During a recent catechesis devoted to the “vice of lust”, Pope Francis spoke about the importance of sexual pleasure as a gift from God, while also cautioning against the dangers of pornography. He expressed concern about how the use of pornography was undermining the meaningful relationships and unique pleasure that come from human intimacy. He warned that satisfaction without a relationship can become addictive and damage people’s lives.
Pope Francis acknowledged that the battle against lust can be a lifelong undertaking, but still emphasized the importance of cherishing love and sexual pleasure. He made it clear that pornography was not compatible with Catholicism and cautioned against its use among the clergy and laity alike.
The Pope addressed the recent scandal surrounding sexually explicit content written decades ago by the Vatican’s head of doctrine, Victor Manuel Fernandez. Fernandez, a close advisor to Pope Francis, had authored a book containing detailed descriptions of male and female orgasms and had previously been criticized for a sexually charged book he wrote in his youth. In response, Fernandez described the content as not something he would write now.
The pontiff also spoke about the prevalence of pornography and the dangers of social media, warning that priests and nuns were not immune to its influence. He highlighted the “devil” of digital pornography, which is a widespread vice that affects many laymen and laywomen as well as members of religious orders.
The Pope’s acknowledgment of this issue was noteworthy because it was uncommon for high-ranking members of the church to speak openly about taboo subjects within sexual morality.
In late 2020, the Vatican was forced to seek explanations from Instagram after Pope Francis’s official Instagram account “liked” a photo of a Brazilian model, Natalia Garibotto. The incident raised questions about the management of the Pope’s social media accounts and demonstrated the challenges that religious leaders face in the digital age.
