Article — Noldin, Summa of Moral Theology
Article Second. On the sacrament of penance.
218. Definition. Penance, as it is a sacrament, is defined: the sacrament by which sins committed after baptism are remitted to a contrite and confessed man through priestly absolution.
The specific difference of this sacrament from the other sacraments is set forth by the words by which the matter is signified, namely contrition and confession; the form, namely priestly absolution; and the effect, which is the remission of sins committed after baptism.
219. Nature of the sacrament of penance. To declare the nature of this sacrament, insofar as it is needed in moral theology, these things must be repeated from dogmatic institutions.1
- Christ gave to the apostles and to their successors in the priesthood the true power of remitting and retaining sins committed after baptism.
a. That this power was conferred on the apostles is clear from the words of Christ: Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.2
b. That this power was handed on not only to the apostles but also to their successors in the priesthood is deduced especially from its end: for since the need of obtaining remission of sins exists perpetually in the Church, the power of remitting sins also ought to endure perpetually in the Church.
- The power of remitting and retaining sins is a judicial power, which is exercised by way of judgment.
a. Three things are required for a judicial act or sentence: alpha. that knowledge of the cause precede it as a necessary condition; beta. that the judge, endowed with due authority, pronounce the law or sentence; gamma. that he pronounce sentence not according to whim, but according to the merits or demerits of the man whose cause is being treated.
b. Now that the power of remitting and retaining sins is not merely gracious, as is the power of baptizing, but judicial, is gathered both from the natural force of the words signifying the power of the keys and especially from the power of retaining sins joined with the power of remitting them.
- The exercise of the power of remitting and retaining sins is the sacrament of penance, instituted by Christ in the very handing over of this power. Certainly all things are present in it which constitute a true sacrament: a. a sensible sign: namely Christ willed that by absolution pronounced by voice sins be remitted to men; b. efficacious of grace, since sins are remitted through the infusion of grace; c. stably instituted by Christ, namely as long as sinners exist who need the remission of sins.
In this this sacrament differs especially from other sacraments (except, however, matrimony, which also consists in a juridic act, namely in mutual consent): that it does not consist, like the others, in a certain consecration, but in a sacramental judgment; and that it does not remit sins by way of gift and benefit, but through a judicial act.
1 Cf. Palmieri, De poenitentia, p. 45. Chr. Pesch, Praelect. dogm., VII, n. 58 ff. Hurter, Compend. theol. dogm., III, n. 436 ff.
2 John 20:22, 23.
220. On the necessity of the sacrament of penance. 1. This sacrament, received in reality if it can be done, or, if it cannot be had, at least in desire, is necessary by necessity of means for salvation for all who after baptism have fallen into mortal sin: for the remission of mortal sin committed after baptism is simply necessary for salvation; but the means instituted by Christ for obtaining it is the sacrament of penance, received in reality if it can be done; but if it cannot be done, at least the desire of it is required.1 Wherefore the Council of Trent says: This sacrament of penance is necessary for salvation to those fallen after baptism, as baptism itself is to those not yet regenerated.2
a. Although contrition perfected by charity reconciles a man to God before reception of the sacrament, nevertheless the reconciliation itself is not produced by contrition without the desire of the sacrament, which is included in it;3 for in the New Testament there is no remission of (mortal) sins independently of the power of the keys. Therefore the necessity of this sacrament is, like that of baptism, a hypothetical necessity of means.4
b. By desire of the sacrament is understood a serious will or purpose of confessing. This purpose does not necessarily have to be explicit, but an implicit one suffices, such as is contained in the act of perfect contrition: for he who truly loves God has the will of observing all things which from the will and institution of God are necessary for salvation. Nor must it be a purpose of confessing as soon as possible, but in due time, namely when either because of danger of death or because of the ecclesiastical precept the obligation of confessing presses.
- This sacrament received in reality is necessary for all fallen after baptism by necessity of precept, both divine and ecclesiastical.
a. The divine precept: for for adults, from the institution and will of God, the sacrament of penance is a means necessary for obtaining remission of sins and eternal salvation.5
b. The ecclesiastical precept concerning the use of the sacrament of penance to be made every year by individual Christians was enacted in the Fourth Lateran Council, and again in the Council of Trent, and finally in the Code of Canon Law.6
1 Cf. Pesch, VII, n. 353 ff.
3 Council of Trent, sess. 14, c. 3.
4 Cf. De Praeceptis, n. 7.
5 "If anyone shall deny that sacramental confession either was instituted or is necessary for salvation by divine law..." anathema sit. Council of Trent, sess. 14, can. 6.
6 Fourth Lateran Council, c. Omnis utriusque. Council of Trent, sess. 14, can. 8. Cn. 906. Cf. De praeceptis, n. 692 ff.
221. When the divine precept obliges. The divine precept of receiving the sacrament of penance or of confessing presses both of itself and by accident.
- And of itself indeed it presses in danger of death: for positive precepts oblige at least at that time when they are necessary; otherwise they would be imposed in vain. But, with mortal sin supposed, confession in death is plainly necessary; therefore a sinner who is found in certain or probable danger of death is bound by divine law to confess, if he can.
According to the opinion of many authors it presses also several times in life, although it cannot be determined how often and when it presses. Yet this obligation from divine precept cannot be demonstrated with certitude. But from the argument of this opinion, namely that it is not licit for a sinful man to remain long in the state of sin, but that he is bound by divine law to reconcile himself with God, it does not follow that this must be done through sacramental confession: for it can be done through perfect contrition with the desire of confession to be made in due time.
- By accident, however, it obliges: alpha. when the sacrament of the Eucharist must be received; beta. when the state of grace is required, e.g., if a sacrament of the living must be confected or received and an act of perfect contrition cannot be elicited; gamma. if at any time so grave a temptation presses that it cannot be overcome by other means.
222. On the parts of this sacrament. The parts of the sacrament of penance can be assigned in diverse ways: on the part of the whole sacrament the parts of penance are two, as in all the other sacraments, namely matter (contrition, confession, and satisfaction) and form (absolution); the parts of penance on the part of the penitent alone are contrition, confession, and satisfaction, and on the part of the priest alone, absolution. The question disputed among theologians, which parts of penance are essential, must at least be touched in passing.
- With all agreeing, absolution is the essential and principal part of the sacrament of penance; and in like manner all agree that satisfaction actually imposed and fulfilled is only an integral part of this sacrament: for the primary effect of the sacrament of penance, namely the remission of sin, is produced even if satisfaction is not imposed or, once imposed, is not actually completed.
If satisfaction is called an essential part of the sacrament of penance, this can be understood in the confessor only of the power which can and must impose satisfaction, and in the penitent only of the will of accepting and fulfilling satisfaction, which will is always virtually contained in contrition.
Whether contrition and confession, or sorrowful confession, is an essential part of the sacrament is disputed. And the Thomists indeed, to whom also some Scotists had acceded, commonly teach with the more recent authors that the acts of the penitent, or sorrowful confession, are an essential part of the sacrament, so that together with absolution they signify and cause the remission of sins and justifying grace. But several Scotists with a few more recent authors affirm1 that priestly absolution alone is the properly essential part of the sacrament, since it alone signifies and causes remission of sins and sanctifying grace; but that sorrowful confession or the acts of the penitent are necessarily required by way of disposition and condition without which not.
Therefore to the question in what the essence of the sacrament of penance consists, the Thomists answer: in the sorrowful confession of sins and in sacramental absolution together; but the Scotists answer: in sacramental absolution alone, with contrition and confession supposed as a necessarily prerequired condition. What is true in this question cannot be defined with certainty; each opinion is probable, neither is certain.
1 Among recent authors the Scotistic opinion is not displeasing to D'Annibale (III, n. 181, 2), Ballerini-Palmieri (V, n. 3 ff.), Berardi (Prax. confess., IV, n. 2).
223. Effects of the sacrament of penance. 1. Remission of sins through the infusion of sanctifying grace, by which sins are so remitted that afterward they no longer revive because of a subsequent sin.
Condonation of eternal punishment: for when mortal guilt has been destroyed, eternal punishment is also remitted, which is commuted into temporal punishment. Certainly grace, which is infused through the sacrament, grants a right to eternal glory, which cannot stand at the same time with liability to eternal punishment.
Condonation of temporal punishment: according to the disposition of the penitent God also remits temporal punishment according to a greater or lesser measure. Therefore, although it can happen that even the whole temporal punishment due for mortal sins remitted is destroyed, nevertheless this does not occur, as the Council of Trent says, without great weepings and labors of ours.1
Revival of merits: for meritorious works mortified by sin revive again through penance, insofar as, the impediment of mortal sin having been removed, they are again worthy of the reward of eternal life.
a. From the divine promise, sins are so destroyed through penance that after conversion they do not harm the wicked man;2 but they would harm very greatly if merits did not revive. Moreover, unless merits revived, God would have to be said to punish eternal punishment, already remitted, again; for punishment would then exist in the privation of merits, since by the privation of a greater degree of glory proportionate to them it would endure forever; but this cannot be admitted, both because in revelation no mention occurs of a punishment of this kind, and because the state of punishment cannot be composed with the state of most perfect friendship, such as is in the blessed.
b. Therefore, of moral works which are performed by man, five kinds can be distinguished: alpha. meritorious works or living works, which are worthy of the reward of eternal life; beta. mortified works, which render a man worthy of eternal death; gamma. dead works, which in themselves are good, but because they are done by a man in the state of mortal sin, are worthy neither of reward nor of punishment; delta. mortified works, which before were living works indeed, but with sin supervening cannot be worthy of eternal life; epsilon. revived works, which before, having been mortified, once mortal sin has been removed, again become living and worthy of eternal reward.
- Sacramental grace or a right to the helps of grace. And since the end of this sacrament is that sins be destroyed, these helps tend to this, that man may be able to satisfy for past sins and guard against future sins.
2 Ezech. 18:21 ff.