Question I: Concerning Children

I. Obligation of children. - Children who have attained the use of reason are held by the precept of confession, by which they are able sufficiently to discern between moral good and evil for sinning mortally, and to deliberate concerning themselves and concerning the ultimate end of the whole of life, or eternal salvation.

They generally obtain this discretion around the seventh year, a little before or after. Yet this does not depend on age alone, but also on sharpness of mind, quality of education, and other circumstances of time and place: thus they become mature earlier in warmer regions than in colder, in the city than in the countryside.¹

¹ St. Charles Borromeo counsels that the priest begin to hear their confession from the sixth year for trial and habituation; but after the seventh let them be heard three or four times in a year; afterward, each month.

They are judged to enjoy the use of reason in relation to confession when they explain their sins distinctly, answer aptly the questions proposed by the confessor, and understand that grave offenses offend God or are punished by eternal punishments. On the contrary, if they can say nothing spontaneously, or recite nothing except formulas committed to memory, if they respond affirmatively or negatively to all questions proposed without any distinction, or if they very often contradict themselves in this way, they are deservedly judged to lack the use of reason. In doubt whether they have obtained sufficient discretion, as easily happens if they play with their fingers in the lattice, often look back at the things which are being done outside, etc., outside danger of death they are not bound to confess.

II. Importance of children's confessions. - The confessions of children are of the greatest importance, because the grace of the sacrament and the counsel of the confessor are an efficacious means both of preserving children from sin, of correcting their defects, and of promptly raising up those who have already fallen into mortal sins. Hence:

1. There is an obligation of watching over them so that children confess rightly and in the best manner. For although it belongs to the parish priest to instruct them concerning this matter, nevertheless it belongs to the confessor to recall that instruction to memory, or sometimes to supply for its defect and for the intelligence of the children.

2. If he notices that children, from incapacity or ignorance, do not know how they should confess, let him briefly instruct them concerning this matter, at least for the following confession.

3. But if from mere timidity they do not conduct themselves as they ought, let him fatherly exhort them and kindly induce them, and give courage, and in every way furnish help.

4. "But let him always use all charity and the gentler manners as far as can be done" (St. Alphonsus, Prax. Conf., n. 90), lest they fear to accuse their sins or be turned away from the sacrament.

5. Let him diligently exhort them to sincerity and draw them away from concealing sins, by saying a) that they are known to God everywhere present, b) that the confessor can say nothing concerning them, c) that concealing grave sins is a great sin and an offense of God.

6. He must also question them, both that he may procure the integrity of confession and that he may practically instruct them concerning the manner in which they ought to institute examination of conscience and accusation. Nevertheless let him first allow them to explain their sins, and let him not question unless:

a) they seem to fear and to be so troubled by shame that they say almost nothing;

b) after they have accused their sins: then let him add some questions also concerning matters about which they were silent;

c) generally let him ask whether the preceding confession was sincere, and whether in the present one they have concealed nothing.

7. In questions and admonitions, let him especially inculcate piety toward God, Christ, and the Blessed Virgin; obedience; love of justice, truth, modesty, and chastity; the necessity of fraternal charity and of a good and meek disposition; and the necessity of daily prayer for cultivating virtue.

III. Office of the confessor. - Hence it is understood how the confessor ought to conduct himself in the very administration of the sacrament.²

² Cf. St. Alphonsus, Pr. conf., nn. 90-91; Reuter, o. c., nn. 100-105; Marc, Th. M., II, n. 1848; Aertnijs, Th. P., c. II, a. 1, nn. 120-127; Lehmkuhl, Th. M., II, nn. 609-611; Theol. Mechl., de Poen. (4), p. 191, n. 65, sch. I; Tanquerey, de Poen., nn. 517-520; Berardi, Pr. conf., nn. 731-744; Frassinetti, Th. M., diss. 15, § 4; Poppe, Geestelijke leiding voor Kinderen; X., La Confession frequente des petits enfants.

A. Before confession: 1) Children are to be received with special kindness and fatherly affection, so that, far from being deterred from the sacred tribunal, they may rather willingly approach it and sincerely confess their sins.

2. If several children approach collectively, outside confession let him teach in common the things necessary for salvation and all things necessary for receiving the sacrament well, and let him add to this instruction a practical exercise of all those things which are to be done before confession, in it, and after it. On this occasion they should also be admonished concerning the sacramental seal, so that they may be found perfectly sincere.

3. Let him urge them to explain their sins, especially if they seem to be troubled by fear and shame.

B. In confession: 1) At the beginning let them freely be allowed to speak and explain their sins.

2. After the things which they themselves have accused, or if they fail in this, let them be helped by opportune questions such as: whether morning and evening they recited prayers; whether on Sundays and feast days they were present at Mass, whether at it they chatted; whether they swore, spoke irreverently about sacred things, or used indecorous words; whether they were disobedient to parents, lacked due reverence toward them, mocked elders; whether they quarreled with others, gave way to anger or envy, struck others or called them by an insulting name, or furnished bad example; whether they spoke bad words, or also what they said, whether they played badly with other children, and, if they affirm this, what they did, whether they committed a shameful thing, whether they were indecent alone; whether they committed little thefts or brought harm upon others; whether they committed lies, in jest or for harming others; whether they ate meat on forbidden days; whether they frequent a Catholic school, whether they study catechism, etc. It should be noted, however, a) that not all these questions are to be put, but various ones according to various opportunity: let the confessor not be excessive in questioning, lest children conceive a horror of confession;

b) it will often be useful to use suggestive questions, e.g.: and now tell me how many times you did this? five times, ten times? etc.;

c) concerning chastity, let him propose only questions which do not excite the curiosity of the innocent, and yet furnish the guilty an occasion of manifesting their offenses, for there are girls and boys who say nothing about this matter unless they are questioned;

d) at the end let this be added: whether they have concealed some sin.

C. After the confession has been heard: 1) Children are to be instructed concerning the means to be used for avoiding sins, and concerning the foulness of sin, yet without exhibiting as grave a sin which is only light; but let them also be taught to avoid light sins so that they may please Christ Jesus.

2. They are to be exhorted to contrition not by a long exhortation, which perhaps, distracted in mind, they will not understand, but a) by obvious concepts, by saying, for example, that God is everywhere present, that grave sin renders the soul foul after the likeness of the devil and an enemy of God, that grace and virtue render it like an angel, that sin is an offense of God more horrible than an offense of one's father, that God wills to crown the good in heaven and that Christ died for this, etc.; likewise b) by questions accommodated to their grasp, e.g.: My son, do you love God, who is your Lord, so great and good, who created you and died for you? Do you wish to afflict anew Christ dead and suffering for you? Do you wish gravely to offend your best heavenly Father, who confers so many benefits? Do you not grieve for the sins by which you have merited hell and offended Jesus and God? Could you sustain the fire of hell for a quarter of an hour? etc. If they have accused venial sins, it is better to speak to them concerning the punishments of purgatory, concerning the displeasure of God, and especially concerning the love of God and of Christ. For since in them there is neither malice nor affection for sin nor inveterate passions, by the help of divine grace they are easily disposed to an act of charity and even of perfect contrition.

3. A penance fitting their age will be enjoined, lighter than for adults, which they may perform immediately lest it fall into oblivion. On this occasion it should also be inculcated upon them to be devout toward the Blessed Virgin and the guardian angel, and to pray daily for amendment of sins and a good life.

D. As regards absolution: 1) It certainly cannot be denied to children who have committed grave sins, if otherwise they seem sufficiently disposed; whence the practice of those who dismiss without absolution those who have not yet been admitted to first communion is altogether to be reprehended. Nor should it be held as a sign of indisposition if around the confessional they act childishly, play, laugh, since these things are of natural levity and lack of consideration and in themselves are not grave.

2. But if there is doubt whether they have the use of reason, or are sufficiently disposed, they are to be absolved under condition: if you are capable, in danger of death, or when the precept of annual confession urges; indeed as often as they accuse those things which of themselves are mortal, lest, namely, they remain in the state of sin if perhaps they have sinned gravely.

3. But if they have accused only venial sins, let him excite them to contrition, and if they are sufficiently disposed, they are to be absolved, lest they lack sacramental grace. If after exhortation they remain doubtfully disposed, because, for example, there is doubt concerning their sufficient discretion, they are not to be absolved, even under condition, because a sufficient reason is lacking for exposing the sacrament to nullity; unless sometimes there is reason for fearing that perhaps they are subject to some hidden mortal sin.

IV. Observations.

1. Even if shameful acts are accused, not rarely it is expedient to know whether they were only things against decency and civility. But if this has been known, the child is altogether to be instructed. If, however, he is truly detected to have done shameful things, he must altogether be led away from these. Then also he is rightly questioned (by an indirect way) whether he sleeps with another, and is modest in bed.

2. Dishonorable actions of children who are still ignorant of lust are for the most part not to be held as mortal sins, because either they did not have venereal commotion, or they do not yet apprehend its malice. In practice, however, the confessor is bound to correct such children more severely, so that they may abhor all uncleanness; yet at the same time let him speak in a fatherly manner, lest afterward, relapsing, they conceal sins from fear.

3. Nevertheless there are found in cities and industrial regions children corrupted early, in whom knowledge and malice of lust have preceded age, and concerning whom it must be said: So little a child and so great a sinner!

4. Grave danger and a proximate occasion can arise if boys and girls, at least after the seventh year and indeed even before, lie down in the same bed. In this matter parents are to be severely reproved, nor is excuse because of poverty or narrowness of place easily to be admitted. But if it absolutely cannot be done otherwise, at least the danger is to be diminished by parents putting sons and daughters to bed clothed, and watching until they have given themselves to sleep; and besides, let them bring it about that one of the sons (or one daughter) whom they can better trust admonish them concerning the least attempt at evil. "But if from confession the confessor has known the proximate occasion, he must treat the children like others constituted in a proximate occasion, and sometimes he must compel them to insist with their parents for separation. Nor does some suspicion or information among the parents themselves seem always to have to be estimated so highly when they are little children as defamation is otherwise estimated" (Lehmkuhl, Th. M., II, nn. 610-611).

5. If it happens that children are recidivists in grave sins, of themselves they are to be treated like adults, e.g., if they enjoy perfect discretion, because there is hope that they will amend themselves and return. Often, however, there is doubt whether they have perfect use of reason, and then they are rather to be absolved, because they do not easily understand the delay of absolution, and therefore no fruit is hoped from it.

6. An obligation of asking pardon from parents for a determinate matter is not to be imposed upon children, because this is above their strength; nor an obligation of restoring, because they do not understand this obligation and ordinarily are unequal to restoring; with exception of the case in which the child still has the thing taken away: for then restitution is to be enjoined, so that he may learn to abhor theft.

7. Let the confessor altogether provide that he unteach children who erroneously think that what is only venial is mortal: for not rarely it happens that children are wrongly instructed in this matter by mothers and deterred from light sins under the penalty of hell (e.g., from a light theft, lie, disobedience). Yet care must be taken that they retain horror of even the lightest sin.