Article I: On The Obligations Of The Confessor In General

There are many obligations of the confessor in the sacred tribunal, namely: 1. the obligation of hearing confessions; 2. of questioning the penitent; 3. of teaching the ignorant penitent; 4. of disposing the indisposed; 5. of imposing satisfaction; 6. of bringing a just sentence, whether in giving, or denying, or deferring absolution. Of all these things one by one we must now treat, except, however, the question of imposing satisfaction, concerning which we have already treated above (nn. 1715-1720).