Morals of the Church
Library › Marc, Institutiones Morales › Volume I › Part II: On the Precepts of the Decalogue and of the Church › Section I: On the Preambles to the Decalogue Or On the Theological Virtues › Treatise I: On Theological Faith › Chapter III: On Sins Opposed to Faith › Article II: On Heresy and Apostasy From Faith

Section — Marc, Institutiones Morales

§ 3. On the Absolution of Heretics

¶443.
  1. I. ANY CONFESSOR can absolve both those guilty of merely internal heresy and also heretics who have incurred no censure.

II. The BISHOP, or INQUISITOR, can in the external forum, by himself or through another, absolve notorious heretics. It matters little whether they were denounced or appeared spontaneously. Yet abjuration must be premised before a notary or someone delegated by the Bishop for this (S. O., March 28, 1900) and witnesses. Thus from the Bull Cum sicut of Clement VII, January 15, 1530 (Anal. eccl., VIII, p. 191); cf. Coll. de Prop. Fide, n. 1682.

Note. 1. Nevertheless it is granted by the aforesaid Sacred Congregation de Propaganda Fide that sometimes abjuration be made before a few witnesses, without a notary (Coll., n. 1686 and 1681).

  1. In places of mixed religion, Bishops are accustomed commonly to have and communicate a delegated faculty of absolving. - The formula of abjuration is that which the Holy Office composed on July 20, 1859.

  2. Any confessor can absolve from the sin of heresy those guilty persons thus absolved from censure (VII, 83; H. Ap., XX, de Privil., 39).

III. ONLY THE ROMAN PONTIFF can absolve (by himself or through another) heretics whether notorious or occult. It is supposed that they have not yet presented themselves to the judicial forum of the Ordinary, either from delation or spontaneously (Bened. XIV, Const. Pastor bonus, 1744).

Hence: 1. Protestants, or other notorious heretics, who wish to abjure their heresy, can be absolved by the Bishop or by his delegate. For their heresy, in every case, must be brought to the external forum.

  1. The contrary must be said of a Catholic who privately fell into heresy, or lived in some sect so occultly that his heresy became known to only a few. For he would be in a case of occult heresy, nor could he be absolved by the Bishop,

so long as his delict had not been brought to the judicial forum. Whence, if he refuses to manifest his heresy in the external forum, he will need an indult of the Holy See (that is, of the Major Penitentiary) to obtain absolution (Bouix, de Episc., II, p. 222). See nevertheless the things to be said at n. 1314.

Note. The MODE of reconciling heretics will be treated at n. 1832 seqq.

FaithSins against FaithThe Commandments of God