Dear Crystal:

Asexuality has no relevance to Christian doctrine or life. A Christian is not required to have sexual attractions. St. Teresa of Avila had problems with sexual thoughts and thus she asked God for the gift of chastity of mind. God granted her that gift. In today's world she would be called asexual as she was chaste and body and also chaste in mind, and thus had no sexual attractions. Personally, I would love to be asexual. If I were I wouldn't have to struggle with sexual thoughts. That would be wonderful.

The cause of asexuality is not really known. It is not a personality disorder or a mental illness. It is also not a sexual dysfunction. Asexual's often have low esteem but that is primarily because of society's prejudice against them. Those who voluntarily offer vows of chastity are also looked upon as weird because we live in a highly sexual culture that does not understand how anyone could voluntarily give up sex. Thus, since asexuals are not making a personal voluntary choice, society considers them disordered and believes that therapy will fix them or they will cease to be asexuals if they just find the right person. None of that is true.

Asexuals need to be respected as with anybody else. Moral behavior is required of them as it is required of homosexuals or heterosexuals. Everyone needs to love and worship God. Asexuals, homosexuals, and others do not have to be atheist or agnostics. Unless living a lifestyle of perpetual and unrepentant sin, they may be fully welcomed into the Christian community. In terms of marriage, if asexuality precludes one from having sex at all (which is not the case with every asexual) then they would be disqualified from the Sacrament of Marriage, as the Sacrament requires consummation.

By the way, a celibate is a person who is not married. Thus, everyone who is not married, even if they are fornicating, is a celibate. Forgoing sex is chastity. Obviously, a celibate, that is a person who is not married, should also be chaste since sex is reserved only to a man and woman who are married to each other. The vows that I take are that of chastity, poverty, and obedience. This includes permanent celibacy, that is, I can never be married. The fuller term is celibacy and chastity perfect continence, meaning that the celibacy and chastity are not temporary but permanent.

The bottom line is that asexuals may live a good Christian life like anyone else. Their asexuality does not preclude them from the Christ-life, nor from the Sacramental life.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary