The Loss of Shame

Fr. Angelo continues to discuss prudery versus modesty and how sometimes a little shame can be a good thing.

Real prudery—it is true—is unresolved lust. However, the [contemporary] crusaders misappropriate it to every and all reactions of shame. They tell us that anytime one acts with shame in respect to sexual matters it is because they have hidden lust in their hearts and are not being honest about it....

Unfortunately, this approach is doomed because there are real distinctions between Manichaeism, Jansenism and scrupulosity. The latter is not hatred of the body, but pride of judgment and fear of responsibility. All three things can overlap, but they don’t necessarily. The apologetic gurus of our age, I must presume, do not read souls. They should not pretend to.

Likewise, there are real distinctions between shame of sinful things, shame of holy things and lust dressed up as shame (prudery). They are not the same thing and cannot be treated as the same thing without misrepresenting the faith and misleading souls....