Article — Noldin, Summa of Moral Theology
Article III. On Accepting and Fulfilling Satisfaction.
305. Obligation of accepting and fulfilling penance. 1. The penitent of himself is bound under grave obligation to accept the penance imposed by the confessor, unless it is irrational. For to the obligation of the confessor of imposing penance there corresponds in the penitent the obligation of accepting it; but from Trent the confessor of himself is bound under grave obligation to enjoin penance.
a. Unless it is irrational: a penance not reasonable, i.e., one justly graver or more difficult than the discipline received today in the Church, the penitent is not bound to accept or fulfill. Therefore if the penance enjoined on the penitent by the confessor is manifestly unjust, he can ask the confessor to impose another, and there will scarcely be found a confessor who would not wish to acquiesce in the desire of the penitent. But if the confessor refuses to do this, the penitent can either depart without absolution and confess his sins to another priest, or accept the penance so that he may receive absolution; but he is not bound to fulfill the accepted penance. For the confessor does not have the power of imposing an irrational and unsuitable penance, and therefore the penitent has no obligation of accepting it.
b. From an irrational penance, such as, for example, a public penance, entrance into religion, fasting on bread and water, a penance involved in many and various works, must be distinguished a penance great and difficult but nevertheless just; this indeed the penitent cannot refuse. But if he should be unwilling to fulfill such a penance, in order to act licitly he must have the will of seeking commutation of the imposed satisfaction, and nevertheless of fulfilling it if he has not obtained commutation.
- The penitent is bound under grave obligation to fulfill a just satisfaction imposed by the confessor, if the due conditions concur: for by the fact that an accepted penance is not paid, the sacrament remains integrally incomplete; but the obligation of completing this sacrament through real satisfaction is grave in a grave matter, light in a light matter. If for light sins a grave penance is enjoined, the penitent is bound to fulfill it only under light obligation.
a. The penitent is not bound to fulfill the penance when the absolution was invalid: for then the sacramental sentence was null, and therefore there is no sacrament to be completed; moreover he would be bound to satisfy twice for the same sins.
b. Therefore he who knowingly omits a grave penance, either wholly or in a notable part of it, sins gravely; and he who omits a light penance, whether imposed for light or for grave sins, or a non-notable part of a grave penance, sins venially. It is clear that a penitent who has become impotent is not bound to fulfill the penance.
c. He who has forgotten the imposed penance: a. is bound to approach the confessor, whom he thinks still remembers it, if he conveniently can, because fulfillment of the penance is still morally possible; b. when this cannot be done, the penitent is not bound to repeat the confession in order to receive another penance, whether he has forgotten it culpably or inculpably, because to confess again sins directly already remitted would be too grave a burden. Therefore the obligation of penance ceases, since its fulfillment has become morally impossible. c. Moreover, if the penitent, forgetful of the imposed penance, from devotion had furnished a work enjoined by the confessor, he would have satisfied the obligation (n. 308).
- The penitent himself must fulfill the penance enjoined by the confessor: for the precept of penance requires a personal action, which cannot be fulfilled through another. And indeed the actions which are required for constituting the sacrament, whether essentially or integrally, must be performed by the very one receiving it; just as, therefore, contrition and confession cannot be performed through another, so neither can satisfaction.1
1 This proposition (15) was condemned by Alexander VII: The penitent by his own authority can substitute for himself another who may fulfill the penance in his place. Cf. cn. 887.
306. Three conditions are required so that the penitent is bound under grave obligation to fulfill the penance:
a. That the matter, or the penance itself, be grave: for light penance is not capable of grave obligation.
b. That it be imposed for grave sins not yet remitted: for venials and for mortal sins already remitted, a penance cannot be imposed under grave obligation, although it is notable.
c. That the confessor wished to oblige under grave obligation. Although the confessor can impose a grave penance under light obligation, nevertheless he is rightly presumed to wish to impose a grave penance under grave obligation and a light one under light obligation, unless he himself declares otherwise.
307. When it must be paid. 1. Penance can be fulfilled both before and after absolution. But if the penitent who fulfills the penance before absolution is in the state of mortal sin, the work of penance already performed obtains sacramental efficacy and produces the sacramental effect by the absolution itself by which the mortal sin is blotted out.1
Penance is ordinarily fulfilled after absolution. Yet sometimes it happens that the confessor immediately fulfills with the dying person the small penance which he imposes on him, and afterward grants absolution. Likewise confessors sometimes enjoin certain works of piety on penitents to whom they defer absolution, by which they may be better disposed to receiving absolution; now, if they enjoin these prayers as salutary penance, afterward, when absolution is granted, it will suffice to impose only a small penance.
If a definite time was fixed by the confessor for fulfilling the penance, it must also be fulfilled at that time. He who does not pay the penance at the determined time is not released from obligation, because the time is not determined for ending the obligation. Nevertheless delay of the prescribed term is not a mortal sin, provided the enjoined penance is paid: for the precept of the confessor primarily regards the thing itself to be furnished, and only secondarily the circumstance of time.
Penance enjoined without a fixed time must be fulfilled as soon as conveniently can be done. Any delay whatever of a light penance is never a grave sin; but delay of a grave penance is a grave sin in a threefold case: if impotence of fulfilling it afterward is foreseen; if danger of forgetfulness is imminent; if the substance of the prescribed work is notably diminished.
a. They dispute much about what delay of penance is a grave sin. Some say a delay of eight days, others of six months, others of one year is grave.2 But delay of penance seems grave not of itself, but only accidentally, namely where, because of delay, the very substance of the work is omitted either wholly or in a notable part.3
b. It is greatly to be recommended to all that they become accustomed to pay the penance immediately after confession has been completed, because penance is an integral part of the sacrament, which must not be deferred for too long; but it is by no means necessary that it be paid before communion,4 nor that it be paid when the penitent again approaches confession.
1 Cf. Suarez, disp. 28, sect. 2, n. 5.
2 Cf. St. Alphonsus, n. 521.
3 Cf. Ballerini-Palmieri V, n. 308.
4 This proposition (22) was condemned by Alexander VIII: They are to be judged sacrilegious who claim the right of receiving communion before they have done a suitable penance for their offenses.
308. How it must be paid. a. Penance must be paid in the manner in which it was imposed by the confessor to be paid; if therefore certain circumstances have been added, for example that the prayer be made on bended knees or in church, these circumstances also must be fulfilled. How great a sin the omission of these circumstances is depends on their gravity.
He who is ordered to recite the rosary on bended knees before an image of the Blessed Virgin and neglects this circumstance of position and place does not seem to sin gravely; but he who is ordered to recite the rosary with arms extended and neglects this circumstance is judged to sin gravely, because the omission of this circumstance, but not of that one, notably changes and diminishes the penance.1
b. The penitent can pay the enjoined satisfaction even while he fulfills another prescribed work; for example, while he hears Mass on a feast day, he can recite the rosary enjoined as penance, because one work does not impede the other.
c. Enjoined prayers must be paid in the manner in which the same or similar prayers are usually paid from the practice of the Church: for the confessor is judged to enjoin prayers according to that manner, unless he has declared otherwise.
Therefore prayers which are usually recited alternately, such as psalms, litanies, rosaries, can be recited with a companion. Prayers which are usually recited vocally by the faithful, such as psalms, litanies, etc., it does not suffice to run through with eyes and mind only from a book.
d. No intention of paying the penance is required except that which the penitent had in accepting the penance; hence he who fulfills the work imposed by the confessor, even if he does not think about the penance to be paid, provided he does not order it to another end, satisfies his obligation.
1 Cf. Lacroix, l. 6, pr. 2, n. 1280.