Chapter II: Of an Oath

§ 1. An oath, that is, the invocation of the divine Name as witness of the truth, cannot be furnished except in truth, in judgment, and in justice.

§ 2. An oath which the canons require or admit cannot validly be furnished through a procurator.

§ 1. One who freely swears that he will do something is held by a peculiar obligation of religion to fulfill what he has confirmed by oath.

§ 2. An oath extorted by force or grave fear is valid, but can be relaxed by an ecclesiastical Superior.

§ 3. An oath furnished neither by force nor by deceit, by which someone renounces a private good or favor conceded to him by law, is to be observed as often as it does not verge upon the loss of eternal salvation.

§ 1. A promissory oath follows the nature and conditions of the act to which it is added.

§ 2. If an oath is added to an act directly verging upon the harm of others or upon the prejudice of the public good or of eternal salvation, the act obtains no firmness from it.

The obligation induced by a promissory oath ceases:

1° If it is remitted by him for whose advantage the oath had been emitted.

2° If the thing sworn is substantially changed, or, with circumstances changed, becomes either evil or wholly indifferent, or finally impedes a greater good.

3° When the final cause or condition under which perhaps the oath was given is lacking.

4° By irritation, dispensation, or commutation, according to the norm of can. 1320.

Those who can irritate, dispense, or commute a vow have the same power and by the same reason concerning a promissory oath; but if dispensation from the oath verges upon prejudice to others who refuse to remit the obligation, the Apostolic See alone can dispense the oath on account of the necessity or utility of the Church.

An oath is to be interpreted strictly according to law and according to the intention of the one swearing, or, if he acts deceitfully, according to the intention of him to whom the oath is sworn.