Concerning Various Categories of Penitents

I. The present treatment pertains to the final part of the doctrine concerning Penance, where the subject of this sacrament is discussed.

Now the subject of Penance is every and only wayfarer man, baptized, a sinner, truly contrite, and confessing in some manner. He must be:

1. a wayfarer man, because the sacraments were instituted for him alone;

2. baptized, because Baptism renders persons capable of receiving the other sacraments, which otherwise would be received invalidly;

3. a sinner, that is, one who after Baptism has committed at least a venial sin, because the virtue of penance is only concerning actual personal sin, and the sacrament of penance was instituted for the remission of sins committed after Baptism; but if he were not a sinner, the words of absolution would not be verified and absolution would be invalid;

4. contrite, at least by imperfect contrition; otherwise he would not truly be penitent, since contrition is the principal and essential act of penance, without which it is impossible to obtain remission of actual sin;

5. confessing in some manner, or externally accusing himself of being a sinner. For without an external accusation the sins and dispositions of the penitent would be unknown to the minister, who would not be able to exercise judgment; but any external accusation whatever, even a minimal one, suffices for this in circumstances in which a greater integrity of confession is impossible.

II. All the foregoing things are clear from the doctrine concerning the virtue and sacrament of penance. Hence, in the present matter, an application must be made of the principles set forth in the whole treatise concerning penance to the various categories of penitents which can present special difficulties.

The categories can be divided according to the particular dispositions of penitents; the condition of the body, or of the soul; the state of life; or the kind of sin.

But we limit the exposition of the present little work to the three former kinds of classes; perhaps we shall treat of the remaining ones at a future time.

III. Moreover, the questions to be treated can be reduced to the following:

I. Concerning penitents variously disposed:

1. Concerning penitents who are to be directed in the examination of conscience.

2. Concerning penitents who are to be interrogated.

3. Concerning penitents who are to be instructed and admonished.

4. Concerning customary sinners and recidivists.

5. Concerning those in occasions of sin.

6. Concerning penitents who are to be obliged or induced to a new or general confession.

II. Concerning penitents various according to the condition of the body:

1. Concerning children.

2. Concerning the half-witted and deaf-mutes.

3. Concerning adolescents and young persons.

4. Concerning men and women.

5. Concerning abnormal persons.

6. Concerning the sick and the dying.

7. Concerning the incarcerated and those condemned to death.

III. Concerning penitents various according to the condition of the soul:

1. Concerning the pious and devout.

2. Concerning the perfect and contemplative.

3. Concerning the tempted.

4. Concerning the scrupulous.

5. Concerning the lax.

6. Concerning the worldly.

7. Concerning the learned and persons of distinguished condition.

8. Concerning the excommunicated.