Section — Gury-Ballerini, Compendium of Moral Theology (8th ed., 1884)
§ I. On the Obligation of Ministering the Sacraments
- Principles. - I. Those having care of souls are held under grave obligation from justice to minister the Sacraments to their subjects reasonably asking. For by undertaking the care of souls they obligated themselves to this by a tacit contract entered into with their subjects, from whom they receive support or at least honor.
Therefore they are held if the common precept of receiving those Sacraments urges, or if the private necessity or utility of the one asking demands administration, for example if the one asking foresees some danger, or is involved in temptation and needs the grace of the Sacrament, or if he wishes to exercise a devotion suitable to his state, or to gain an Indulgence, etc. - Scavini.
II. Others not having care of souls are not held to minister the Sacraments from justice; nevertheless sometimes they are held from charity, namely in grave necessity of neighbor. - St. Ligorius, n. 58.
- Questions. - QUESTION 1º. Who are considered to have care of souls?
Resp. All those who by office, or by special title of spiritual jurisdiction or delegation, ought to feed or care for some part of the fold of Christ. Therefore such are Bishops, Parish Priests, and whoever have subsidiary care of souls from commission or public office, as are Coadjutors or Vicars of Parish Priests. Likewise with respect to Regulars, their own Prelates or Superiors. - St. Ligorius, n. 58.
QUESTION 2º. What Sacraments are to be ministered in necessity, even with danger of death, whether by those having care of souls, or by others?
Resp. 1º Those who do not carry the care of souls are certainly held only to ministering the Sacraments absolutely necessary for salvation, namely Baptism and Penance, or Extreme Unction when someone can in no way confess. The reason is that they are held only from charity alone to succor neighbor in the gravest danger of salvation. But only the aforesaid Sacraments are necessary for salvation. Therefore, etc. - Thus most commonly the Theologians with St. Ligorius, n. 58, and lib. 2, n. 27.
Resp. 2º Even those carrying the care of souls are more probably held to ministering only the aforesaid Sacraments with any danger. The reason is that the other Sacraments are not of so great necessity that anyone is held to confer them with grave danger of life. - Thus St. Ligorius on the Eucharist, n. 233, relying on the declaration of Gregory XIII (12 Oct. 1576), and likewise on the Declaration of the Sacred Congregation of the Council approved by the same Pontiff. - Nevertheless those who carry the care of souls are held to expose life not only in extreme necessity, but also in grave necessity, while other Ministers are obliged to this only in extreme necessity. - St. Ligorius, lib. 2, n. 27. - Lacroix, lib. 3, part 1, n. 755 and following.
- QUESTION 3º. Is someone held to expose life for ministering the aforesaid Sacraments with only probability of success or necessity?
Resp. It seems it must be denied, because it is too hard to demand an act so heroic for helping neighbor unless there is present a morally certain hope either of success or of necessity. Hence you are not held certainly to expose life for baptizing or absolving someone, if you probably ought to perish before you can fulfill this, or if you probably presume that he is baptized, or is not in the state of mortal sin, or even can easily succor himself by an act of perfect contrition. - Collet, Decalogue, c. 4, and St. Ligorius, lib. 2, n. 27.
- You will resolve. - 1º Those having care of souls sin gravely, not only if without reason they deny their ministry, but also if they often show themselves slow and difficult; because in this way they deter the faithful from the Sacraments, and the matter comes back to the same point as if they denied the Sacraments.
2º Nevertheless it is not mortal to deny the Sacrament of Penance or of the Eucharist to one or another, or to the same person once or again, asking apart from necessity; because the damage can easily be repaired, nor is the subject for this reason judged gravely unwilling.
3º If subjects ask irrationally, there is no sin. Hence a parish priest is not held daily to spend time with a scrupulous person or with little devout women, since so frequent confession is not expedient for these, nor do they have a strict right to so frequent absolution.
4º If a Parish Priest has suitable Vicars, he will not be held so rigorously to receive the confessions of subjects; nevertheless he ought to satisfy the faithful requiring him by name, unless either he is impeded, or the penitents are willingly going to approach another Confessor.
5º Generally speaking, those carrying the care of souls sin gravely who are unwilling to receive the confessions of subjects except on a few determined days within the month; because they are the cause why the faithful remain long in the state of sin and are kept away from receiving the Sacraments. - See St. Ligorius, n. 58, and elsewhere throughout.