Appendix. Notes for Confessors.

102. In general. 1. In examining penitents concerning shameful sins, the confessor must be very cautious. In this matter it is better to fall short than to abound, lest the penitent from the questions of the confessor learn sins which he previously did not know and thus take an occasion of committing them, and lest confession be rendered odious, because the questioning of the confessor is for the penitent a cause of temptation or an occasion of scandal. For this reason one must not only refrain from asking about circumstances of sins, however notably aggravating, or about the mode in which the sin was perpetrated, but even in those things which of themselves would be necessary for an integral confession, it is better to omit questions from which, rightly and deservedly, grave inconvenience is feared to follow. In this case, therefore, once the certain species (although not the lowest species) and the number of the sin are known, one must abstain from further investigation, even if the integrity of confession is lacking.

2. If an adult accuses himself only in general of sins committed against chastity, and the confessor rightly and deservedly can suppose several sins of this kind, the examination is more suitably begun not from depraved thoughts, but from graver sins, according to the mode which is indicated in the volume De sacramentis, n. 441.

Since questions about shameful sins, as those which wound shamefacedness both in the penitent and in the confessor, are of such great difficulty and trouble, those opinions are to be well retained which remove the specific differences of sins, provided they are still truly probable, so that in practice we can safely follow them.

3. Those who accuse themselves of voluntary pollution sometimes, in sinning, desire a person of the different sex and therefore fornication. Younger persons, however, should not be explicitly asked about this matter, lest they learn sins which perhaps up to this point they do not know; but first they should be asked whether meanwhile they had depraved thoughts. If they deny this, beyond the number of the sin there is nothing else about which they should be asked; but if they affirm it, they should be asked whether they desired something shameful, and what.

4. If someone accuses himself of intercourse with a person of the other sex, besides fornication there can be present the sin of onanism or another sin perpetrated for impeding generation. In order that this may be discerned, he or she can be asked (whether man or woman): whether she could have become pregnant; if the answer is affirmative, none of these things occurred; if it is denied, let the person be asked further: why not? From the response there is had what is necessary to be known.

5. From boys or girls it must not be asked whether an effusion of semen (humor) occurred, lest perhaps they learn what they still do not know and from curiosity be stirred up to experience it. For the same reason they should not be explicitly asked about touches committed with others, whether of the same or of a different sex, but only about touches performed on their own body and about the pleasure perceived from them.

6. Although it is most certain that every venereal delectation freely admitted is a grave sin, nevertheless it is equally certain that very many of the faithful exist, especially from those who live with little Christian spirit, who in good faith judge that a slight venereal delectation, e.g. one taken from a light shameful touch or from a kiss, is not a grave sin. Therefore let the confessor consider whether it is better to admonish penitents of this kind about the gravity of any carnal delectation, or rather to omit this admonition. But lest those things which are dissembled for the salvation of the soul be turned into a lax practice, penitents of this kind must be admonished and exhorted with grave words that they abstain even from slight delectations, lest from slight things they proceed to graver ones.

103. In particular. 1. Those who accuse themselves of impure thoughts must be examined in diverse ways according to the quality of the persons.

a. Those whom the confessor rightly supposes to have sinned against chastity can be asked: whether they have done anything shameful; whether they desired to do it. For penitents frequently accuse sins of lust under the name of shameful thoughts, because they either do not wish or are not able to express anything else, and they expect to be examined about this matter by the confessor.

b. Those who are not accustomed to sin gravely against chastity can be asked: whether they also had depraved desires; whether they had depraved sensations (Gefühle) and consented to them.

c. If it can rightly be supposed that they have not sinned gravely, as frequently happens in the impubescent, they are not to be questioned further; but, with an admonition added, if there is need, that temptations of this kind are to be vigorously and diligently repelled, they are to be dismissed.

2. Those who confess impure touches on their own body can be asked: whether the touches were necessary; if they deny this: whether they were long-lasting or morose; if they deny this, nothing further is to be asked; if they affirm it, either pollution can simply be supposed, or it can be asked whether they polluted themselves, unless they are impubescent.

3. If imperfect acts (looks, touches, conversations, readings, etc.) occurred without a complete venereal act (pollution, intercourse), without commotions or venereal delectations having followed, or if, when they arose, consent was not given, the individual acts are grave or light sins according as the danger which they cause is grave or light. In confession, therefore, the acts themselves are to be accused distinctly, or it is to be said: I exposed myself to a light or grave danger of sinning against chastity. Likewise, if someone by those acts either intended commotion or delectation, or admitted it when it had arisen without intention, either the acts themselves are to be accused distinctly, or it is to be said: I voluntarily had carnal motions or venereal delectations, with their number added.

Since, however, the confessor sometimes ought to know how the commotions or delectations arose - namely where they arose from an object furnishing a voluntary occasion of sin, e.g. from obscene reading, from conversation, from frequenting the theater, etc. - it is necessary that the confessor ask about the occasion, so that it may be removed, unless the penitent himself declares it.

104. Concerning married persons. 1. Married persons who do not accuse themselves of abuse of marriage and do not furnish any suspicion of this abuse are not to be asked about this matter; but if the confessor prudently fears that they abuse marriage, let him cautiously ask them whether there is anything which in this matter gnaws at their conscience. Prudence, decency, and the sanctity of the place require that he speak nothing in particular about this matter unless he has been asked.

2. If spouses accuse themselves that they have had intercourse in a preposterous way or from behind, by these words they signify either the sin of sodomy or an undue position. To discern the matter it is sufficient to ask whether generation was possible; but if they deny this, the sin of sodomy is supposed. It can indeed happen that even in a case of undue position generation was impossible because of the effusion of the whole semen outside the vessel; if this had been foreseen, the undue position would be a grave sin; but in this slippery matter it is not necessary that everything be asked about.

3. Concerning the mode of acting with onanistic spouses, cf. n. 76.