Question First: Concerning the Duties Before the Act of Confession, or Concerning the Qualities of the Confessor

Besides the power of order and of jurisdiction, which are necessary for the value of the sacrament, several endowments or qualities are required in the minister, without which he could not licitly and fruitfully execute his function for the spiritual salvation of those confessing. Therefore the confessor must prepare himself for receiving confessions by acquiring the qualities which are necessary for duly fulfilling this function: on the part of the speculative intellect, knowledge; on the part of the practical intellect, prudence; on the part of the will, goodness of life. Thus the Roman Ritual, tit. 3, c. 1, n. 1.