CHAPTER III: ON VOW

378. Definition. - A vow is a deliberate promise made to God concerning a better and possible good.

It is said: 1) promise, that it may be distinguished from a simple purpose; - 2) deliberate; for a vow induces an obligation, which no one is judged to take upon himself without sufficient deliberation; - 3) made to God; for a vow is an act of latria, due to God alone. Wherefore, when we vow certain things to the Saints, the sense is that they are vowed to God at the same time in honor of the Saints; just as we build temples and altars to God in their honor; 4) concerning a better and possible good. Concerning a good; for otherwise it would not be pleasing to God; - better, that is, what is either absolutely or relatively better than its opposite; for a promise which impedes a greater good detracts from the worship of God, nor can it be acceptable to Him; - possible, lest the promise be ridiculous.

Division. A vow is distinguished:

1° Solemn or simple, according as it hands over the one vowing to God, and therefore renders him incapable of acts contrary to this handing over, and as such is accepted by the Church absolutely and perpetually; or, with that handing over and incapacitation and such acceptance by the Church excluded, it is emitted with a simple promise. Thus St. Alphonsus¹ as more probable.

2° Personal, real, or mixed, according as an action or omission, or some thing separable from the action of the person, or each is promised.

3° Temporary or perpetual, according as it is promised to be kept only for a certain time, or through the whole life.

4° Absolute or conditioned, according as its obligation depends on some condition or not. To the conditioned is also referred the penal vow, to which a penalty is annexed by way of condition.

5° Express or implicit, according as it is uttered in words or is contained in something which someone advertently wills and to which he knows a vow is annexed, as the vow of chastity in him who receives the subdiaconate.

We must treat: 1° of the conditions required for a vow; 2° of the obligation of a vow; 3° of its cessation.