90. Annual Confession, Paschal Communion

1. Antoninus in paschal time confesses his sins, although he had made sacramental confession only in the paschal time of the preceding year. In the present confession he confesses only venial sins; then he accuses a doubtful mortal sin, and forgets a certain grave sin.

Q. Is he held to confess again?

Resp. 1. Antoninus satisfied the precept of annual confession, confession having been made in the paschal time of the preceding and following year. For there are various opinions concerning the year to be computed as to this precept. Among others this also is present, that the year is computed from Easter to Easter, because this is considered the ecclesiastical year, and more conformable to the custom of the Church. The faithful, especially those who confess their sins only once in a year, are accustomed to make confession in paschal time, by a custom approved by Trent, sess. 14, c. 5, so that they may prepare themselves for paschal communion. I. M. 1558.

2. Antoninus does not seem to be held to repeating confession. For, 1. by confession of venial sins he probably satisfied the precept of annual confession. For although the common opinion holds that by this precept the Church imposes only the confession of mortal sins, nevertheless there are grave authors who judge that this precept also embraces the confession of venials only, if someone has committed no grave sin. S. Th. 4. d. 16. q. 2. a. 2; d. 17. q. 3. a. 1; Suppl. q. 6. a. 3; q. 8. a. 5 ad 4; Bened. XIV, Inst. 18. n. 2-4. Besides, he also probably satisfied the precept of annual confession by confessing a doubtful mortal sin. For many and grave authors teach that an obligation is present of confessing doubtful sins. “Here truly,” says Lugo, de Sacr. poenit. d. 15. n. 169, “he has already once fulfilled the precept of the Church and of Christ in the same year; for the precept of Christ, although it is not of confessing venials, nevertheless is of confessing not only certain grave sins, but also doubtful ones. Therefore that precept has been fulfilled by confessing those doubtful sins which he then had.” And La-Croix, l. 6. p. 2. n. 2041: “He who at least once during the year has confessed a doubtful mortal sin with venials satisfies, and is not held to confess again, although afterward he falls into a certain mortal sin; because there was an obligation of confessing that doubtful sin. Therefore he placed matter of the precept.” Cf. S. Alph. l. 6. n. 473 seqq. But that Antoninus forgot a grave sin does not impede that he has already sufficiently satisfied the precept of the Church of annual confession. Wherefore he is indeed held to accuse that sin in the next confession, but he is not held to a repeated confession, so that satisfaction may be made to the precept of annual confession of the present year, since he has already satisfied this precept. I. M. 1554, 1556.

2. Hedvigis, a woman lying sick with a grave illness, received sacred Viaticum on Palm Sunday. But, since after a few days she almost entirely recovered, she asks her confessor whether she is held to go out of the house, so that she may satisfy the precept of paschal communion.

3. Emporius, a merchant, since by reason of commerce he is found outside his own parish during paschal time, asks his confessor whether he can receive paschal communion in the place where he presently is, or whether he ought to return to his own parish.

Q. What as to the Cases?

R. Hedvigis does not seem to be obligated to repeated communion. For although she received communion by way of Viaticum, nevertheless she truly received communion in paschal time, and, as is supposed, she received it from the pastor or his delegate, and in a public manner; whence she adequately satisfied the end of the law, which is public edification and submission to one’s proper pastor. G. 453.

Emporius is not held to return to his own parish unless he can do so easily. He can then receive communion in the place where he is. For pilgrims satisfy this precept by receiving communion where they are staying during paschal time. I. M. 1566; G. 454.