Chapter — Bucceroni, Institutions of Moral Theology
IV. On Confession
Is Confession necessary? and when does it oblige? - Confession is necessary by divine law for all who, after baptism, have fallen into mortal sin. Trent, sess. 14, C. 5, cc. 6, 7. - This precept certainly obliges of itself in danger, and all the more at the point of death, and at some time in life. The first reason is that all positive precepts oblige at least in a time of necessity; otherwise they would never oblige and would be imposed in vain. The second reason is that affirmative precepts do not oblige only in extreme necessity, but also when their fulfillment is reasonably judged necessary. It often obliges by accident, namely: 1. When the Eucharist is to be received. 2. When the precept of reconciling oneself with God urges, or the state of grace is required, e.g., for administering sacraments, or for receiving those which are called sacraments of the living, and an act of perfect contrition cannot be elicited.
- When a grave temptation urges which otherwise cannot be overcome. But "scarcely can an occasion be thought of in which temptation cannot be overcome, or sin avoided, except through the means of Confession." Suarez, d. 35, s. 3, n. 10. Therefore a scruple about this obligation is not to be injected into the faithful. 4. If it is probable that one will never afterward have an opportunity of a confessor. L. 665. - E. M.
Does the divine precept of Confession oblige immediately when sin has been committed, or at what time does it urge? - It does not oblige immediately after sin. The reason is that such an obligation rests on no certain foundation. - It cannot easily be determined how often in life and at what precise time the divine precept urges. Whatever may be the case, there is no doubt that one satisfies it who confesses even only once in a year, because it is not established that the divine precept urges more frequently. According to many, Christ left the time of the obligation to be determined by the Church. Moreover the Church has prescribed that Confession be made once in the year. Lateran Council under Innocent III, C. Omnes utriusque sexus; Trent, sess. 14, c. 8; St. Thomas, Quodl. 1, a. 11.
Must Confession be vocal, or must it be made by the voice itself? - Resp. In the affirmative. Florence, Decr. pro Armen. "Holzmann and Sporer adduce the reason that, although Confession is prescribed by no law to be made vocally, nevertheless, since the manner of confessing thus has been received by the common use of the Church, hence it now obtains the force of a precept; and therefore without grave cause Confession made otherwise would be illicit." L. 429. - But a grave cause would be "if someone because of constriction of the throat, an impediment of the tongue, or if a girl exceedingly modest, should feel a very grave difficulty in explaining her sins by her voice." L. ibid.
Speaking of this last case Busemb., 493, says: "After the writing has been read by the confessor, let her add by voice: of these I accuse myself." And thus there will be no difficulty. St. Alphonsus, 493, besides says: "Tamburini thinks the same about a scrupulous person who thinks he explains himself better in writing." - Besides, Confession through writing to a present confessor is valid. Confession made by letters to an absent confessor is invalid, even if afterward absolution is given by the confessor when present. Decree of Clement VIII, June 20, 1602; Paul V, July 14, 1605; L. 428. - But one who cannot confess by voice, because he is, e.g., mute, is indeed bound to confess at least by gesture, according to the common opinion, L. 493; but he is not bound to confess by writing, both because of the danger of revelation, and because writing is an extraordinary means which in fact has never been held in the Church as prescribed, and because writing of itself is public while Confession of itself is secret.
Diana, t. 1, t. 3, r. 72, n. 2; Ithur., Cas. 38, nn. 6-10. Nevertheless the opposite seems more probable to St. Alphonsus, 479. But St. Thomas has these things, 4 d. 17, q. 3, a. 4, q. 3, ad 2: "It must be said that in one who does not have the use of the tongue, such as a mute, or one who is of another language, it suffices that he confess by writing, or gesture, or interpreter, because more is not demanded from man than he can do... and therefore, when we cannot confess in one way, we must confess according as we can." Cf. also Quodl. 1, a. 10. - E. M.
Resolutions: Mutes and the deaf are bound to confess in some way, at least by signs, unless they are so ignorant and dull that nothing can be drawn out from them. The reason is that the precept of Confession regards all the faithful who can manifest their sins in some way by reason. Hence mutes sufficiently instructed are bound to confess integrally, at least by signs, if these are understood by the confessor; but if they are less instructed, or can be understood by the confessor only with difficulty, it will suffice for them to manifest only one or another sin, or to confess only in general and to give signs of sorrow. But the deaf, having the use of the tongue, are bound on their part to confess the sins which occur to memory; but the confessor is not bound to question them in order to procure the integrity of Confession, because of the excessive difficulty of questioning and the danger of revelation. - Mutes who know how to write are not bound to confess in writing in order to procure the integrity of Confession. For the matter is at least disputed among the doctors, and therefore the law is doubtful.
Those ignorant of the language of the place in which they are staying, and lacking a confessor by whom they can be understood, are bound, when the precept of annual Confession urges and at the point of death, to confess in some way, at least by general signs. The reason is that the divine and ecclesiastical precept urges. For although they cannot confess integrally, they are nevertheless bound to what they can do. Nor indeed are they bound to confess through an interpreter; for this is a very grave burden and exposed to many dangers, e.g., revelation, mockery, etc. And the Lateran Council, C. Omnis utriusque sexus, de Poenit., says: "Let him alone confess his own sins." Likewise Trent, sess. 14, C. 5: "As to the manner of confessing secretly before the priest alone," etc. Ithur., Cas. 38, n. 11 ff.; L. 179. - E. M.