What is Viagra?
As far as we know, the Church has not condemned the use of Viagra. Your question is interesting and occasions an opportunity to make an important distinction. Artificial contraception, as you must know, is the intentional prevention of conception or impregnation through the use of various devices, agents, drugs, sexual practices, or surgical procedures before, during, or after a voluntary act of intercourse. Viagra, on the other hand, is a drug that helps males to overcome a pathological condition preventing them from engaging in the conjugal act with their spouses.
Assisting vs. Opposing Nature
Is it wrong for a married man to be assisted by medical treatment to have sexual relations with his wife? Surely it cannot be. Scripture tells us that God, out of His infinite and powerful love, created man and woman for each other. He then said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it” (Genesis 1: 28). Here we see the creation and the plan of God for marriage. And in order that they would be able to fulfill that plan, God created them with a natural desire for each other. This desire is good and noble when it is satisfied in the way that the Creator intended. Sex is a beautiful and holy gift from God to a husband and wife because this is one of the means by which they can fulfill the two purposes and meanings of marriage – to be unitive (uniting the spouses in love) and to be procreative (to bear children, if and when it is God’s divine will). Let us not make the mistake, though, of placing all of the focus on sex. Sexual performance is not the end-all in marriage and really has little to do with the spiritual aspect of marriage.
Use of drugs such as Viagra to help overcome pathological conditions can certainly not be immoral. The difference between use of such drugs and contraceptives is that contraceptives do not help overcome a pathological condition. Being fertile is not a pathology. There is quite a difference. Viagra does not go against nature – it assists nature. Artificial contraception does not assist nature – it goes against nature.
Morality Within & Outside of Marriage
I assumed, of course, that you were referring to married men in your question. If, however, you were asking about all men using Viagra, then that would change the answer. The Catholic Church has, from the beginning, taught consistently that sexual intercourse “must take place exclusively within marriage. Outside of marriage it always constitutes a grave sin and excludes one from sacramental communion.” (CCC #2390) This teaching we firmly believe comes to us from God, and the Church cannot fail in her responsibility to proclaim this truth.
You can see, therefore, that because we believe firmly that sex outside of marriage is immoral, then the use of Viagra – a drug specifically used to assist males to be able to have sexual intercourse – by single men would most naturally be condemned as immoral. This teaching by the Church regarding no sex outside of marriage is often not a popular one and creates a tremendous challenge for many single persons today, but the reality is that it is a beautiful teaching, for it comes from God and therefore we know that it comes from His loving heart and only for our good and true happiness.
Grace MacKinnon is a syndicated columnist and public speaker on Catholic doctrine. Readers are welcome to submit questions about the Catholic faith to: Grace MacKinnon, 1234 Russell Drive #103, Brownsville, Texas 78520. Questions also may be sent by e-mail to: grace@deargrace.com. You may visit Grace online at www.DearGrace.com.
