. Alphonsus Liguori, let’s define sins of thought against the virtue of purity.
There are three incremental steps to be aware of when facing impure thoughts: temptation/suggestion, pleasure, and consent.
The Three Steps to Sinful Thought
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Temptation or Suggestion: This is the initial arising of an impure thought. If you immediately reject the temptation, no sin is committed, and merit is gained. St. Alphonsus states, “As often as you resist, so often you are crowned.” Even the saints experienced temptations. St. Alphonsus teaches that temptation is often a sign that you are in a state of grace.
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Pleasure: If the impure thought is not immediately rejected, it begins to delight and give pleasure, drawing you towards consent. As long as you do not give consent of the will, only a venial sin is committed. However, it is critical to repel the thought at this stage, as the time between pleasure and consent is often brief.
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Consent: This occurs when full consent of the will is given to the thought, or when the soul delights in thinking of the immodest action as if it were being committed. At this point, a mortal sin has been committed.
It is vital to practice banishing impure thoughts now, as the devil will intensify his temptations at the hour of death in an attempt to snatch you away from God at the last second.
St. Alphonsus Liguori shares a cautionary tale: a man who had often consented to bad thoughts during his life made a seemingly good confession at the hour of death, leading everyone to believe he was a saint. However, after death, he appeared and revealed that he was damned. He explained that God had pardoned his sins, but before death, the devil presented the thought that he should not abandon the woman who loved him. He initially rejected the thought, but eventually, he consented to it, dying in sin and being damned.
The remedies against impure thoughts are: invocation of the names of Jesus and Mary, turning your thoughts away from the impure thought, and meditating on the Passion of Christ.
Dreams and Impurity: Separating Reality from Illusion
Can a person commit sin while sleeping or dreaming? The answer is no. However, recalling and reflecting upon impure dreams after waking up is dangerous. The devil may use impure dreams as a subtle temptation to encourage further sinful thoughts. Therefore, always say three Hail Marys before bed and ask your guardian angel to protect you from dreams that are not of God.
Remedies: Arming Yourself for the Spiritual Battle
Before engaging the enemy, you must learn the weapons of combat. There are seven principle weapons of the spiritual combat for purity, categorized into three types of remedies: sacramental, remedies to strengthen the soul, and remedies to use in the moment of temptation. Consistent practice of these remedies guarantees freedom from impurity and a chaste life.
Sacramental Remedy: Marriage
St. Paul proposes marriage as a remedy in his epistle to the Corinthians: “But if they do not contain themselves, let them marry. For it is better to marry than to be burnt.”
Marriage is the only context in which the marital act can be practiced without mortal sin. God instilled the desire to procreate in humanity to ensure its continuation. Christ instituted the Sacrament of Matrimony to protect against sins of the flesh and to provide a path to sanctification. The marital act itself is not evil but must be used within the proper context of marriage.
Couples who receive this sacrament receive special graces to control their passions and to love their spouse unconditionally, mirroring Christ’s love for the Church. Marriage requires self-denial and service to one’s spouse and children, but these struggles are preferable to the fires of Hell.
Remedies for Combating Temptations: Strengthening the Will
Even if you are not called or ready for marriage, there are remedies for fighting impurity by strengthening your will to do good and avoid evil. These six remedies are interconnected and include: flight from the near occasions of sin, frequenting the sacraments, living a good prayer life, seeking recourse to the Blessed Mother Mary, a strong distrust of self, and denial of self.
Each remedy is dependent upon the others. For example, you will struggle to avoid the occasions of sin without a strong distrust of self, which is difficult to cultivate without a good prayer life, which hinges upon frequenting the sacraments. Consistent practice of these remedies leads to freedom from sins against purity in a relatively short time.
Persevere even if you struggle to overcome these sins. Christ’s example on Calvary shows us the importance of perseverance. Sometimes, God allows us to fall so we can recognize our own weakness, fostering a deep distrust of self and reliance on Him as our Savior and Redeemer.
1. Ridding Yourself of the Occasion of Sin
St. Alphonsus Liguori emphasizes the necessity of avoiding dangerous occasions. What causes you to fall into sins of impurity? Consider the company you keep, certain websites, unchaste books, indecent films, or immodest environments. Once you identify your occasions of sin, eliminate them from your life. You cannot extinguish the flames of impurity without removing the fuel. St. Alphonsus writes that exposing yourself to the occasion of sin and not falling is miraculous. Removing all occasions of sin is crucial for advancing in purity and receiving absolution in confession.
2. Frequenting the Sacraments: Penance and the Eucharist
To wage spiritual warfare effectively, you must be in a state of grace. The sacraments of Penance (confession) and Holy Communion are essential for souls striving for grace.
Penance: St. Thomas Aquinas compares sin to sickness in the body, requiring medicine for restoration to health, which is granted through the Sacrament of Penance. Christ, the doctor, desires your healing and beckons you to Him. The mercy of God is ever ready to wash and consume the soul in an ocean of mercy. Regardless of the gravity of your offenses, Christ will forgive you if you make a good confession. Do not delay confession, as your time on earth is uncertain.
Holding back mortal sins in confession is detrimental. St. Alphonsus Liguori states that the devil blinds souls with the malice of their sins, convincing them that their sins are too shameful or insignificant to confess. This leads to sacrilegious confessions, where the sinner divides his heart between God and the devil. All confessions made after a sacrilegious confession are invalid until you re-confess all mortal sins since your last valid confession, including the number of sacrilegious confessions made.
Sins of impurity are particularly prone to bad or sacrilegious confessions. Shame often leads to excuses for not confessing these sins. Do not fall for this deception! It is helpful to confess the most shameful sins first to resist the temptation to hold them back. Remember that the priest is bound by the seal of confession to conceal everything heard in the confessional.
Scrupulous individuals should note that forgetting a mortal sin or withholding a venial sin due to memory lapse does not constitute a sacrilegious confession. Only deliberately withholding a mortal sin makes a confession sacrilegious. If you remember a forgotten mortal sin, you are obligated to confess it in your next confession.
The Holy Eucharist: After receiving sanctifying grace through confession, maintain it by frequently receiving our Lord in Holy Communion. St. Maximilian Kolbe states that angels would be jealous of men for Holy Communion. Just as penance is medicine for the soul, the Eucharist is food. A soul deprived of the graces of the Eucharist will rarely triumph over evil.
3. Distrust of Self and Humility
You must recognize that you cannot fight this battle alone and that, while God is infinitely strong, you are infinitely weak. You face an enemy that is stronger, more watchful, more cunning, and more strategically advanced. The devil wants you to trust in your own strength. St. Catherine of Bologna warns that those who trust in their own wisdom will fall into ruin. Remember, “For without Me you can do nothing.”
St. Philip Neri teaches that humility is the safeguard of chastity, and that the greatest danger in purity is not fearing the danger. You are weak and cannot fight this battle alone. Making acts of humility throughout the day, such as praying, “Dearest Jesus, have mercy upon me, a sinner who is nothing without you!” strengthens you against sins of impurity.
Reflect on the story of Saint Philosophus, who, when faced with the temptation of impurity, bit out his own tongue rather than sin. Such courage stemmed from a deep distrust of self. Ask for his intercession to live a pure life, practice the remedies against impurity diligently, and join him in eternal glory.
4. Prayer: A Shield and a Sword
St. Faustina emphasizes the importance of prayer in all states of the soul: “A soul arms itself by prayer for all kinds of combat. In whatever state the soul may be, it ought to pray.” Prayer serves as both a shield to protect you from the enemy and a weapon to refute him. St. John Chrysostom states that a virtuous life is impossible without prayer.
Prayer is communication with God, through which you earn grace. When you pray, you unite yourself with God, who loves you infinitely. God wants to bring you to Himself and will do anything to aid you. He wants you to become like Him. Through prayer, you unite your will with His, and God’s will is for you to do good and avoid evil.
St. John Vianney taught that we are like little mirrors in which God contemplates Himself. If you always kept the presence of God, how could you possibly offend Him, who is all good and righteous?
5. Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary
Devotion to the Mother of God is a powerful tool for overcoming impurity. As the “virgin of virgins,” she was pure enough to bear and nurture Christ. Two devotions are particularly effective:
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Recitation of 3 Hail Marys: Recite three Hail Marys every morning in honor of the purity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. St. Alphonsus Liguori tells the story of a man burdened by sins of impurity who was instructed to say three Hail Marys every morning. After several years, he returned with barely any venial sins to confess, attributing his freedom from impurity to this devotion.
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The Holy Rosary: St. Louis Marie de Montfort says that the Rosary is a beautiful reflection on the life, virtues, and sufferings of Christ, and that after the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, there is no finer devotion. The word Rosary means “crown of Roses,” and each time we say it, we crown the Blessed Mother with roses, honoring her as the co-redemptrix of humanity and her glorious purity.
When you honor Mary, you honor Christ. Mary was the closest human being to Christ, the perfection of God’s creation, and the chosen vessel to bear Him. Turn to her with your prayers and requests. St. Maximilian Kolbe tells us, “Prayer is powerful beyond limits when we turn to Mary, who is queen even of God’s heart.” By faithfully practicing devotion to the Mother of God, she will adopt you as her own, lead you into the kingdom of her Son.
6. Fasting: Conquering Concupiscence
Lust stems from the concupiscible passions, the passions of desire related to the sensuous appetite. Lust, gluttony, and sloth are all rooted in these passions. You can fight these vices by practicing the opposite virtues! Since lust, gluttony, and sloth are grouped together, you can combat all of them by practicing the opposite virtue of just one. Fasting strengthens the will against gluttony, lust, and sloth. This is why fasting aids the soul in striving for purity and why it is a remedy against impurity.
Remedies in the Moment of Temptation: Immediate Action
Knowing how to strengthen the soul is valuable, but knowing what to do in the moment of temptation is vital. The three primary remedies are: flight, calling upon the names of Jesus and Mary, and meditating on the passion and death of Christ.
1. Flight: Immediate Escape
There is no better proven method than immediately fleeing from the thought or occasion tempting you to sin. St. Alphonsus Liguori advises turning the mind to a spiritual or indifferent object rather than directly confronting the impure thought. Numerous accounts of the saints show them fleeing temptations without hesitation.
Saint Jose Maria Escriva questioned, “To defend his purity, Saint Francis of Assisi rolled in the snow, Saint Benedict threw himself into a thornbush, Saint Bernard plunged into an icy pond…but you, what have you done?” Fleeing from temptations earns merit and brings peace. Allowing dialogue with temptation robs the soul of peace, just as consent destroys grace.
2. Calling upon the Names of Jesus and Mary: A Cry for Help
If temptation persists, call upon the names of Jesus and Mary with confidence. Just as a bear cub’s cry for help brings its ferocious mother, Jesus and Mary will come to your aid when you cry for assistance. If you value grace, do not hesitate to vocally call upon their names in the moment of temptation.
3. Meditation upon the Passion of Christ: Remembering His Sacrifice
While not specifically discussed by St. Alphonsus, St. Augustine and other spiritual writers recommend meditating on the Passion of Christ as an immediate remedy. St. Augustine writes, “There is no remedy as powerful against the heat of concupiscence as the remembrance of our Savior’s Passion… In them I sleep secure; from them I derive new life.” If you always remembered the pains of Christ, how could you offend Him who died for you?
Conclusion: A Journey Towards Holiness
This guide is intended to aid you in your battle towards Christ, away from evil and impurity, and towards favor with God. God desires your presence! He awaits your return, ready to embrace you, as in the story of the prodigal son. Cast off the yoke of impurity and never lose hope. “When you decide firmly to lead a clean life, chastity will not be a burden on you: it will be a crown of triumph.” As long as you live, you can be delivered. It will not be easy, and relapses are common. Pope Saint John Paul II reminds us that “Chastity is a difficult, long term matter; one must wait patiently for it to bear fruit, and for the happiness of loving kindness which it must bring.”
Begin this battle today with the help of Christ and the Most Blessed Virgin Mary.
[i]: #_ednref1 Baltimore Catechism, Catechism No. 1 Lesson 1 Question 6
[ii]: #_ednref2 Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Moral Theology
[iii]: #_ednref3 Matthew 11:29-30
[iv]: #_ednref4 To make a sin mortal, three things are necessary: the sin must be a grievous matter, the sinner must know it is a grievous matter, and the sinner must give full consent of the will (Baltimore Catechism, Q. 282).
[v]: #_ednref5 Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Complete Aesthetical works Volume XVI, treatise on the sixth commandment
[vi]: #_ednref6 Saint John Marie Vianney, Catechism on impurity
[vii]: #_ednref7 Saint John Marie Vianney, Catechism on impurity
[viii]: #_ednref8 St. Alphonsus Liguori, Complete Aesthetical works Volume XVI, treatise on the sixth commandment
[ix]: #_ednref9 Saint John Vianney, Catechism on impurity
[x]: #_ednref10 In order to incite in yourself a great horror and sorrow for your sins, the Fathers and Doctors of the Church encourage us to meditate upon hell. Saint Benedict Joseph Labre tells us,“Meditate on the horrors of Hell which will last for eternity because of one easily-committed mortal sin. Try hard to be among the few who are chosen. Think of the eternal flames of Hell, and how few there are that are saved.”
[xi]: #_ednref11 Saint Alphonsus Liguori Complete Aesthetical works Volume XVI, treatise on the sixth commandment
[xii]: #_ednref12 St. Alphonsus Liguori, Complete Aesthetical works Volume XVI, treatise on the sixth commandment
[xiii]: #_ednref13 St. Alphonsus Liguori, Complete Aesthetical works Volume XVI, treatise on the sixth commandment
[xiv]: #_ednref14 1 Corinthians 7:9
[xv]: #_ednref15 Saint Alphonsus Liguori
[xvi]: #_ednref16 Saint Thomas Aquinas
[xvii]: #_ednref17 Saint Faustina Divine Mercy in My Soul
[xviii]: #_ednref18 Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Sermons for all Sundays of the Year. Sermon for the 3rd Sunday in Lent
[xix]: #_ednref19 Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Complete Aesthetical works Volume XVI, treatise on the sixth commandment
[xx]: #_ednref20 Your last valid confession would be the last time you confessed all of your mortal sins without holding any sins back.
[xxi]: #_ednref21 Catechism of the Council of Trent
[xxii]: #_ednref22 Baltimore Catechism, Question 793
[xxiii]: #_ednref23 Saint Maximilian Kolbe
[xxiv]: #_ednref24 Saint Catherine of Bologna The Seven Spiritual Weapons
[xxv]: #_ednref25 John 15:5
[xxvi]: #_ednref26 Saint Phillip Neri
[xxvii]: #_ednref27 Saint Jerome, Father and Doctor of the Church, Epistle to Saint Eustochium
[xxviii]: #_ednref28 Butler’s lives of the Saints
[xxix]: #_ednref29 St. Faustina
[xxx]: #_ednref30 St. John Chrysostom
[xxxi]: #_ednref31 Psalm 97:10
[xxxii]: #_ednref32 Saint John Marie Vianney, Catechism on impurity
[xxxiii]: #_ednref33 Saint Alphonsus Liguori Complete Aesthetical works Volume XVI, treatise on the sixth commandment
[xxxiv]: #_ednref34 Saint Louis de Montfort, The Secret of the Rosary, Chapter 24; the 24th Rose
[xxxv]: #_ednref35 Saint Louis de Montfort, The Secret of the Rosary, Chapter 28; the 28th Rose
[xxxvi]: #_ednref36 http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/04208a.htm
[xxxvii]: #_ednref37 St. Alphonsus Liguori, on temptation
[xxxviii]: #_ednref38 Saint Jose Maria Escriva
[xxxix]: #_ednref39 Saint Jose Maria Escriva
[xl]: #_ednref40 Saint Augustine
[xli]: #_ednref41 Saint John Marie Vianney, Catechism on impurity
[xlii]: #_ednref42 Luke 15:11-32
[xliii]: #_ednref43 Saint Jose Maria Escriva
