On Fraternal Correction

(St. Thomas, q. 33.)

Although, if the force of the words be attended to, correction and admonition differ — for admonition is a reprehension directed to the amendment of a brother, correction is the amendment itself — by accepted usage among theologians they are confounded and taken for one and the same.

There is a twofold admonition of a delinquent¹⁹²: One which applies a remedy to sin inasmuch as it is some evil of the sinner himself and is ordered to his amendment, called fraternal. The other is that which applies a remedy to sin inasmuch as it is to the evil of others, and especially to the harm of the common good, and is called judicial. This latter is an act of justice, whose office is to preserve the rectitude of justice of one toward another. Fraternal, however, since it is a spiritual work of mercy, is an act elicited by mercy and commanded by charity. ¹⁹² Hic, q. 33, a. 1, o.

Judicial admonition is not treated here, but only fraternal, which can be defined: « An act of charity and mercy by which, through fitting speech or something equivalent, we strive to turn our neighbor from the evil of sin to the good of virtue.