CURSE. — The curse is the offspring of wrath and consists in invoking evil upon others.
Since it formally constitutes a sentence, the curse can also be conditional, and this explains the ritual formulae concluding pacts in antiquity, examples of which are also found in the Bible (Lev. 26, 14-45; Deut. 11, 26-29). Cursing directed against beings insofar as they are the work of God falls within the scope of blasphemy; this scarcely occurs according to St. Alphonsus. If, instead, the curse terminates in creatures considered in themselves, it presents itself as an unreasonable act and hence illicit (Sum. Theol., 2a-2ae, q. 76, aa. 2-6); its psychological explanation is to be found in the general explanation of the predominance of passion (wrath, hatred, etc.), which prevents the mastery of the higher faculties. To curse beings, however, under the specific aspect of their harmfulness (occasion of sin or other great misfortune) does not involve moral disorder, because it is not unreasonable to oppose even affectively what is evil, the cause of aversion to II. From this point of view, certain exorcisms used by the Church in its Ritual are to be considered (v. , e.g., tit. II, cap. 2 for the rite of Baptism).
A special form of curse, which had great historical significance in the life of the Hebrew people, CHEREM (v.), which derives from the root hrm and designates what is cursed by God and condemned to extermination, whether person or thing, in honour of God.