§ 1. On The Obligation Of The Confessor Toward Penitents Diverse From The State Of Soul

1818. Penitents who are distinguished from others from the very state of their soul can conveniently be reduced to SEVEN CLASSES, namely: 1. to occasionaries; - 2. to the habituated and recidivists; - 3. to converts from heresy; - 4. to the scrupulous; - 5. to those vexed by the demon; - 6. to pious and devout penitents; - and 7. finally to those enriched with the gift of contemplation.

Hence, in order, one must treat of the obligation by which the confessor is held toward these various penitents, and especially of the obligation by which he is held toward those whom we have listed in the first two species. For, as our most zealous Doctor speaks:¹ "The greatest care of the confessor ought to be to conduct himself well with those who are in a proximate occasion of sinning, or are habituated in vices, or are recidivists. These are two great rocks against which the greater part of confessors dash themselves and fail."

1819. DEFINITION. An occasion of sin is either a person or any external thing, alluring to sinning. Therefore it is constituted from two things: an external and alluring object, and an internal propensity to sin (cf. n. 373).

DIVISION. A manifold occasion is distinguished, namely: remote and proximate; and this latter is continuous or interrupted; voluntary or necessary.

1. A REMOTE occasion is that which indeed has some force of alluring to sin, but in which the danger of sinning is less probable, and in which men for the most part do not sin. We are not bound to avoid this, except perhaps under light obligation, insofar namely as a light danger of sinning would threaten us from it. Nevertheless, per accidens, we would be obliged under grave obligation, namely in the case in which grave scandal would be furnished to others (cf. n. 376).

A PROXIMATE occasion is that which induces probable or grave danger of sinning. - It is such per se, or per accidens. It is called an occasion per se, or absolutely proximate, when the external object is such that most men, through it, are for the most part induced into sin, e.g. a fixed look at a very base thing, dwelling with a concubine. "A proximate occasion per accidens, or relative, is that which, although with respect to others it is not proximate, nevertheless with respect to someone is proximate: either because this one, in such an occasion, has frequently fallen, or because it can prudently be feared that he will fall, on account of the known experience of his fragility."² - Therefore, just as an occasion proximate per se can be remote with respect to someone very pious and cautious; so, on the contrary, an occasion remote per se will be proximate with respect to someone who has become very weak and ready to fall.

2. A continuous occasion, or one in being, is that which is always present, without being sought: e.g. a concubine or maidservant with whom someone dwells and is accustomed to sin; an obscene book which someone keeps in his library. An interrupted occasion, or one not in being, is that which is not indeed always present, but is easily found: such as a brothel, tavern, wicked friend, lover, or mistress.

3. A voluntary occasion is that which can easily be avoided; but a necessary occasion is that which cannot physically or morally be removed: physically, for example, if someone were in prison or on a galley, or at the point of death, no longer having time or manner of expelling a concubine; morally, if the occasion cannot be dismissed without grave scandal, or without danger of falling into something worse, or without great detriment in the goods of life, reputation, or fortune.³

Hence ADVERT that an occasion is not judged necessary: if the scandal or danger of falling into something worse is light, or fictitious and imaginary, as often happens in cases of this sort; likewise if the damage or inconvenience to be undergone is of small moment. - Hence St. Alphonsus with Sporer and Palao does not excuse a moderately rich man who, lest he suffer damage of one hundred ducats (today I would say one thousand francs), would not wish to leave the occasion.⁴

1820. Principles. I. The confessor, so that he may bring a PRUDENT JUDGMENT concerning those who are involved in an occasion of sin, ought TO ATTEND both to past falls, and to the peculiar circumstances of the penitent, and finally to the things commonly happening. Thus from the mind of St. Alphonsus and others. And indeed in truth:

1. From past falls the gravity or probability of danger is especially to be argued, in the case in which the penitent has already been involved in an occasion for some time, and has already sinned in it. Now, "some authors will that it is not a proximate occasion unless it is one in which a man has fallen almost always, or for the most part; but the more common and truer opinion teaches that a proximate occasion is that in which someone has frequently sinned."⁵ But frequency of falls is either relative or absolute. Relative frequency is computed according to the number of times in which someone was exposed to the occasion, and will be present, e.g., if someone in twelve visits is accustomed to sin five or six times; likewise, if he visited a woman only three or four times in a year, and for the most part sinned with her; indeed if he visited only once in a year, and nevertheless always sinned. - But absolute frequency will be present when the number of falls, considered in itself, is notable, as if two persons who meet every Sunday should fall ten or twelve times per year. Either frequency suffices for constituting a proximate occasion.⁶

2. From the circumstances of the penitent, especially from his known fragility, likewise the gravity of danger is to be judged, in the case in which he himself has not yet, or has rarely, been involved in the occasion, or has not yet sinned in it; for it would be unadvised to wait for experience of falls in order to bring judgment concerning the danger. Hence St. Alphonsus: "When," he says, "an external occasion is joined with a vehement passion or vicious habit, or strong temptation, he sins who does not leave it, even if he has not yet yielded to temptation; because it will rarely happen that such a one will contain himself if he is not separated from the occasion."⁷ - And hence it is why a maidservant, earnestly solicited by her master, is generally bound to depart from his house. We say generally; for if she were very devoted to piety, very cautious, and always used opportune remedies, she would not be absolutely bound to departure.⁸

3. From things commonly happening, and from these alone, the gravity of danger is to be judged when other special indications cannot be had from the very person of the penitent. Hence the following RULE must be held: If some occasion has induced others, involved in the same circumstances of things, into danger of sinning, it is to be presumed that the same occasion will similarly induce this penitent also.

But lest the Confessor be led by false conjectures, let him remember that others, because of difference of age, state, sex, disposition, education, instruction, etc., are affected otherwise, although they are involved in the same occasions. It is also to be adverted that habituation brings it about that not all are equally excited by the allurements of sin. And thus indeed it happens that many things are more dangerous to those habituated than to those not habituated, because habit renders both consent and fall easier; and vice versa, that some things are more dangerous to those not habituated than to those habituated, since, because of long use, they have now been made more dull, or because of the use of worse things they need stronger incitements for sharpening lust. Hence St. Alphonsus,⁹ speaking of the very bad custom of certain women: "Habituation brings it about," he says, "that men, from such a sight (of women showing their breasts), are less moved to concupiscence, as experience establishes."

1821. II. Never is a penitent to be absolved who DOES NOT WISH to remove, insofar as it is in him, the PROXIMATE occasion of sin. - It is proved: 1. From Scripture (Eccli. 3:27): "He who loves danger will perish in it"; (Matt. 5:29): "If your eye scandalizes you, etc."

2. From several propositions condemned by Innocent XI: N. 61: "Sometimes he can be absolved who is involved in a proximate occasion of sinning, which he can and does not wish to omit, indeed directly and by design seeks, or casts himself into it." N. 62: "A proximate occasion of sinning is not to be fled, when some useful or honorable cause of not fleeing occurs." N. 63: "It is licit directly to seek a proximate occasion of sinning, for the spiritual or temporal good of ourselves, or of the neighbor." - 3. From reason: he who freely wills an occasion in which he will probably sin, by that very fact and implicitly wills the sin; and therefore he already sins, and is unworthy of absolution.¹⁰

We said insofar as it is in him: namely by taking away the danger of sinning: whether physically, i.e. by removing the external alluring object, when the occasion is voluntary; or at least morally, i.e. by healing fragility, or proclivity to evil, by opportune and suitable remedies, when the occasion is necessary (cf. n. 1825).

1822. From what has been said there arise, for practice, the following Rules:

Rule 1. One who is involved in a PROXIMATE VOLUNTARY OCCASION IN BEING, as, e.g., a concubinary, or a maidservant frequently sinning with her master, whatever promises he may make, cannot, ordinarily speaking, be absolved, even the first time, unless he has actually removed the occasion. - The reason is the proximate danger of breaking the purpose; because the removal of such an occasion, on account of the great attachment of soul, demands an arduous victory over oneself; and therefore, if the occasion is not taken away before absolution, the penitent will easily deceive himself after absolution, falsely persuading himself that he will resist temptations, and thus, the occasion not having been dismissed, he will certainly return to the vomit. Wherefore the PENITENT who, adverting to this, wished rashly to expose himself to this danger, would be indisposed; the CONFESSOR who exposed the penitent to such danger would sin gravely, both against the office of judge, by absolving the indisposed, and against the office of physician, by not applying the necessary remedy.¹¹

It was said ordinarily speaking; because exceptions are given, provided the penitent firmly promises that, as soon as possible, the occasion will be taken away. - Namely there is excepted: 1. If the occasion is such that it can easily be dismissed, e.g. a wicked book. - 2. If the penitent manifests compunction and firmness of purpose through extraordinary signs of sorrow; because prudently, in this case, because of the sign of more abundant grace received, execution of the purpose can be hoped for. "Nevertheless," Roncaglia says, "that he himself, even in this case, would defer absolution until the occasion is removed, if absolution could conveniently be deferred; and so also (St. Alphonsus adds) I would act." - 3. If a grave cause compels that absolution be granted at once; because, from a grave cause and with due precautions, it is licit to expose oneself and another to a danger which is then rendered remote; therefore, when the penitent is in some necessity of receiving absolution before he takes away the occasion, he is judged as if he were in a necessary occasion, and accordingly has a right to be absolved at once.¹²

FOUR grave CAUSES of this sort are listed, namely: - 1. Danger of death, namely if the penitent is mortally sick, and the occasion cannot be removed at once: whether because there is no time, or because grave infamy, or grave scandal, will arise from such dismissal, as often happens.¹³ - 2. Difficulty of returning: namely if he cannot return to the same confessor, or not except after a long time, and would find great inconvenience in repeating confession before another. The reason is the great burden either of repeating confession before another, or of remaining for a long time in the state of sin.¹⁴ The same is valid if the penitent confesses in a place very distant from his own domicile, so that there would be a great burden of returning.¹⁵ - 3. Danger of infamy, namely if he has the necessity on the same or following day of entering marriage or receiving Communion, insofar as he cannot abstain without grave infamy.¹⁶ Similarly, if he confesses in the time of a Mission, and cannot, without a mark of infamy, remove the occasion at once. In this case, removal of the occasion is to be remitted to some weeks after the Mission, under this condition nevertheless, that at once, if it can be done, some precaution be used, e.g. renunciation of leasing, and that remedies be prescribed for preventing relapse. Thus St. Leonard of Port Maurice.¹⁷ - 4. Danger of spiritual damage, namely if it is prudently to be feared lest the penitent, on account of the delay of absolution, since he has not yet been made constant, be alienated from confession and waste away in sins; because then the delay would rather increase the danger of breaking the purpose.¹⁸

But in the cases mentioned, the Confessor ought TO ADMONISH the penitent not to trust that he will obtain absolution in the future unless he has stood by his promises.¹⁹ - But if the penitent has already at another time been admonished by another confessor concerning removing the occasion, and has not obeyed the admonition: he is to be held as a recidivist, and therefore cannot be absolved unless he brings extraordinary signs of sorrow, as we shall say below (n. 1830).²⁰

1823. Rule 2. One who is involved in a PROXIMATE VOLUNTARY occasion, but not in being, e.g. by frequenting games, taverns, wicked societies, can be absolved the first, second, indeed even the third time, provided he firmly proposes to keep himself from it. But if afterward amendment does not appear, absolution is to be deferred until he has actually left the occasion. Thus St. Alphonsus,²¹ with St. Charles Borromeo and others. - Now, the reason why one must act more mildly with a penitent of this sort seems to be in this: that when the occasion is not present (especially if the danger is not that of falling into base acts, but into blasphemies, quarrels, drunkennesses, obscene words, impure thoughts, and other things of this sort, as in the cases proposed by St. Charles), it does not allure to sin as strongly as an occasion always present, or in base matter; and therefore the penitent, who firmly proposes to guard himself from the occasion, can, without rashness, hope that it will happen that he avoids sin, whether by not approaching the occasion unless some reason is given, or by otherwise using precautions and remedies.

It was said, 1. can be absolved, that is by the confessor as judge, because he is judged sufficiently disposed. But he can also be sent away to another time by the confessor as physician, so that he may more promptly and more firmly take away the occasion from the midst. And it is counseled that this be done, even the first time, when the habit of sinning in the occasion has already grown old, so that an experiment may be taken whether in reality he removes the occasion, or at least begins to amend himself²² (cf. n. 1827).

It was said, 2. can be absolved the second, indeed even the third time, i.e. when a wicked habit is not joined with the occasion. For when the penitent, in an occasion of sinning, is formally recidivist into a wicked habit, he must be treated as a recidivist (cf. n. 1829).

1824. Rule 3. One who is involved in a PROXIMATE NECESSARY occasion can be absolved without leaving the occasion, provided he appears otherwise disposed and wishes to use the prescribed remedies. "The reason is," says St. Alphonsus,²³ "because an occasion of sinning is not properly sin in itself, nor does it induce the necessity of sinning; hence true sorrow and purpose not to fall again can well stand with the occasion; and although each one is bound to take away the proximate danger of sinning, this is understood when he himself voluntarily wills such danger; but when the occasion is morally necessary, then the danger becomes remote through opportune remedies, and God then does not withdraw Himself from assisting by His grace him who has truly deliberated not to offend Him."

We said, as above: can be absolved, namely by the confessor as judge, if he appears otherwise disposed. But let us hear St. Alphonsus again:

"But IN PRACTICE," he says, "all agree that it is expedient that absolution be deferred for those who are involved in a proximate occasion even if necessary. Indeed, that I may say candidly what I think in this matter, I would never absolve one who is in an extrinsic proximate occasion (for concerning an intrinsic one I shall speak otherwise), especially if the occasion is concerning base matter, whenever absolution could conveniently be deferred. For I judge that the confessor as PHYSICIAN is bound to fit to his penitent the more opportune remedies, so that he may secure his salvation; and I think no antidote more apt can be ministered to one who is in a proximate occasion than delay of absolution; since experience teaches that penitents, after they depart absolved, for the most part neglect to use the prescribed means, and thus most easily fall again. On the contrary, when absolution is denied to them, they more vigilantly strive to execute the remedies and resist temptations, indeed impelled by fear lest, when they return to the confessor, they again be dismissed without absolution.

"And in the case in which the penitent previously admonished by another confessor has neglected the prescribed means, and has fallen again in the same way, I say that he must altogether be dismissed without absolution, unless perhaps he exhibits extraordinary signs of sorrow. And even for this one gifted with extraordinary compunction, ordinarily speaking, I would deny absolution, when absolution could conveniently be deferred.

"Perhaps to someone handing down these things I shall seem too rigid; but I, when I had met penitents entangled in the snares of occasions of this sort, have always acted thus and always will act; for proceeding in this way I think myself not rigid, but especially benign toward them: since no manner seems to me more apt than this, that they be snatched from sins and from eternal damnation; and on the contrary I would believe that, if by acting benignly I furnished to them the absolution which they ask, I would be the cause that they miserably languished in vices. Let each one abound in his own sense. - Would that all confessors conducted themselves thus with penitents of this sort! Far fewer crimes indeed would be committed, and many more souls would avoid perdition."²⁴

1825. Questions. Q. 1. What REMEDIES ought the confessor to assign to a penitent who is involved in a NECESSARY occasion?

St. Alphonsus responds: "The remedies are: great prayer, - more frequent use of the Sacraments, - daily before an image of the Crucified to renew the promise of sinning no more, - to avoid being alone with her alone, - to flee from the sight of the accomplice, and similar things."²⁵

And these remedies the penitent IS BOUND to use, insofar as he can; for otherwise the occasion will indeed be necessary, but the danger voluntary: just as, in the case of shipwreck, not to seize the plank is to commit oneself to certain danger of death.²⁶

Q. 2. Whether one can be absolved who, existing in a NECESSARY occasion, ALWAYS IN THE SAME WAY, notwithstanding the remedies, falls again?

Resp. Negative, if after many experiments no amendment appears, nor probable hope of amendment. Thus St. Alphonsus, as the truer opinion; and the reason is because, if someone always falls again in the same way, he is truly indisposed; for from such a relapse it is detected that either the remedies were not duly used, or the occasion is not truly necessary; for necessity of sinning is not given, and no one is tempted above what he can bear. Therefore the precept of Christ presses, saying: "If your right eye scandalizes you, pluck it out and cast it from you" (Matt. 5:29). It was said, if no hope of amendment appears; but this is judged to shine forth if the penitent, at present, brings extraordinary signs of sorrow.²⁷

From what has been said you will resolve:²⁸ 1. A woman ought rather to choose to perish from want than to frequent a house where she is given gifts which have already passed, or probably will soon pass, into meretricious wages. - 2. A penitent ought to leave a confessor, although useful, if from his conversation he is accustomed to consent to impure delight. - 3. A man, thieving for a long time, ought to leave the office which impels him to stealing. - 4. A glutton ought to avoid banquets; a drunkard, taverns; a lustful man, familiar and private conversations with women, etc., even if he seems to himself to have a just cause for conversing thus. - 5. An adolescent and a girl, frequenting one another with a view to marriage, are not to be absolved unless the occasion from proximate becomes remote, through means to be prescribed by the confessor (cf. n. 826). - 6. A son of a family sinning with a maidservant who dwells with him in the paternal house is not to be absolved unless he diligently uses the remedies prescribed by the confessor and thus truly removes the occasion. But, generally, an occasion of this sort cannot be removed except through the emigration of one or the other (namely, of the son or of the maidservant).

Concerning occasions in particular see what was said at n. 824 and following.²⁹

From the doctrine of St. Alphonsus, one must properly distinguish between the HABITUATED and RECIDIVISTS, concerning whom not a few authors speak rather confusedly. - Hence, so that confusion of this sort may be avoided, we shall treat separately: 1. of the habituated; 2. of recidivists.

1826. DEFINITION. A consuetudinary or habituated person, as he is distinguished from a recidivist, is one who, by repetition of sins of the same kind, has contracted a wicked habit, and confesses it the first time.¹

How many acts suffice for contracting a wicked habit depends on the nature of the repeated sin itself, and on the manner in which it was committed, namely by thought, word, or deed; on the longer or shorter time which intervened between sinful acts of the same kind; on the disposition or temperament of the one sinning; on the greater or lesser intensity with which the will placed the acts, etc. - Thus, "five times in a month," says St. Alphonsus,² "can already constitute an evil habit in some vice of EXTERNAL SIN, provided some interval intervenes among them"; for otherwise it seems to be a continuation of one sin. But in sins of consummated lust which have an accomplice, e.g. of fornication, sodomy, a much smaller number can constitute a habit: thus, e.g., one who, through an entire year, should fornicate once a month, could well be called habituated. - Finally, in sins of HEART and MOUTH a much greater number is required, so that a habit may be judged to be present.

DIVISION. Among the habituated, those must be distinguished: 1. who sin and have contracted the habit with perfect election of the will; 2. who sin and have contracted the habit from incontinence, or from weakness of the will. The former offend: 1) because of habitual perversity of will, 2) without the previous impulse of vehement passion, and therefore 3) do not easily detest the sin committed. On the contrary, the latter offend: 1) because of the force of an impelling passion, so that 2) their will is habitually good and contrary to sin; which sin therefore 3) once the ardor of passion has been extinguished, they abhor exceedingly.³

1827. Principle. A habituated person, even if no amendment has preceded, can be absolved, provided he SERIOUSLY PROPOSES to himself to use the MEANS which are prescribed to him for amending life. - Thus most commonly, against certain more rigid authors. The reason is "because such a penitent, on the one hand, is not to be presumed evil, so that he would wish to approach the Sacrament indisposed; and on the other, he is well presumed disposed, while he confesses his sins, since spontaneous confession itself is a sign of contrition, unless some positive presumption stands in the way to the contrary. Nor is it valid to say that the same wicked habit is a sign of indisposition: for, although a wicked habit renders the sinner more prone to sin, nevertheless it does not give a presumption of his weak will."⁴

Except: 1. If the habit is very deeply rooted, such as it is accustomed to be in one who is habituated from an evil will, or through a long time has been given to some vice, especially of the flesh; for then the confessor will be able to defer absolution (for a brief time), if something else does not stand in the way: both so that he may test how the penitent executes the remedies, and so that the penitent himself may conceive greater horror of his vice.⁵ - 2. If the one habituated in grave sin is a cleric who shortly wishes to be promoted to sacred Orders; for positive goodness is necessary in him, as will be said in its place (n. 1916, q. 2).

IT IS ASKED. Whether absolution can be denied to a habituated person who REFUSES to confess SEVERAL TIMES in the year.

Resp. Negative, in itself, if he otherwise seems sufficiently disposed; because there is no precept of confessing several times in the year, and there are other means which can be enjoined for rooting out the habit. Nevertheless otherwise must be said if the other means are not judged sufficiently efficacious. For many penitents can find an apt remedy in confession alone. Hence Toletus says most rightly,⁶ speaking of those habituated in the crime of pollution: "I scarcely think there is any other efficacious remedy than to use most frequent confession: for this Sacrament is the greatest bridle; and he who does not use it should not promise himself amendment, unless through a miracle."⁷ (cf. n. 1812, 3).

1828. DEFINITION. A recidivist generally is said to be one who after confession has fallen back into the same sins.

Of those relapsing after confession, some are recidivists formally, others only materially. FORMALLY, or a true RECIDIVIST, according to the mind of St. Alphonsus, is one who: 1. has contracted a habit of sin; 2. has been rightly admonished in another confession; and 3. has fallen back into accustomed sins in the same or nearly the same manner, with no zeal for amendment having been used, nor any of the prescribed means having been fulfilled. MATERIALLY, that one is judged a recidivist in whom one or another of the three aforesaid conditions is lacking. And he is to be treated either as a simple sinner or as a habituated person (cf. n. 1826).⁸

1829. Principles. I. A penitent FORMALLY A RECIDIVIST cannot be absolved if he brings only the ORDINARY sign of disposition, namely if he only asserts that he is sorry for his sins, and that he no longer wishes in the future to offend God gravely. It is established: 1. From proposition 60 condemned by Innocent XI: "For a penitent having a habit of sinning against the law of God, of nature, or of the Church, even if no hope of amendment appears, absolution is neither to be denied nor deferred, provided he orally states that he is sorry and proposes amendment." - 2. From reason: "For the habit contracted, and past relapses without any amendment, furnish great suspicion that the sorrow and purpose which the penitent asserts he has are by no means true. Hence for this one absolution is to be deferred for some time, until a prudent sign of amendment appears. And at this point the ruin of souls is to be lamented, of which so many evil confessors are the cause, by absolving without distinction so many recidivists, who when they have found confessors who always absolve them so easily, lose horror in sinning, and go on to rot in the mire of vices, even unto death." Thus St. Alphonsus.⁹

"Certain Doctors admit that a recidivist can be absolved with ordinary signs alone up to the third and fourth time. But to this opinion (the Holy Doctor writes) I have never been able to acquiesce, since a habituated person who after one confession relapses without amendment (at least begun), is already a true recidivist, and furnishes a founded suspicion of his indisposition."¹⁰

"And let it be noted here that this rule proceeds even with respect to venial faults; for although it is commonly admitted that those who fall into light sins can more easily be absolved, because their occasions are more frequent, nevertheless, since it is the common opinion that it is a grave sin and sacrilege to receive absolution upon light sins confessed without true sorrow and purpose; and that it does not suffice to be sorry for the multitude or excessive number of such faults, unless sorrow is had for some one in particular": it can easily happen that penitents, recidivists in venial faults, perform sacrilegious or at least invalid confessions. "Hence, let the confessor strive diligently not to absolve such penitents indiscriminately; for then, even if they are in good faith, nevertheless he himself will not be able to be excused from sacrilege, by imparting absolution to those who can be judged not sufficiently disposed for absolution."¹¹ But see n. 1842.

1830. II. A penitent, even formally a recidivist, can be absolved as often as he furnishes SOME EXTRAORDINARY SIGN of disposition. - Thus the Holy Doctor, against Merbesius and others, who with intolerable rigor say that a habituated person can never be absolved unless his amendment is established by long experience. The reason of our opinion is because an extraordinary sign, provided it is solid and founded, takes away the suspicion of indisposition which repeated falls introduce¹² (cf. n. 1817, q. 1).

"Nor is it true what the adversaries object, namely that proof of time alone is the sole sign of a changed will: for change of will depends on divine grace, which does not need time, but operates in an instant; and therefore it can become manifest not only by experiment of time, but by certain other signs. - Indeed, sometimes other signs of present disposition manifest the change of will much better than experience of time; for those signs indicate directly the disposition of the penitent; but experience only indirectly, so that not rarely it can happen that someone, even for a long time, abstains from vices for the honorableness of this world, as St. Gregory says, and nevertheless is not rightly disposed. Therefore, as often as the penitent brings true signs of sorrow and purpose (or in other words: as often as he is prudently judged to have changed his will), so often he will be able to be absolved well."¹³

We say, he will be able to be absolved; for he is not necessarily and always to be absolved, because the confessor can, indeed sometimes ought, as PHYSICIAN, to defer absolution for a penitent even sufficiently disposed, as we have already affirmed several times (cf. n. 1816).

Let it further be noted: 1. A recidivist returning the first time will more easily be able to be absolved than the second or third time. For extraordinary signs are obtained more easily the more promptly the confessor puts the sickle to the root, and besides, the special signs of disposition required are smaller in proportion as the indications of indisposition have not yet been multiplied so much.¹⁴

2. Incontinent recidivists (from passion) can more easily be absolved than the intemperate (from habit); because in the former the confessor will very often find, or will be able to induce, some extraordinary sign, but in these latter rarely.¹⁵ Hence, recidivists into blasphemies can more easily be absolved than into other sins of hatred, theft, or lust, to which the habit clings more strongly because of the greater passion which is found in them.¹⁶

3. A recidivist formally such, unless he is certainly indisposed, can or ought to be absolved under condition in those cases in which one doubtfully disposed can or ought to be absolved (cf. n. 1663, q. 5, Rule 1). - Advert also that, because faith has everywhere collapsed, in this our age there more often occurs the lamentable case in which it is rightly to be feared lest a penitent doubtfully disposed, and dismissed without absolution, bid farewell to the Sacraments and waste away in his sins.¹⁷

1831. Questions. Q. 1. Whether one must use the remedy of delay of absolution toward a recidivist SUFFICIENTLY DISPOSED?

Resp. 1. Negative, when the delay is judged more likely to harm than to profit, or to bring upon the penitent some mark or danger of infamy (cf. n. 1816).

2. Outside these cases, the matter is to be committed to the prudence of the confessor. St. Alphonsus distinguishes thus: 1) If the penitent has relapsed because of an intrinsic cause or fragility, as happens in sins of pollution, morose delectation, hatred, blasphemy, and similar things, delay is rarely expedient; because greater fruit is to be hoped for from the grace of the Sacrament than from the delay of absolution (especially for recidivists into the sin of pollution there is no remedy more efficacious than frequent confession, indeed without it amendment can scarcely be hoped for, since this Sacrament is the greatest bridle): nevertheless, an opportune threat of delay will always be profitable... It was said, rarely expedient; for sometimes it profits, or even is necessary for striking terror, e.g. if remedies for a long time have been applied in vain, if the beginnings of a vice, especially in an adolescent, must be opposed, etc. - 2) If he has relapsed because of an occasion, ordinarily delay is expedient; both because the occasion is a stronger incentive to sin: but a stronger restraint must be opposed to a stronger allurement; and because removal of the occasion, more than rooting out of the habit, depends on the will: but what depends more on the will must be exacted more rigidly.¹⁸ The same must be said of a penitent obliged to restitution, reconciliation, denunciation, repair of grave scandal¹⁹ (cf. nn. 1793, 3, and 1816).

Q. 2. Why must a RECIDIVIST formally such be treated with greater severity than one simply RELAPSED from a voluntary occasion not present?

Resp. The reason is because the occasionary is supposed not at the same time to be habituated in sin; wherefore the occasionary, or recidivist from occasion, as such, can be absolved twice or three times without the occasion having been left; but otherwise, if at the same time he is recidivist into a habit of sin, without amendment.²⁰

Q. 3. What REMEDIES ARE TO BE ASSIGNED to recidivists INTO POLLUTION or into other lustful acts?²¹

Resp. The most apt will be: 1. To excite in them an ardent desire of recovering purity of mind and body, and to raise their soul to the struggle; otherwise the rest will be altogether useless. To excite the desire, let the confessor show the sick person the danger of damnation unless he corrects himself; because the more sins are accumulated, so much the more difficult is the attainment of salvation rendered; and the more intense the habit becomes, so much the weaker the will becomes. But to raise the soul to the struggle, let him insert into the penitent a sense of his dignity, by which he is man and Christian, and which by his vile habit he lowers, indeed finally no longer even feels; let him inspire in him confidence in God, in the Blessed Virgin Mary, and hope of victory, if he is going to use the remedies faithfully and constantly, even if it happens that he relapses from fragility.²²

2. To withdraw far from every dangerous occasion, to flee idleness and solitude, to avoid dishonest conversations, not to read amatory books, not to frequent dances and theaters, since these throw impure phantasms into the mind and soften the soul.²³

3. Frequent prayer, especially to recite three times each day the Angelic Salutation in honor of the purity of the Most Blessed Virgin, morning and evening, always adding before her image the purpose of not sinning and supplication for the gift of perseverance. Very much also will serve the frequent meditation of the eternal truths, according to the divine saying: "Remember your last things, and you will not sin forever"; and according to this counsel of St. Alphonsus: "Mental prayer is to be insinuated, not only to the timorous, but also to sinners, who often, because of defect of consideration, return to the vomit."²⁴

4. When some temptation rushes in, immediately to avert the mind elsewhere, and, if the temptation persists, to invoke several times and confidently the Most Holy Names of Jesus and Mary; thought concerning the Passion of Christ, eternal fire, death, the presence of God, remorse of conscience after sin, etc., also helps; likewise a fervent act of love toward God, with the purpose of undergoing death rather than sinning.²⁵

5. Frequenting of the Sacraments, which in wondrous ways represses the heat of lust; indeed, without it scarcely any other efficacious remedy is supplied; but especially care must be taken that the penitent return to the confessor immediately after a fall, and also that he choose for himself a stable, learned, and pious confessor.²⁶

6. Marriage, if it can be done, according to the admonition of the Apostle (1 Cor. 7:2, 9): "Because of fornication let each man have his own wife, and each woman her own husband... If they do not contain themselves, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn." Indeed, the incontinent who would not wish to use other opportune means would be held to marriage.²⁷

To these we add some NATURAL REMEDIES which can assist the supernatural ones; they are namely: 1. temperance in food and drink, especially in the evening; in the evening not to use wine, nor hot foods; - 2. temperance in sleep; not to lie in an immodest position, nor in a soft bed; in the morning to rise early; - 3. exercises which tire the body, such as walks, hunting, etc.²⁸

Concerning recidivists into blasphemies, recall what was said at n. 599.²⁹

1832. I. A heretic, converted to the Catholic faith, when he first presents himself to the confessor, is to be received kindly and greatly helped in the examination of conscience, from which excessive rigor is to be excluded. - He is to be asked how many years he lived in his sect while doubting concerning its truth, and whether he contemned or neglected to inquire concerning the true religion, and for how long.

If he was only a material heretic, any confessor can absolve him without a special faculty; likewise, if he was formally a heretic, but ignorant of the excommunication attached to formal heresy; for excommunication is not incurred by one who is ignorant of it. - But if even a slight doubt concerning an incurred excommunication should arise, he is to be absolved under condition, and with the profession of faith having first been made. Wherefore the confessor would act inconsiderately if, when about to reconcile a heretic, he did not beforehand procure for himself a special faculty, which he could easily need (cf. n. 443).

The exhortations should allude especially to those dogmas concerning which the newly converted man previously did not think rightly. - A penance which does not frighten him away is to be imposed upon him. - Recall what was said at n. 1479 as to Baptism, and at n. 1655 as to the obligation of confession.

1833. II. In reconciling heretics, according to the diversity of cases, a THREEFOLD MODE OF PROCEEDING is distinguished: 1. If the previous Baptism has been judged certainly valid, "only the abjuration, or profession of faith, is received, which absolution from censures follows." Thus the S. C. of the Holy Office, on July 20, 1859.¹ 2. If the nullity of the previous Baptism is established, Baptism is conferred absolutely, nor does any abjuration or absolution follow, because the Sacrament of regeneration washes away all things. 3. If Baptism is to be repeated under condition, the following order is to be observed: 1) Let the abjuration, or profession of faith, be made before two witnesses, according to the form prescribed by Pius IV, and more recently by Pius IX, with some addition.² 2) Let conditional Baptism follow. 3) Let conditional absolution from censure be imparted. 4) Let sacramental confession be made, with absolution from sins likewise conditional.

Note. - Those who must be baptized under condition "can, for the greater ease of the ecclesiastical function, first be heard sacramentally as to the accusation of their faults. Then, after the conferral of Baptism under condition, the confessor, again taking up summarily with the penitent those things concerning which he has already made accusation, is to absolve him sacramentally, likewise under condition." (S. OFFIC., November 1, 1875).³

1834. III. If an acatholic, in the article of death, wishes to return to the Catholic faith, he must emit a profession of Faith before two witnesses, at least as to those things which must be believed explicitly by necessity of means and of precept. And this act of conversion is immediately to be described in a public instrument, so that in this way all cavils of adversaries may be forestalled. - After this the dying man is to be duly disposed by acts of faith, hope, charity, sorrow, and purpose; then, confession having been made, he is to be absolved from excommunication and from sins, and lastly refreshed with the Most Holy Viaticum and Extreme Unction.⁴

1835. Those are called SCRUPULOUS who, from an empty cause, suspect and, with disturbance of soul, fear sin where there is none (cf. n. 27). Much care must be expended upon them. For SCRUPLES impede tranquility of mind, torture the soul, weaken the body, ruin health, disturb promptness in acting; indeed they sometimes cast one into despair, or into madness itself, and bring innumerable other evils.

Therefore, so that the confessor can provide opportune and useful governance to scrupulous persons, he must attend to four things: 1. the signs by which scruples are recognized; 2. the causes from which they arise; 3. the matter about which they turn; 4. certain rules of prudence, the application of which fits all scrupulous persons indiscriminately.

1836. I. "The SIGNS of a scrupulous conscience are these:⁵ - 1. Pertinacity of judgment, by which the scrupulous person refuses to obey the counsels of the wise, consults various men, but acquiesces in the judgment of none; indeed, the more he hears many, the more perplexed he becomes. 2. Frequent change of judgment from light motives; whence arises inconstancy in acting, and disturbance of mind, especially in external operations, for example in the celebration of Mass, in the recitation of the Hours, or in the administration or reception of the Sacraments. 3. To have irrelevant reflections concerning many circumstances which were present in the action, or could have been present. 4. To be fearful concerning sin in all things, and to cling in mind contrary to the judgment of the wise, and even to his own judgment; and therefore never to be content with one assertion of the confessor, but often, in the same act, to ask the same man whether, in acting according to the counsel given, the conscience can be immune from fault."

But he is by no means to be counted among the scrupulous who always watches over himself very attentively, lest in some matter, however small, he displease God; - nor he who, after sins have been committed and confessed with moderate detestation and sorrow, is distressed and therefore desires to repeat confession; - nor he who, now and then, in a passing way, is disturbed by some empty anxiety of conscience.

1837. II. The CAUSES of scruples are some intrinsic, others extrinsic.⁶ -

The INTRINSIC are: a disposition much inclined to anxiety and fears, such as is that of melancholic persons; weak health of the head, especially in women; excessive abstinence and immoderate vigils, from which, the head being weakened, the mind is easily disturbed; slowness of mind, which judges foolishly concerning the precepts of God and of the Church; hidden pride, inclining to excessive confidence in one's own judgment, etc.

But the EXTRINSIC causes are: 1. God, who permits the soul to be tossed by the storm of scruples through a transitory loss of light; and indeed He permits this for this end: that man may detest committed sins more vehemently, and recede farther from the evil way; then, that he may truly progress in humility, in confidence, in patience, in obedience, and in other virtues, and thus be found faithful in divine service. 2. The demon, who terrifies the soul by false imaginations of sins, whether committed or to be committed, disturbs mind and body, and thus fishes in troubled water. Nor is fishing of this kind done in vain. For unless his snares are avoided, the soul, in a short time, falls into tepidity, into acedia, into various faults, and finally into crimes, indeed into despair.⁷ 3. Association with scrupulous persons; direction by a scrupulous confessor; reading of books which abound in severity in moral doctrine; and similar things.

To these causes, however, congruous REMEDIES must be opposed, such as are: flight from idleness, moderate occupations, honest recreations, humble prayer full of confidence toward God, avoidance of scrupulous persons; but above all prompt and blind obedience, without which it is impossible to be healed from this disease (cf. n. 28).

1838. III. The MATTER about which scruples turn consists, for the most part, of actions to be placed, evil thoughts to be repelled, and confessions already made.⁸

1. To scrupulous persons who fear that they sin in every action, it must be enjoined that they act freely, that is, by contemning scruples, indeed even by acting against them, whenever evident sin does not appear; that they never repeat works once done, and that in every doubt they always choose the part more benign to themselves. - Although, however, by acting thus, they sometimes sin materially, still they will not sin formally, by reason of the obedience which they must render to the confessor, according to this rule of St. Ignatius: "One must obey in all things in which sin is not perceived" (recall what was said at nn. 28 and 693).

2. To scrupulous persons who are distressed by evil thoughts (against chastity, faith, charity), and who think that they consent to them, let the confessor enjoin that they take no account of thoughts of this kind, because thoughts are not sins, but consent is; and let him prescribe to them that in confession they abstain entirely from declaring thoughts of this kind, unless they can swear that they certainly gave consent to them (cf. n. 1696). - For the rest, not even their oath would always be an indubitable argument concerning consent having been given. For a very scrupulous man can come into such disturbance of mind that he shows himself ready to swear, although in reality he has not sinned. But "by their fruits you shall know them," i.e., from their works, and from their ordinary manner of acting.

3. To scrupulous persons who are always distressed concerning confessions already made, if the confessor knows that they have sincerely set forth all things (or if they have already made a general confession with a prudent confessor), let him absolutely impose that they no longer think about past faults, nor make any mention of them; unless they can immediately swear that they certainly committed mortal sins, and never declared them in confession. - It is expedient to say to such distressed persons: "Be entirely quiet, I take all things upon myself"; or to repeat these words, by which St. Bernard tranquilized a certain scrupulous priest: "Go, and celebrate on my faith." But if the penitent returns after confession, let him be dismissed unheard, so that he may learn to contemn vain fears.

Concerning these things it is still to be NOTED: 1. A scrupulous person who is anxious concerning past confessions must be asked whether, knowingly, he concealed some grave sin, and whether he had it in mind to commit the same sins again. If he answers negatively, the confession is to be judged valid.

2. A scrupulous person can sometimes be excused from material integrity, namely whenever, from confession or examination of conscience, grave harm of body or soul would threaten him. And the same must be said concerning the Hours to be recited, concerning fraternal correction to be made, concerning the truth to be investigated about doubtful restitutions, and similar matters, in which new doubts always arise for him; because the law does not oblige with so great an inconvenience.

1839. IV. The MODE OF ACTING with scrupulous persons, which prudence universally advises, is expressed by the following RULES:⁹

1. Let the confessor be full of charity and patience, and let him listen kindly to their narration, however tedious, especially in the first times. For unless he has won for himself the confidence of the distressed person, he will accomplish nothing.

2. In responses let him be prompt, without hesitation and change; for the trembling of the scrupulous person will not otherwise be excluded.

3. Let him be brief and dictatorial. For scruples are not driven away by discourse, but by contempt and obedience. - Nor should he easily add reasons to his responses, because reasons prepare a snare for penitents of this kind.

4. Yet let him teach true doctrine and benign opinions, for example concerning attention in prayers, concerning the integrity of confession, concerning Communion received in good faith, etc. Let him above all frequently remind them of those things which holy men have handed down concerning the security and merit of obedience, namely: "That he walks entirely safely who acquiesces in and obeys the counsels of his director in all things in which sin does not appear; for then he does not obey man, but God Himself, saying: He who hears you, hears Me; and he who despises you, despises Me."¹⁰

5. Let him prescribe for them rules of acting, not particular, but general; because new cases always seem to them diverse from preceding cases. - Nor let it weary him to repeat the same things. For the sick mind is healed not suddenly, but gradually.

6. Let him excite those who have fallen, not otherwise than other penitents, to contrition, but at the same time to every confidence; for scrupulous persons especially need this.¹¹

1840. Since it rarely happens that men are vexed by the demon in a sensible manner, there is no reason why we should dwell much on the present argument.

Before all things, the confessor must be warned that in this matter he should recede equally from excessive incredulity and from excessive credulity. "Let the confessor not be so incredulous," says St. Alphonsus,¹² "that he judges all invasions or infestations of demons to be fantasies or bodily infirmities; because it must not be denied that true possessed persons are found even among Christians." Therefore let him prove all things according to those things which we said concerning divination (n. 558 and n. 622 and following).

These things being premised, it will be sufficient to have noted the following from St. Alphonsus: 1. Some possessed persons are vexed by evil spirits with horrible specters, or bodily torments. The care of these is easy: prayer, patience, and above all perfect conformity with the divine will are to be insinuated to them. 2. Those who usually trouble confessors more are those who are vexed by the demon with filthy visions, motions, and even touches... etc. But let the confessor take care that the penitent subject such acts to the keys of the Sacrament, if perhaps he fails in anything, either because of imperfect advertence, or because of some deficiency of resistance.¹³

The REMEDIES are: that the penitent, in so horrible a conflict, pray perseveringly and insistently, commending himself a hundred and a thousand times to God, groaning, and asking mercy at the feet of the Crucified and of the Mother of God; that he apply himself much and constantly to mortification, diligently turning the mind away from the pleasures of the senses and frequently protesting that he does not wish to consent to the operations of the demon. - Then to prayer and mortification humility with unshaken confidence must be joined; the use of the Sacraments, of the most sacred sign of the Cross, of blessed water, of private exorcism, of holy Relics, and of the book of the Gospels.¹⁴

But if someone falls miserably in these temptations, the care of him is very difficult. Let the confessor prescribe for him the remedies just recounted, and especially let him employ exorcism, at least private exorcism. - Let him delay absolving him and exhort him to return often, nor let him absolve him except after a long trial; for such conversions are rarely true, and very rarely persevering.¹⁵ See more, if you wish, in St. Alphonsus.

Note. Scaramelli¹⁶ warns that exorcism profits nothing or little with persons who are in the state of contemplation; because God Himself wills their purgation through the infestation of demons.

1841. "It is a work very acceptable to God to adorn spouses for Him, that is, to cultivate spiritual souls, so that they may give and hand themselves over wholly to Him. One perfect soul is more acceptable in His eyes than a THOUSAND imperfect ones. Hence, when the confessor sees a penitent living immune from mortal faults, he must apply every care to introduce him into the way of perfection and divine love."²

Now, so that the confessor may truly consult the spiritual utility of these souls, behold what RULES OF GOVERNMENT St. Alphonsus prescribes to him:

1. Before all things, let him take care that he instill into them a great DESIRE of Christian perfection, and a most firm PURPOSE of attaining this perfection, "by representing to them the merit which God has that He be loved, and the gratitude which we owe to Jesus Christ, who loved us even unto dying for us; and also the danger in which all souls are placed who, called by God to a more perfect life, resist Him."³

2. Let him take care that they progress ORDERLY and GRADUALLY in perfection.⁴ - Hence they are to be taught: 1. To beware of the least deliberate defect, or one admitted with open eyes, yet in such a way that, after some light fault has been admitted, they do not fall in spirit, but rise from the fall by acts of humility, sorrow, and purpose, and this even if they were to fall a hundred times in a day. 2. To perform ordinary actions well, or prayers, the duties of their state, etc., and to have a right intention in all things. - 3. First to strive for patience, then only for joy in adversities. - 4. Let them learn to bear light things before they desire grave things. - Nor meanwhile should the confessor be unmindful of the saying of the Lord, saying: "The Spirit breathes where He wills"; nor should he forget that this usually happens: that even souls enriched with great gifts of God and abounding in the fruit of solid virtues are seen to be infected with various defects and imperfections, God so permitting.

3. Let him take care that he introduce them into the custom of MENTAL PRAYER. - Hence let him establish for them the time to be expended on this most holy exercise; let him himself assign to them the truths to be meditated; let him teach them the method of meditating fruitfully; and now and then, for example each month, let him ask an account of this method. - Moreover, let him watch with open eyes that they pass no day without some consideration of truths; that they frequently think of God always present to us; that they pour forth frequent and fervid ejaculatory prayers; and that, insofar as it can be done, on individual days they read something attentively and piously from a spiritual book prudently chosen (cf. n. 535).

4. Let him take care that he effectively teach them the exercise of Christian MORTIFICATION. "To assert absolutely," says St. Alphonsus,⁵ "that external mortifications profit nothing or little, is a very great error." Yet let the director take care that he not be excessive in conceding them, especially in the first fervor of devotion; nor generally should he concede them except when asked, and let him concede less than is requested. - But let him watch that they exercise themselves constantly rather in negative mortification: for example, that they abstain from curious looking, that they speak sparingly, that they be content even with unpleasant foods, that in wintertime they do not approach the fire, that they command their passions, etc.⁶ Moreover, the particular Examination will serve excellently as a singular aid to this exercise.

5. As regards the reception of the SACRAMENTS: 1. Let him advise general confession for those who are not scrupulous and who have not yet made it (cf. n. 1711). - 2. Let them confess once, or at most twice, in a week. But one who has fallen into a venial sin and lacks an opportune occasion of confessing should not on that account abstain from Communion, since venial sins are remitted also by other remedies. Indeed, some timorous persons will often more usefully dispose themselves for Communion by their own acts, as being those which then are wont to be more fervent, than by confession. - Concerning frequent Communion, recall what was said at nn. 1575-1582.

1842. IT IS ASKED. How ought the confessor conduct himself with penitents who bring only IMPERFECTIONS or VENIAL sins?⁷

Resp. 1. "If they confess imperfections which do not reach faults certainly venial, Bonacina says that they can be absolved under condition; but I judge that this is not to be admitted except very rarely, and when they themselves could not assign certain matter from past life, or not without great trouble. For the rest I say that if the penitent does not present certain matter, the confessor must not inquire into it in order to absolve him; and in the case in which he had inquired and had not found it, he is not bound to impart conditional absolution to him" (cf. n. 1658 and 1663, qu. 5, Reg. 24).

2. "If the penitent confesses certain venial sins, but usual or daily ones, for example concerning impatiences, intemperances, distractions in the Office, in prayer, and similar things, so that absolution can be given to him, it must be considered whether he has at any time imposed force upon himself, as much as he could, in order to overcome the passion; because then it can be judged that his faults proceeded rather from human frailty than from defect of sorrow or purpose. - Conversely, if he has relapsed frequently, and without resistance, into faults of this kind, then he must be dealt with as with a recidivist," according to what was said at n. 1829; and therefore it must be obtained either that he truly grieve over at least some one of those sins, or that he present for matter some graver sin of past life.⁸ - Recall what was said at n. 340 and following.⁹

1843. Preliminary Remarks. "When some soul is gifted by God with the grace of contemplation, it is necessary that the confessor know very well the mode by which he ought to direct it and free it from all illusions; otherwise he will bring the greatest harm, and, as St. John of the Cross says, he himself will have to render a great account to God." These things are from St. Alphonsus.¹⁰

Wherefore, if any penitent is raised to such a state, it is necessary that the confessor, ignorant of mystical matters, send him to a suitable moderator; or, if he judges that he is not to be sent, that he himself at least have docile recourse to learned books and experienced men, by whom he can be taught.¹¹

Meanwhile, it will profit a confessor of this kind not a little to receive at least the NOTION here sketched of those supernatural states; for, imbued with such a notion, he will be occupied more easily and more safely in the study of such sublime things.

DEFINITION. Contemplation is defined by Guigo the Carthusian:¹² "An elevation of the mind suspended in God, tasting the joys of eternal sweetness." It differs much from meditation: for in the latter God is sought by the labor of discourse, and the soul operates by acts of its own powers; but in the former, without labor of this kind, it contemplates God already found: for God Himself then operates, and the soul only suffers, since the very light and divine love with which it is then wholly filled render it sweetly attentive to contemplating the goodness of its God.¹³

DIVISION. - "Contemplation is either affirmative or negative. - 1. It is affirmative when the soul, by benefit of divine light without any work of its own, beholds some truth either created, such as the unhappiness of hell, the happiness of paradise, etc., or uncreated, such as divine mercy, love, power, goodness. - 2. It is negative when it recognizes the divine perfections not in particular, but in general, with a certain confused knowledge, but one which introduces a far greater concept of the divine greatness."¹⁴ This latter is more perfect and is called by the Mystics the prayer of darkness, clear darkness, sublime knowledge of God through ignorance, pure contemplation, etc.; in it all the interior powers of the soul are suspended, and sometimes also the exterior senses.¹⁵

1844. Principles. I. Infused contemplation, IN THE ACTIVE STATE, is usually preceded both by the prayer of natural recollection, or of contemplative leisure, and by purgation of soul through aridity of sense. We say it is usually preceded; for "the Spirit breathes where He wills" (John 3:8); nor are there lacking examples of souls which have been immediately raised to the last grade of contemplation without having passed through the preceding grades.

Moreover: 1. The PRAYER OF NATURAL RECOLLECTION is said to be granted to the soul "when the intellect does not need, with labor, as it were to go outside the soul in order to consider some mystery or eternal truth; but, drawn away from external things and gathered as it were within the soul itself, without labor, indeed with great sweetness, it attends to that truth or mystery, whatever it may be. - Contemplative leisure is almost the same, except that in recollection the soul attends to some particular devout thought; but in leisure, with a certain general knowledge of God, it feels itself gathered within itself and sweetly drawn by God."¹⁶

2. SPIRITUAL PURGATION consists not only in natural aridity, by which souls proceeding even by the ordinary way often labor, but in supernatural aridity, which is a drawing of grace and a certain light bringing punishment and obscurity. - This is twofold: namely aridity of sense and aridity of spirit:

1. Aridity of sense is a most troublesome subtraction of sensible devotion, through which the soul is led to a certain alienation from all sensible pleasures, both earthly and spiritual. It endures until, the senses having been purified, the soul is rendered apt for the first grades of contemplation.¹⁷ 2) "Aridity of spirit, or substantial aridity, is a certain divine light by which God causes the soul to recognize its own nothingness." In this state, although more attentive to pleasing God, it sees itself in a certain more terrible agony, believes all things done by itself worthy of punishments, and itself hateful to God; indeed, it sometimes experiences a thousand temptations, the punishments of the damned, and divine dereliction. God is wont through this purgation to prepare the soul for the last grade of contemplation, i.e., for passive union, in which there are ecstasies, raptures, etc.¹⁸

1845. II. The GRADES OF CONTEMPLATION are indeed various and many; yet among them three principal ones are numbered, namely supernatural recollection, quiet, and union. Now:

1. SUPERNATURAL RECOLLECTION is had "when the gathering of the powers does not come about by the work of the soul itself, but by benefit of the light which God infuses, and through which a great and sensible divine love is excited in it." The soul is placed, through this infused recollection, in the PASSIVE STATE, in which "it must not investigate more curiously what that interior recollection of spirit is; but let it permit itself to be directed by God to consider those things and to make those acts toward which it knows itself to be more borne by God."¹⁹

2. QUIET differs from the preceding grade in this, that "in recollection the force of divine love is communicated immediately to the external senses, which God Himself causes to be gathered within the soul; but in quiet love is communicated immediately to the spirit, in the very center of the soul: and the love itself is more ardent," and sometimes is diffused to the senses themselves. Then, in quiet, "the will indeed is suspended, which remains as it were bound, because then it can love no other object besides God, who draws it to Himself; but the intellect and memory or imagination sometimes remain free and run here and there." Nor, truly, should the soul be saddened about this, but neither should it strive to gather its thoughts; for it would attempt this in vain and would lose quiet: but let it elicit only those acts toward which it feels itself sweetly impelled by God.²⁰ - There is usually a following:

3. UNION, namely passive union, by which God offers Himself to be seen by the soul not only as near (as in the preceding grades), but as present: and the soul experiences Him joined to itself by a certain sweet contact; whence it can no longer doubt concerning the truth of that presence. See St. Alphonsus.²¹

1846. III. Often certain GRACES are granted with the gift of contemplation, such as visions, locutions, and revelations, which it is of great interest to distinguish from false ones. - Now:

1. VISIONS (whether external, or imaginary, or even intellectual) can be caused by the devil. - But the probable signs from which their divine origin is recognized are these: 1) if they are rare, sudden, passing like lightning, yet immovably fixed in the mind; - 2) if in the beginning they bring confusion and terror, but in the end leave the soul in the greatest peace and in living knowledge of its misery, with a great desire of perfection. For such things ordinarily proceed neither from the devil nor from nature, although they can also proceed from the devil, who "transforms himself into an angel of light"; but "by their fruits you shall know them," i.e., demons and false prophets.²²

2. LOCUTIONS, for example for imposing works, for instructing, are: either successive, when someone, meditating, feels as though he is answered by his own spirit, but as if it were an external person; or formal, when the soul hears (by the ears, imagination, or intellect) some formed words, but outside itself; or substantial, when they quickly operate that which they express: as, for example, if the soul were to hear: Do not fear, and immediately becomes intrepid. - These last are safer than all the others; the first are very uncertain, and the second very suspect. - Hence the director, if he observes that the things commanded are contrary to Christian prudence, must prohibit them altogether. But if they are not contrary, it is expedient that he suspend execution until greater certainty is acquired.²³

3. REVELATIONS of hidden or future things, for example of mysteries of faith, states of consciences, etc., can be had in three ways, namely through visions, through locutions (as above), and through understandings of naked truths. - In these one must proceed most cautiously, especially when there is question of certifying someone because of knowledge received in revelation.²⁴

Note. "When God speaks and operates, it is necessary that the soul be silent and cease from its own operations; but when He does not speak, it is necessary that the soul help itself in that mode in which it can, in order to join itself to God, namely by meditations (when these are necessary), affections, prayers," etc., as in the active state.²⁵

1847. Questions. QUAER. 1. What is the OFFICE OF THE CONFESSOR toward a soul which walks by the ways of contemplation?

Resp. Two things in this office of his are principal: 1. He must PRESERVE IT IN HUMILITY while it is gifted with graces. For no grade of contemplation confers impeccability; "and therefore, the more it sees itself gifted by God with graces of this kind, so much the more it must be humble and alienated from all things, loving the cross alone, and living wholly conformed to the divine dispositions, with continual fear that its infidelities from that time will be punished more bitterly, on account of the greater ingratitude with which they will be committed."²⁶ Therefore let him impose on it "that it faithfully narrate all the communications which it has in prayer. Yet let him show no appetite for knowing them (nor have it write them, unless this is necessary); nor let him ever manifest to another the supernatural graces conceded to his penitent." Nor let him show to it "a sign of esteem, and much less send other penitents to ask counsel from it, or to seek solace or direction. Rather let him show that he makes less of it than of other souls which walk by the way of faith"; let him not spare its faults and defects, etc.; "because souls adorned with these favors, regularly speaking, are always and much to be humbled." - Especially, "when there is question of external graces, such as visions, locutions, and revelations, regularly speaking, it is safer that the director show that he makes little of them (because there are more false visions than true ones);²⁷ and the more avidly they are sought and held in value, so much the more the person will stray from faith and humility, which is the safer way that God has placed. - Wherefore, let him give it the counsel that it pray God to concede true ecstasy, namely total alienation from earthly things and from itself, without which it will never be able to arrive at perfection."²⁸

2. He must COMFORT and HELP the soul when it is placed in doubts, aridities, and temptations, which are wont to abound in these ways. To this end let him not show himself fearful, or in any way hesitating, but let him manfully comfort it to fear nothing. Let him say to it that all those suggestions of blasphemies, unbelief, impurities, and despair are not consents, but punishments which, if they are tolerated with resignation, join the mind more and more to God. "Let him exhort it to be of strong soul, and to expect great things manfully from God, while He leads it by the safer way, namely by the way of the cross. Let him also warn it that first it humble itself, as being worthy to be treated thus by God on account of the defects of past life; secondly, that it wholly resign itself to the divine will, presenting itself most ready to bear all these things, indeed even greater things for every time for which it shall please God; thirdly, let it cast itself as dead into the arms of divine mercy, and commit itself to the protection of Most Holy Mary, who is rightly called Mother of mercy and consoler of the afflicted."²⁹

QUAER. 2. Must the favors of divine contemplation be SOUGHT?

Resp. Distinguish. 1. If there is question of souls which have not yet been gifted with these favors, it is safer to desire and seek only active union, i.e., perfect uniformity with the divine will; for in it certainly consists the whole perfection of divine love, and a faithful soul can, without the gift of contemplation, but with only the benefit of ordinary grace, arrive at annihilation of its own will and at transforming it into God.³⁰

2. If there is question of those which have already rejoiced in extraordinary graces in the passive state, again one must distinguish: 1) The graces which are called uniform with faith, such as confused and general knowledges and divine touches which unite the soul to God, are not to be rejected; and therefore they can be humbly sought and desired, so that union with God may thus be perfected and divine love take new increases. - 2) But graces which remove from faith, because they consist in certain distinct knowledges (such as visions, locutions, and revelations), are to be most constantly rejected, "yet always in the spirit of humility, and without any contempt, as would be to spit, to laugh in the face, etc. (which is not licit, as several assert); and by protesting before God that one wishes to serve Him in pure faith."³¹ See more among the mystical authors.³²