Chapter III. On Contumely

462. • Contumely is the unjust injury of honor inflicted on one present and knowing it. But honor is the external testimony of esteem, which is held internally concerning someone's excellence. Now someone can be present either personally or physically, or morally through an image, and through something else in which he is represented in some measure.

But contumely can be done, 1. negatively, by omission of the honor due here and now; 2. positively, both by words and by deeds or signs of contempt.

To contumely are referred, 1. mockery, by which someone is contemned by words and laughter; 2. derision, by which someone is ridiculed by ridiculous gestures; 3. reproach, by which poverty, defects, or obscurity of birth are cast up to someone.

463. • I say I. Contumely is a mortal sin from its genus. For it is something graver than detraction, which per se is grave. It is clear besides from the words of Scripture, Matth. 5. 22: "But he who shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be guilty before the council; but he who shall say: Fool, shall be guilty of hell fire."

I say II. Contumely per se brings in a strict obligation of restoring honor and of repairing damages, if any have followed, at least if they were foreseen in general, as is clear from the things said concerning restitution of reputation. - St. Lig., n. 966.

Although we are bound to tolerate contumelies by casting away the spirit of vengeance, yet sometimes it will be expedient to repel contumelies, namely when tolerance could harm the common good; for example, if a Prelate by tolerating would be rendered contemptible, and thus the insolence of subjects would be increased, etc. - St. Lig., n. 966.

464. Resolves. - 1. Honor publicly taken away by contumely must be restored publicly before those who were witnesses of the dishonoring, or at least in such a way that the satisfaction can come to their knowledge. But it suffices that satisfaction be made through another person, who in the name of the dishonorer asks pardon. - St. Lig., n. 984.

2. Honor injured by hidden contumely must likewise be restored, because true damage of honor was inflicted on the neighbor; yet reparation can be made secretly. - St. Lig., n. 985.

3. That restitution of honor is required which is considered sufficient for manifesting esteem according to the condition of the person offended. For if he who dishonored was a Superior, it will suffice if he salutes the dishonored person, visits him at home, or shows him benevolence. But if he was an equal, or a fortiori an inferior, greater satisfaction is required, namely that he anticipate him in saluting, yield place, ask pardon, etc., if he cannot satisfy sufficiently in another way. - St. Lig., n. 986.

4. If the one dishonored took vengeance, for example, by beating another, wounding him..., for the most part further satisfaction is not required for honor; because he seems to accept vengeance as satisfaction, and the other by not resisting seems to confess his own fault and his esteem concerning the other. - St. Lig., n. 989. - Likewise peasants are exempted from restitution of honor if equal insults or reproaches have been hurled mutually among them, because by that very fact compensation is made.

5. In practice it is often expedient that the Confessor omit admonishing a penitent existing in good faith about the obligation of satisfaction, especially if he foresees that the admonition is not going to be of profit; or if he thinks that he who was dishonored will easily condone it, or will refuse reparation, especially public reparation, lest the memory of the injury return among others, or lest he himself be more affected with shame, etc. - St. Lig., n. 988. - See Cases, n. 434.