Introduction — Concerning Pastoral Theology

Pastoral theology is the practical instruction of the pastor of souls for the right and fruitful management of his office. Wherefore it is rather an art than a science; but an art which applies the principles of theological science, namely dogmatic and moral theology.

Its end is to feed the sheep; therefore it regards all the means of salvation by which the pastor, in the internal and external forum, may feed his sheep and lead them to the ultimate end. It is the art of ruling souls; the practical method by which the pastor, according to the rules of theology, may be able to direct the souls entrusted to him.

The office of the pastor is threefold: to preach dogmatic and moral doctrine; to direct and edify by example and counsel, where ascetical theology comes into use; to minister the sacraments. Pastoral theology proposes an apt method by which the pastor, in those various offices, may be able to direct souls according to the rules of religious truth, morality, and perfection; whence it also includes the rules and method of preaching and catechizing.

For the present, however, we consider only the method in the administration of the sacraments, chiefly in the internal forum of the sacrament of Penance, where the priest concurs more closely and principally in procuring the salvation of souls by doctrine, correction, and counsel, as also by his own holiness and zeal.

The end of our treatment is the begun instruction of the younger priest for the ministry of souls; in French they would say: "to initiate the young priest into the exercise of the ministry of souls." This we shall furnish by an exposition of the rules which he must follow and of the means which he must use, in order more surely to convert sinners turned away from God, and more greatly to sanctify the just united to God. By these rules, it is by no means our mind to supply for experience, which, under the light of the principles of moral theology, will always remain the mistress of the government of souls; but we intend to use the experience of others, that we may avoid errors and even involuntary defects.

"The government of souls is the art of arts," says St. Gregory. For it is a work most sublime, because a divine work: to exercise the judgment and mercy of God; most difficult, since it is more difficult to know the diseases of the soul than those of the body; most salutary: from the good or bad government of confessors, says St. Alphonsus (Praxis Conf., n. 1), the salvation or ruin of the people depends. For this there are required in the confessor: 1) science possessed not only speculatively but prepared for practice: namely, method, exercise, and practice by which he may be able to apply principles; 2) great prudence; 3) goodness of life and zeal. Hence the things which are set forth in moral theology concerning the qualities and duties of the confessor are here to be applied.

Pastoral discipline is certainly not new, although now it is commonly treated more orderly and more completely. Peter of Poitiers, in the twelfth century, is said to have been the first to cultivate casuistic theology, and to have had several imitators. From the thirteenth century, throughout the whole Middle Age, the penitential Summas were very well known, such as those which Peraldus, O.P. (d. 1250), St. Raymond of Pennafort, O.P. (1175-1275), Ioannes Rumsik of Fribourg, O.P. (d. 1314), Bartholomaeus of Pisa, O.P. (d. 1347), Angelus of Clavasio or Carleti, O.M. (d. 1493), Trovamala, O.M. (d. 1495), Tabiena, O.P. (d. 1521), Sylvester Prierias, O.P. (d. 1523), Bartholomaeus Fumus, O.P. (d. 1545), and Bartholomaeus of St. Faustus, O. Cist. (1571-1639), are read to have written. To the same genus belong Ioannes Nider, O.P. (d. 1438), Formicarius, Tr. de 10 Praeceptis, and Consolatorium timoratae conscientiae; St. Antoninus, O.P. (1384-1459), Summula confessionis; Cajetan, O.P. (1469-1534), Summula Peccatorum; Bartholomaeus de Medina, O.P. (1528-1581), Brevis instructio de Poenitentia; Azpilcueta, Doctor Navarrus (d. 1586), Manuale confessariorum; Lopez, O.P. (d. 1596), Instructorium conscientiae; Binsfeld (d. 1598), Enchiridion Theologiae pastoralis; Martin Fornari, S.I. (1547-1612), Institutio Confessariorum; Loth, O.P. (d. 1652), Resolutiones theologicae; Stoz, S.I. (d. 1678), Tribunal Poenitentiae; Antonius a Spiritu Sancto, O. Carm. (d. 1677), Directorium Confessariorum; Segneri, S.I. (d. 1694), Parochus instructus, Confessarius instructus, Poenitens instructus; Lohner, S.I. (d. 1697), Instructio de conversatione apostolica, Instructio pastorum; Reuter, S.I. (1680-1762), Neo-Confessarius practice instructus; Wigandt, O.P. (d. 1708), Tribunal Confessariorum; Gaume (1802-1879), Manuel des Confesseurs. Several Saints also, besides those already cited, have deserved well of pastoral theology, as St. Charles Borromeo (d. 1584), writing an instruction of pastors, and St. Francis de Sales (d. 1622), an instruction to confessors; but especially St. Alphonsus (1696-1787). Here also can be referred works of Moral Theology of a more practical character, such as Lacroix, S.I. (1652-1714), and Sporer, O.M. (d. 1708); or cases of conscience, such as Toletus, S.I. (1532-1596), Bartholomaeus a Ledesma, O.P. (d. 1604), Bianchis, O.P. (d. 1622), Nazarius, O.P. (1556-1646), Pontas (1638-1728), and P. Van der Velden, O.M. (d. 1857), resolved in the work: Praxis administrandi sacramentum Poenitentiae.

In more recent time special treatises of pastoral theology have already been published, such as, among many others, Alberti, Sailer (d. 1832), Benger (d. 1870), Gassner, Amberger (d. 1889), Schuech (d. 1893), Pruner (d. 1907), William Stang (an American), Goepfert (d. 1913), Krieg, etc., wrote; but more specially in order to the practice of the confessional: Zenner (d. 1861), Tappehorn (d. 1906), Probst. For our purpose, however, let the following be held as specially commended: St. Alphonsus, Praxis confessariorum and Silva Rerum praedicabilium; Aertnijs, C.SS.R., Theologia Pastoralis; Berardi, Praxis Confessariorum; Reuter-Lehmkuhl-Umberg, S.I., Neo-Confessarius practice instructus; Frassinetti, Compendium Th. Moralis; Schneider, Manuale Sacerdotum; to which we wish to add more practical modern moral manuals, such as Aertnijs and Marc from the C.SS.R.; Haine and Theol. Mechliniensis; Lehmkuhl, Genicot-Salsmans, Noldin-Schmitt, and Vermeersch from the S.I.; Tanquerey, S.S.; and Prummer from the O.P.; or also collections of cases of conscience such as were made by Gury, Lehmkuhl, Genicot, and Villada.