Article I: On Children, the Insane, and Deaf-Mutes

649. Children are bound by the precept of confession if they have attained the use of reason, by which they are able sufficiently to discern between moral good and moral evil so as to sin mortally, and to deliberate concerning themselves and concerning the ultimate end of the whole of life, or eternal salvation. This discretion they generally attain around the seventh year, a little before or after.

Yet this does not depend on age alone, but also on keenness of mind and quality of education, and on other circumstances of time and place: thus they become mature earlier in warmer regions than in colder ones, in a city than in the country.

They are judged to enjoy the use of reason for confession when they distinctly explain their sins, answer suitably the questions proposed by the confessor, and understand that grave offenses offend God or are punished with eternal punishments. On the contrary, if they can say nothing spontaneously or recite only formulas committed to memory, if they answer affirmatively to all proposed questions, or negatively without any discrimination, or if for the most part they contradict themselves, they are rightly judged to lack the use of reason. In doubt whether they have attained sufficient discretion, outside danger of death they are not bound to confess.

Three rules concerning children are to be attended to:

1. Absolution certainly cannot be denied to children who have committed grave sins, if otherwise they seem disposed; hence the practice of those is wholly to be reprehended who dismiss without absolution those who have not yet been admitted to first communion. Nor should it be held as a sign of indisposition if about the confessional they act childishly, play, laugh, since these things are from natural lightness and lack of consideration and in themselves are not grave.

2. If it is doubtful whether they have the use of reason, or whether they 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 whenever they accuse themselves of those things which of themselves are mortal, lest, namely, they remain in the state of sin if perhaps they have sinned.

3. If they have accused themselves only of venial sins, they are to be stirred up to contrition and, if they are sufficiently disposed, 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 there is not a sufficient reason for exposing the sacrament to danger of nullity; unless at some time there is reason to fear lest perhaps they are liable to some hidden mortal sin.

Many other practical matters can be seen in our pastoral little work De Variis Poenitentium Categoriis.

650. The perpetually insane cannot receive absolution, of which they are incapable; not so those partly insane or half-witted:

1. If these can certainly distinguish between moral good and moral evil, although confusedly, and otherwise seem well disposed, they can be absolved, not only once, but several times in the year.

2. If there is doubt concerning their sufficient use of reason and whether they can sin gravely or not, they are to be instructed and disposed in the best way possible and absolved under condition in danger of death, indeed at times in life, at least once a year, and whenever it is probable that they are in the state of mortal sin, lest, namely, they remain in sin if perhaps they have committed something.

But since the half-witted, on account of slowness of understanding and weakness of memory, are scarcely able to retain in memory even necessary truths, let the confessor take care to dispose them so that they elicit the necessary acts of faith, hope, and contrition, proceeding thus, for example: Do you believe in one God? Do you believe that there are in God three distinct and perfectly equal persons... and that the Son of God for our sake was made man and redeemed us by his blood? Do you believe that God punishes the wicked and grants eternal rewards to the good? And so forth concerning the motives of contrition.

Let it be noted that it is not a sufficient sign of discretion that they reverence the clergy, rightly execute certain commands, bend the knees, or strike the breast, because they can do these things because they see them done by others. But signs such as we indicated concerning children suffice.

651. Deaf-mutes today can be instructed rather easily, and if they have been instructed, can confess by signs or in writing. But if they have not been instructed by new methods, the confessor should first inquire from their relatives what sins they commit more frequently and what signs they are accustomed to give; then let him lead them into some hidden place where by signs they may endeavor to declare certain sins at least in a confused way and to express their contrition; likewise by certain signs, for example by lifting their eyes and hands to heaven, by showing a crucifix, let him exhort them to contrition, and let him absolve them absolutely or conditionally, according as he is certain or doubtful concerning their capacity. In a similar way also he can indicate the penance, for example by showing a rosary or a certain decade of it.

Let it be noted: a) deaf-mutes per se and apart from grave inconvenience are bound to write their confession if they can write and cannot otherwise confess integrally (n. 519 and 525). But because this is considered by some as an extraordinary means, it is not to be imposed strictly unless they cannot confess otherwise at all; but nevertheless they should be gently led to do this, if they can write (for example on a slate tablet), since thus the integrity of confession is better procured, and in the same way the priest can answer them suitably;

b) yet to avoid the danger of violating the seal, once the confession has been completed, the writing is immediately to be erased in the presence of the penitent;

c) a deaf-mute who is also blind from birth, who formerly was said to have to be held as perpetually insane, as being incapable of instruction, in our age is no longer excluded from all instruction: although the matter is more difficult, nevertheless it is not held impossible.