Article I: On The Knowledge Of The Confessor

1786. Principles. I. The confessor is bound, and indeed UNDER GRAVE obligation, to have KNOWLEDGE of all those things which are required for the function of his office. - St. Alphonsus says gravely to the point:¹² "And to dispatch myself more briefly, I affirm that the confessor who, without sufficient knowledge, exposes himself to receiving confessions is in the state of damnation." The reason is because, this knowledge being lacking, the confessor certainly commits himself to danger of fulfilling his most holy office badly, with injury to the Sacrament and with harm to penitents.

Nor let it be said that knowledge is supplied by experience; for this, although it helps knowledge, nevertheless never fills its role. Hence "no confessor ought to interrupt the study of moral theology, because, from so many things so diverse and different among themselves which pertain to this knowledge, many things, although read, because they occur more rarely, fall from the mind with the passage of time: for which reason it is necessary always, by frequent study, to recall them into memory."¹³ (cf. n. 4).

Hence it is inferred: 1. A priest who, ignorant in moral matters, receives confessions sins gravely. Nor does the approbation of the Superior excuse him; for this supposes the knowledge due, but by no means infuses it. 2. A Superior who grants the faculty of receiving confessions to an unlearned priest sins gravely; for he consents to and cooperates in this one's sin. - 3. The penitent himself sins gravely who, placed in grave spiritual necessity, approaches a confessor whose knowledge he recognizes to be unsuitable to his state; because, besides the spiritual harm which he suffers, he is the cause why the Sacrament of Penance is administered in an undue manner.¹⁴

1787. II. As regards the QUALITY of knowledge, "It would surely be desirable," says Benedict XIV,¹⁵ "that every confessor possess that knowledge which they call eminent; but since this quality belongs to few, it is altogether necessary that he be instructed at least with competent knowledge." But this knowledge will be competent if he himself can always bring a prudent judgment in this forum; for judicial power requires this, that the things which must be judged be well discerned.

Therefore the confessor must know: 1. which sins are mortal, which venial, at least from their kind; - 2. the species and circumstances necessarily to be explained; - 3. things pertaining to restitution of goods and reputation; - 4. reserved cases, so that he may know to which his jurisdiction does not extend; likewise excommunications, censures, and irregularities, at least the more common; - 5. matrimonial impediments, and the common obligations of states; - 6. the requisites in the penitent for good disposition; - 7. opportune remedies to be opposed to sins.¹⁶

For the rest, FOR PRACTICE, it is useful to advert: 1. It is enough if the confessor is at least skilled in those things which more frequently occur, and concerning more difficult matters knows at least how to doubt, so that thus he can consult books, or learned men with due leave if he needs this. - 2. The same knowledge is not required in all; but greater or lesser knowledge according to the diversity of places and penitents: thus greater knowledge is required for hearing confessions in a city than in villages; greater for receiving confessions of Bishops, priests, and clerics, than of seculars and farmers. - 3. In more involved doubts, especially if the case is public, or easily to be made public, not only should learned men of greater experience be consulted, but often it is expedient, if time permits, that recourse be had to the Bishop himself.

IT IS ASKED. Whether a priest is bound to render himself FIT for receiving confessions?

Resp. Since Christ the Lord instituted priests for this end, that souls might be saved, and since the salvation of souls is obtained especially through the Sacrament of Penance: it follows that the office of receiving confessions is one of the chief offices of the priesthood; and therefore priests ARE BOUND, at least in grave necessity of peoples, to exercise it, and consequently to render themselves fit for it.

Hence St. Alphonsus:¹⁷ "I do not see," he says, "how those priests who, on account of idleness, withdraw themselves from this burden, can be safe in conscience, and be excused from the reproach of the Lord, and from the punishment of damnation inflicted on that idle servant who hid his talent.... Nor let priests of this sort say that they sufficiently fulfill their obligation if they assist souls in another way, namely by instructing, correcting, praying, without ministering the Sacrament of confession; for they are bound to assist them in that in which they have need for their own salvation. For if the neighbor needs food, you must assist him in food, not in garments. Nor is it valid to say that the office of hearing confessions is a work of charity, and charity does not oblige with so much inconvenience: for it is answered that this office does not have its origin from a simple motive of charity, but from the proper priestly office, as has been said."¹⁸