Article — Marc, Institutiones Morales
ARTICLE III: On the Cessation of a Vow
Just as the obligation of a law, so also the obligation of a vow can cease in a twofold way: 1. intrinsically, on account of a change of matter; 2. extrinsically, on account of the intervention of human authority (III, 225).
- PRINCIPLES. I. The obligation of a vow ceases intrinsically where a notable change of matter supervenes. This holds in every promise. A sign of a change of this sort is given if the one vowing can say: I did not intend to vow this, but another thing morally diverse. But this happens:
If by reason of a new circumstance or prohibition the matter becomes illicit, or impeditive of a greater good; for in these cases the vow is no longer concerning the better good: for example, a vow of promoting a work which at the beginning is believed very good, but then is not approved by the Church, as would be a vow of crowning a statue of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (Ami du Cl., 1908, p. 811).
If it becomes impossible, absolutely or morally, even by fault of the one vowing, for instance if the state of the one vowing in relation to the matter of the vow becomes morally diverse: for example, if someone had vowed the building of a church, but then suffered such a loss in fortune that he could no longer satisfy the vow without notable detriment to his state.
If it becomes useless in relation to the intended end: whether through total cessation of the final cause, as if you had vowed that you would give alms to such a poor man and this man suddenly became rich; or through remission of the debt made by one having a right. But both he in whose favor the vow was emitted and he under whose power are both the person in whose favor the vow was made and the promised matter itself have the right: for example, the Supreme Pontiff, if it is a question of a vow in favor of a religious Order or ecclesiastical goods. For such a condonation is equivalent to payment of a debt, so that this becomes altogether useless (III, 192 and 255). Cf. n. 1026.
If some notable circumstance supervenes which, if foreseen, the vow would not have been emitted; "because when a circumstance not foreseen supervenes by which the vow is rendered more onerous, the matter of the vow becomes diverse from what was promised" (III, 126). Thus also D. Thomas (4, D. 38, q. 1, a. 3, ad 1).
Except: a) If the supervening inconvenience could reasonably have been foreseen from the very nature of the thing. Hence a vow of chastity in no way ceases through vehement temptations which supervene, since few are found who are always immune from temptations of that sort; therefore other remedies must be employed against them, or, if danger of breaking the vow threatens, dispensation is to be obtained. Likewise, you vowed to serve in a hospital: you are not freed from the vow, even if through a supervening pestilence danger of death threatens you; because since such danger is accustomed of itself to accompany a duty of this sort, you at least foresaw it confusedly and implicitly wished to undergo it.
b) If the public good demands firmness of the vow for itself. Hence, by no changes of matter or circumstances do solemn vows emitted in religious profession or in the reception of Orders cease by the fact itself; nor simple vows which are emitted in religious congregations, especially if the oath of perseverance is added: for then an onerous contract intervenes. Whence, just as the congregation cannot dismiss the alumnus on account of supervening changes, except in a case in which the congregated one would no longer be for edification; see n. 2173; so neither can the alumnus leave the congregation (IV, 50).
- II. The obligation of a vow ceases extrinsically in three ways: through irritation, through dispensation, through commutation. The reason is that human authority, God consenting, can touch either the act of the one vowing himself or the matter dedicated by the vow.
To this cessation can be referred the extinction of all vows which had been emitted before religious profession and which are totally removed by it (cf. n. 2150, question 2). Through non-solemn religious profession, antecedent vows indeed are not extinguished, but in many things they remain suspended.