§ 5. On The Obligation Of Giving, Or Denying, Or Deferring Absolution

1813. Penitents, after admonitions and exhortations have been heard, can be divided into a threefold class: for some are certainly disposed, others doubtfully disposed, and others finally positively indisposed. - Therefore the confessor, so that he may rightly and fruitfully perform his twofold office toward each, i.e. the office of JUDGE and PHYSICIAN, ought to attend to the following:

Principles. I. Absolution IS TO BE GIVEN to capable and worthy penitents, or the RIGHTLY DISPOSED, unless the good of the penitent counsels delay, as will be said at n. 1816. "The reason is because the penitent, after confession has been made, since he is disposed, has a strict right to absolution; by denying which the confessor would inflict grave injury upon him, both because he would deprive him of the grace of the Sacrament, and because he would oblige him to undergo a great burden, namely to repeat before another his grave sins."³⁶

1814. II. Absolution must altogether BE DENIED to incapable and unworthy persons. The reason is because to administer a Sacrament where essential conditions are lacking is a great sacrilege; and often also a most grave deception of the penitent, namely when, from invalid absolution received, he incurs greater danger of eternal damnation.

We said, 1. to the incapable, namely to those who either have never had the use of reason, or are ignorant of necessary things with necessity of means (cf. n. 1808), or are not morally present, or bring no matter to the Sacrament.

We said, 2. to the unworthy, i.e. to those certainly indisposed (cf. n. 1817, q. 4).

Wherefore St. Alphonsus gravely admonishes, saying:³⁷ 1) Let the confessor be inflexible in deferring or denying absolution as often as it is proper; especially with priests and Ordinands. 2) Let him be full of charity, both by bringing it about according to his strength that the indisposed penitent become disposed, and by dismissing with sweet words the one whom he cannot absolve, so that this one may not be reluctant to return (cf. n. 1793, 3).

1815. III. Absolution IS TO BE DEFERRED for the penitent DOUBTFULLY DISPOSED; unless there is present a GRAVE CAUSE because of which absolution can be imparted under condition. - The reason of the first part is because otherwise the confessor would expose the Sacrament to danger of nullity, and so would commit grave sacrilege. The reason of the second part is because the Sacraments are for men, and therefore in a case in which the salvation of a man is endangered, they are to be administered in every better manner by which it can be done; but irreverence toward the Sacrament is removed by a just cause and condition. See individual cases under n. 1663, q. 4, where concerning the conditioned form. But here:

Let it be noted: 1. Delay of absolution, when it can be used, is a most efficacious REMEDY; for it shakes the drowsy, lest they fall into the sleep of death; as a carbuncle it rouses those deceived by the fallacy of sin, so that they open their eyes and know their dangerous state. - Even if they should not return to the same confessor, a just and prudent delay is not useless; because, like a strong admonition, it will be a seed of reflection and conversion, which will bear fruit in its own time.³⁸ It was said: when it can be used; for among penitents doubtfully disposed there are found some who, dismissed, would not return, and would waste away in their sins, although it is not impossible for them to dispose themselves better. These ought rather to be absolved under condition.³⁹

2. The delay ought to be brief, i.e. for eight or ten days, if the sin proceeds from intrinsic frailty; indeed sometimes for a shorter time, e.g. for a day, or an hour, or even for a quarter of an hour. - But if it proceeds from an extrinsic cause, e.g. from a proximate occasion, the delay can be longer, e.g. of one month, if from the circumstances it is required (cf. n. 1831).

And indeed these principles press the Confessor insofar as he is considered solely as judge. But since the parts of physician also must be performed by him, it must be established:

1816. IV. The confessor, insofar as he performs the office of PHYSICIAN, CAN, indeed OUGHT, sometimes TO DEFER absolution for a penitent, even one RIGHTLY DISPOSED, namely when he prudently judges that such a delay will be profitable for his amendment and salvation. To the point St. Alphonsus says thus:⁴⁰ "It is certain and common among all that the confessor can defer absolution for a penitent even disposed, and even without his consent, whenever he prudently judges that delay is useful for his amendment. The reason is because the penitent, although he has a right to absolution by reason of confession performed, nevertheless does not have a right to be absolved at once: for the confessor, to whom not only the duty of judge but also of physician belongs, can well, indeed in my judgment is bound to, defer absolution when he judges such a remedy to be necessarily useful to the salvation of his penitent." But that the Blessed Doctor in this matter by no means departs from the opinion of the ancient Theologians (of the sixteenth century) is found demonstrated splendidly in the Alphonsian Vindications.⁴¹

We said, 1. when he judges that the delay will be profitable: as, e.g., when there is probable danger lest the penitent, after receiving absolution, break his purpose: as often happens to those who must make restitution, make a denunciation, remove an occasion of sin, reconcile themselves with enemies, learn things necessary to be known, shake off culpable negligence, etc. But the delay, in these cases, will be able to be of the very briefest time, namely until they have fulfilled the obligation. - But the obligation itself of deferring absolution will be grave or light, according as the delay itself will be judged necessary, or only useful.⁴²

We said, 2. when he judges PRUDENTLY; because one must proceed considerately. For absolution is never to be put off for one sufficiently disposed if the delay is foreseen as more harmful than profitable, or if from it a mark or danger of infamy would arise for the penitent. And the same must be said if, all things weighed, the delay would seem useless, or if such a remedy could be used with too little convenience.⁴³

Note. - According to the diversity of places and times it is expedient to defer absolution more frequently or more rarely. Thus, in great cities or in impious regions, where faith has collapsed, it hardly ever seems expedient that absolution be deferred; otherwise elsewhere, where faith is living.

1817. Questions. Q. 1. Whether and what sort of CERTITUDE is required concerning the disposition of the penitent, so that he can be absolved?

Resp. The extreme opinions being passed over, of the Rigorists, who will that no one, outside danger of death, is to be absolved before he has put forth most certain arguments of conversion; and of the Laxists, who think that absolution is to be denied to no one unless evidence holds signs of indisposition, we say with St. Alphonsus:

1. In this Sacrament, since the matter is moral, as the acts of the penitent are, MORAL or respective CERTITUDE suffices... "Hence, as regards our purpose, it is sufficient that the confessor have prudent probability concerning the disposition of the penitent, and that, on the other hand, no prudent suspicion of indisposition stands in the way; otherwise scarcely anyone could be absolved, since whatever signs of penitents furnish nothing except probability of disposition... And this seems to be sufficiently expressed in the Roman Catechism, where it is said: If, the confession having been heard, the priest has judged that neither diligence in enumerating sins, nor sorrow in detesting them, was wholly lacking to the penitent, he will be able to be absolved"⁴⁴ (cf. n. 1424).

2. The dispositions of the penitent ought to become known to the confessor through certain signs, whether ordinary or extraordinary. ORDINARY SIGNS indeed suffice if no indication of indisposition appears to the contrary. But if they are attacked by some positive presumption, or in other words, if there is present a founded suspicion concerning the indisposition of the penitent, e.g. because of his new and continuous falls into sin, they no longer suffice; but SOME EXTRAORDINARY SIGN is required. The reason is because the presumption which ordinary signs introduce concerning the disposition of the penitent is destroyed by the presumption which founded reasons furnish concerning his indisposition. Hence the confessor necessarily becomes hesitating and doubtful (in which case see what was said at n. 1815). But where some extraordinary sign (which either precedes the accusation of sins, or, with the confessor admonishing and exhorting, follows it) supervenes, suspicion concerning indisposition is (for the most part) removed, and the confessor judges that his penitent is now sufficiently disposed.⁴⁵

Q. 2. What are the ORDINARY SIGNS of sufficient disposition?

Resp. According to St. Alphonsus,⁴⁶ they are the confession itself rightly made, and the protestation of the penitent asserting that he is sorry and proposes. For the presumption is in favor of the penitent, and he is to be believed when nothing stands in the way to the contrary.

Q. 3. What are EXTRAORDINARY or special SIGNS?⁴⁷

Resp. St. Alphonsus enumerates nine signs of this sort, which can be recalled to two heads, namely some zeal for amendment, and a special manifestation of sorrow.

1. Some ZEAL FOR AMENDMENT, for example: 1) The use of means, e.g. if the penitent diligently avoided the occasion, carried into execution the means prescribed by the confessor, used prayers, alms, etc., for rooting out the vice. - 2) Perseverance for some time, e.g. absolutely speaking, for about three weeks, or relatively to temptations, for one or another week, when previously he was accustomed to fall many times in the week. That continence can happen after confession, which is a better sign, or even before he approaches confession, so that he might dispose himself for it. - 3) A more difficult or rarer fall: more difficult, i.e. after notable resistance; rarer, namely in the same occasions and temptations. - 4) Fulfillment of some difficult obligation, as, e.g., of restitution, repairing the neighbor's reputation, etc.

2. Some SPECIAL MANIFESTATION OF SORROW, e.g. 1) Tears and sighs, at least for the most part, but especially cordial words. - 2) Spontaneous confession made, not from custom, but from an internal impulse of grace, so that divine friendship may be received, especially if there accedes a long journey, loss of notable profit, grave inconvenience, great internal or external conflict. - 3) External impulse of grace, in some extraordinary event, for example because of a sermon heard, because of the death of a friend, because of fear of an imminent scourge. - 4) Confession of sins previously concealed. - 5) Signification of a new knowledge of one's sin, or of the danger of damnation. - 6) Request for means of amendment, and similar things: for example, "if the penitent says that he repented immediately after the sin, if he desires to make satisfaction, if he accepts a great penance with a good mind, if of himself he protests that he would rather die than fall again." From signs of this sort it is rightly gathered that the penitent asserts sorrow and purpose not only with the mouth, but from the soul.⁴⁸

"The following things are to be noted concerning these: 1. Zeal for amendment can sometimes stand with slight amendment, on account of special difficulties of amendment, which can proceed: 1) from a habit very deeply rooted, since it demands great efforts; 2) from assiduous and vehement temptations, because they entangle a man; 3) from a very light and changeable disposition, which is especially proper to adolescents, and by which it happens that with equal facility they pass to good and to evil; 4) from the facility with which some sins are committed, for example sins of heart and of mouth.⁴⁹

"2. Spontaneity of confession is to be presumed especially in those regions in which faith has grown weak; for there human respect does not impel one to receiving the Sacraments, as in others in which religion flourishes, but rather draws one back from them. For the rest, even in regions of this sort, there are not lacking those who approach the sacred Tribunal from custom alone, or from other natural motives.⁵⁰

"3. In the time of a Mission which turns out prosperously, recidivists for the most part are usually rightly disposed, if they diligently attended the sermons, and at this time abstained from sin."⁵¹

Q. 4. What are the signs of INDISPOSITION?

Resp. 1. The ABSOLUTELY indisposed, and therefore incapable of the benefit of absolution, are to be judged, from the Roman Ritual:⁵² "Those who give no signs of sorrow; who DO NOT WANT to lay aside hatreds and enmities, or to restore the goods of others, if they can, or to leave a proximate occasion of sinning, or in another way to leave sins, and amend life for the better; or who have given public scandal, unless they publicly satisfy and remove the scandal"; and generally, whoever refuse to fulfill a known grave obligation.

Resp. 2. The DOUBTFULLY disposed are to be judged: 1) Those who approach the sacred tribunal compelled, or only from human consideration, or without any preparation; - 2) those who confess without any sense of humility, narrating their sins historically and almost jokingly, or without any submission to the confessor, namely excusing their own wicked manner of acting, accusing others, etc.; - 3) those who use crafty words, seeking rather to cover over than to expose sins, or not confessing them unless they have been detected by the industry of the confessor; - 4) those who are very difficult in accepting penances and remedies necessary for sins; - 5) those finally who, remedies being neglected, have fallen back into a wicked habit after they have already been admonished by the confessor.⁵³

But let it be noted FOR PRACTICE: - 1. In the Confessor there is necessary the industry of ardent charity, by which namely, according to his strength, "not without prayers poured out to God from the inmost heart" (as Leo XII says),⁵⁴ he strives to make the unprepared prepared: and this often succeeds with true zeal.

2. "In the penitent there is not necessary an interpretative disposition, namely that if he were found in this or that conflict of circumstances, he would not sin, when he does not at all reflect on this; because otherwise, if confessors wished to presume the interpretative indispositions of penitents, they could absolve few, since they could judge that many of those whose children had been killed certainly would be moved with hatred against the killers; if they were tempted by tyrants with torments, they would fall away from the Faith, etc. - Therefore it suffices to find in the penitent that actual disposition, so that he may be absolved; namely that here and now he resolves no longer to sin in any case in general. Nor does it stand in the way that he would be indisposed by interpretative will, namely if he were admonished."⁵⁵