Article — Noldin, Summa of Moral Theology
Article I. On the Nature of Contrition.
247. Definition. Contrition, taken generically, is defined by the Council of Trent as sorrow of soul and detestation concerning sin committed, with the purpose of not sinning henceforth.1
Contrition essentially includes both acts, both sorrow and detestation. Sorrow indeed is the act by which the will is saddened and afflicted concerning a present evil, namely concerning sin; but detestation is the act by which it turns itself away from an evil, namely from sin, hates and condemns it, and, if it could be done, would destroy it, that is, it would will the sin not to have been committed. Moreover, in a wayfarer one of these acts is never separated from the other: for he who hates a sin committed also grieves over it, and he who grieves over a sin committed necessarily also detests it; but from the nature of the acts it is clear that sorrow supposes detestation, from which sorrow necessarily follows (n. 215). With the purpose: from this act of detestation and sorrow there follows another act, the purpose of amendment, which purpose of not sinning any more, at least implicit, belongs to the essence of contrition together with detestation and sorrow. Therefore three acts are essentially contained in contrition: sorrow, detestation, and purpose; the former acts regard the past, but the purpose is concerned with the future.2
Division. A twofold contrition is distinguished, one perfect, which is simply called contrition, the other imperfect, which by its proper name is called attrition. The former is conceived from the motive of charity and justifies the sinner outside the sacrament; the latter is conceived from another, inferior motive and does not justify the sinner except with the sacrament of baptism or of penance. Therefore contrition and attrition differ from one another in a twofold way: in motive and in effect, and under the same twofold respect contrition is more perfect than attrition.
2 Sporer-Bierbaum III, pr. 3, n. 58 ff.
248. On contrition. 1. Definition. Perfect contrition is defined: sorrow of soul and detestation of sin, because sin offends God loved above all things. Therefore perfect contrition contains in itself, at least virtually and implicitly, perfect charity. Hence the Council of Trent says that contrition is perfected by charity.1
A formal act of charity is not necessary for having perfect contrition: for the sinner considers sin as repugnant to the infinite goodness of God, and from this motive detests it; nevertheless perfect contrition obtains greater excellence if before or after contrition a formal act of charity is elicited. But charity is contained virtually in contrition: for the contrite man detests sin because it is repugnant to God, the highest good, lovable and to be loved above all things; but by that very fact he virtually and implicitly, indeed very often also formally and explicitly, loves the highest goodness of God.
- Motive. Perfect contrition must proceed from the motive of charity; but the motive of charity is constituted both by the infinite goodness of God, or the complex of all the infinite perfections of God, and also by the several perfections (whether absolute or relative), which, since they are infinite, are not distinguished from the essence of God, but are the very essence of God conceived under some particular aspect. For God is supremely lovable not only because of the infinite fullness of all perfections, but also because of any other perfection, for example power, wisdom, justice, benignity, mercy, etc.
Therefore he who detests sin because it is against the infinite goodness of God to be loved above all things, or because it is against the justice, benignity, mercy, etc., of God, likewise to be loved above all things, elicits perfect contrition.2
Note. Although this formula used by the faithful, especially in Germany: I grieve from my whole heart, that I have so gravely offended the Lord my God, in the rigor of its terms does not express sorrow from the motive of charity, namely on account of the highest goodness of God, but from the motive of penance, namely on account of the offense or injury brought upon God; nevertheless those who seriously and from the heart utter these words usually elicit true contrition, because those who utter these words piously and seriously apprehend the offense of God not so much as an injury inflicted upon God, but as bitterness and displeasure brought by their sins upon God, their best Father, and from this motive they grieve concerning their sins, which is the motive of charity.3
2 Cf. De praeceptis, n. 55.
3 Sporer-Bierbaum III, tract. 9, n. 131.
249. Effects. 1. Perfect contrition justifies a man outside the sacrament, which is clear from Sacred Scripture both of the New and of the Old Testament:
a. If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.1 Charity is everywhere so presented in Sacred Letters that it removes sin: Many sins are forgiven her, because she has loved much.2 What is true of charity is true also of contrition, since it contains charity at least virtually; but charity, according to John, justifies: for he who loves God above all things is loved in return by God, and God dwells stably in him; but these things are not compatible with the presence of sin.3
b. The impiety of the impious shall not harm him, on whatever day he has turned from his impiety.4 When thou shalt seek the Lord thy God, thou shalt find him, if yet thou shalt seek him with thy whole heart.5 The conversion spoken of in the cited texts is perfect contrition, which alone can be called conversion from the whole heart; and remission of sins and justification follow upon conversion.
c. Therefore the Council of Trent teaches that through contrition perfected by charity a man is reconciled to God before he receives the sacrament of penance.6 Nevertheless contrition does not produce justification as its proper effect, but is the final disposition required by God; when this has been placed, sanctifying grace is infused.
- Perfect contrition in the new law does not justify without the desire of the sacrament: for the act of perfect contrition, which formerly by itself could justify the impious man, after the sacrament was instituted, by the divine will does not blot out sins except in order to the keys of the Church; therefore the obligation remains of subjecting the same sins, if this can be done, to the keys through sacramental confession. And indeed the Council of Trent teaches that reconciliation must not be ascribed to contrition without the desire of the sacrament, which is included in it.7 It is sufficient, however, that this desire or purpose of confessing be implicit in the act of contrition; it is not required that it be explicit.
1 John 14, 23.
2 Luke 7, 47.
3 Cf. De praeceptis, n. 57.
4 Ezek. 33, 12.
5 Deut. 4, 29.
250. On attrition. 1. Definition. Imperfect contrition, or attrition, is sorrow and detestation of sin proceeding not from the motive of charity, but from another inferior motive, yet one having relation to God: for without respect to God true attrition, which is conversion to God, cannot be conceived; and for this reason attrition differs from any other detestation of sin insufficient for justification, such as detestation of sin insofar as it harms reputation or health. Therefore every motive of detesting sin on account of God, which is not the proper motive of charity, is a motive of attrition.
- Motives of attrition. By the Council of Trent the motives of attrition are reduced to these three: to the turpitude of sin and to the fear of hell and of punishments; each of these suffices for conceiving attrition, as it is required in the sacrament of penance.1
a. By the turpitude of sin the Council of Trent does not understand that by which sin is opposed to rational nature, but that by which sin is opposed to God commanding. But any sin contains in itself manifold turpitude or malice: disobedience, ingratitude, contumely, contempt, etc.; moreover any mortal sin produces most disastrous effects in the sinner himself: it deprives the soul of sanctifying grace and therefore of supernatural life, defiles it before God, and makes it the slave of Satan and hateful to God. But all these motives are comprehended under the name of the turpitude of sin, any one of which is sufficient for conceiving attrition.
b. Fear of hell is fear of supernatural and eternal punishments, which are inflicted by God on account of sin, namely the loss of merits, privation of beatitude, and the punishment of hell.
c. Fear of punishments: by this are understood temporal punishments, whether of the other life or of this life, not insofar as these follow naturally from sin, but insofar as they are inflicted by God offended by sin and as the just avenger of sinners.
251. Effects. Although attrition cannot justify outside the sacrament, nevertheless it sufficiently disposes for obtaining justification in the sacrament. And indeed the attrite man recedes from creatures and now tends toward God, to whom he desires to be reconciled; but for obtaining justification through sacramental absolution this disposition suffices. This is the clear doctrine of the Council of Trent,1 so that the opposite opinion must be called improbable, but this one certain; hence not even in the article of death is it necessary that he who has received the sacrament of penance with attrition elicit an act of contrition.2
a. From the doctrine of the Council of Trent it is certain that attrition disposes sufficiently for obtaining justification, whether through baptism or through absolution. Since the same council nevertheless says: those who dispose themselves for justification begin to love God,3 the question is asked, what is that initial love which is required as a disposition for justification. That initial love, first of all, is not required as the motive of sorrow, but as an act accompanying sorrow, which is always contained in due disposition for justification, whether in hope of pardon, or in purpose, or in the sorrow itself.4
In the sorrow: for he who grieves concerning his sins wishes to render God propitious to himself; but by this very fact he already approaches charity. In the purpose: for he who grieves concerning his sins wishes to observe all the precepts, in which is contained also the precept of charity toward God; therefore he has charity toward God in purpose and in desire. In hope: for he who grieves concerning his sins hopes for remission of sins unto obtaining eternal life; but eternal life is the most perfect friendship with God; therefore he has charity as the final end toward which he tends.
b. Since attrition with the sacrament justifies the sinner, that axiom has prevailed: through the sacrament the penitent is made contrite from attrite. This axiom must not be understood formally, as if the act of attrition through absolution became an act of contrition, or the attrite person by force of absolution always necessarily elicited contrition; but effectively, insofar as attrition with the sacrament produces the same effect which contrition alone without the sacrament produces, since it reconciles the sinner to God and restores friendship with God.
2 Cf. Pesch VII, n. 159 ff.
4 Cf. Lehmkuhl II, n. 289 (n. 391).