**2352 **By *masturbation *is to be understood the deliberate stimulation of the genital organs in order to derive sexual pleasure. “Both the Magisterium of the Church, in the course of a constant tradition, and the moral sense of the faithful have been in no doubt and have firmly maintained that masturbation is an intrinsically and gravely disordered action.” “The deliberate use of the sexual faculty, for whatever reason, outside of marriage is essentially contrary to its purpose.” For here sexual pleasure is sought outside of “the sexual relationship which is demanded by the moral order and in which the total meaning of mutual self-giving and human procreation in the context of true love is achieved.”
I think that some of us are missing the key phrase highlighted above. This information is aimed at masturbation OUTSIDE OF MARRIAGE. When we were first married (a long time ago), we were told, BY THOSE REPRESENTING THE CHURCH IN A MARRIAGE CLASS that WITHIN the context of marriage, no sexual activity is sinful AS LONG AS THERE IS NO INTENTION TO PREVENT CONCEPTION.
I also think that it is important to understand that the Church’s rationale here is directed towards strengthening the bonds of married love and the procreation of children. However, there are couples who are, unfortunately, infertile as well as those who are well past child-bearing age. So there is, in such cases, no question of avoiding conception.
When we try to insist that Church law applies, without exception, to every individual case we get into the problem of legalism - just as did the Pharisees. But Christ taught us that it is not the law, but mercy, that is the heart of our faith. So we should not be insisting that we know that masturbation within the context of EVERY marriage is sinful.
