Article — Noldin, Summa of Moral Theology
Article Third. On the remission of venial sin.
Since venial sin, equally with mortal sin, induces liability of guilt and liability of punishment, its remission must be explained as to guilt and as to punishment.
1. On remission as to guilt.
Venial sins are sometimes remitted ex opere operantis outside the sacraments, and sometimes ex opere operato through the sacraments.
243. Ex opere operantis. For venial sins to be remitted ex opere operantis, or by man's own acts, does not signify that the dispositions of the penitent man by their own force and efficacy effect their remission, since God alone can remit sins, even venial sins only; but it signifies that the disposition alone of the penitent suffices for obtaining their pardon from God without the intervention of another remedy instituted for this, e.g., a sacrament. Now since the Council of Trent teaches that venial sins can be expiated outside the sacrament of penance "by many other remedies,"1 it is established that they are remitted also ex opere operantis, namely by acts of the penitent himself.
That God himself effects the remission of sins is clear: for sin is remitted by this, that God, putting aside anger and indignation, renders himself propitious and appeased to us, which God alone can do. Moreover, any sin whatsoever, even only venial, is remitted through an infusion of grace, which God alone can infuse.
244. Required disposition. 1. Venial sin is not remitted without an act of penance at least virtual, by which the sinner withdraws from affection for sin and retracts it. For God, speaking of sin in general, i.e., both mortal and venial, promises its remission only under the condition of penance (n. 241).
a. It is not required that penance be formal, but virtual suffices. Formal penance is an act by which we explicitly grieve for and detest the sin committed itself; virtual penance is called an act which is directly contrary to the sin committed. Therefore he elicits virtual penance: alpha. who asks pardon from God; beta. who proposes that he will sin no more; gamma. who exercises an act of the virtue contrary to the sin; delta. who exercises any good work whatsoever with this intention, that he obtain remission of sins.1
b. That virtual penance suffices for obtaining remission of venial sins is gathered from this, that penance is the necessary disposition for obtaining remission of sins; but for a necessary disposition nothing else is required except that the will retract affection for venial sin, which is obtained through virtual penance.
c. Therefore venial sins are not remitted through any good works whatsoever of a just man, but only through those in which there is contained at least virtual penance and displeasure for sin, or which are directly opposed to sins. Thus a work of temperance does not suffice for obtaining pardon of a lie, since it contains not even a virtual retraction of the lie. Indeed not every act of charity suffices for obtaining pardon of venial sins, because not every act of charity excludes affection for venial sins. For someone can love God above all things in such a way that he prefers him to absolutely all things which displease him; but he can also love him above all things in such a way that he prefers him to all things which displease him gravely. The former act of charity excludes affection for all sins, both mortal and venial; the latter act of charity can stand with an affection even actual for venial sin.
- Although attrition suffices for obtaining remission of venial sins outside the sacrament, nevertheless it must be conceived from a more perfect motive.
There is no doubt that perfect contrition which also extends to venial sins suffices for obtaining their remission; but it is not necessary for obtaining this effect outside the sacrament.
a. According to the doctrine of the Council of Trent, venial sins can be expiated outside the sacrament of penance by many other remedies;2 but if contrition were necessary for obtaining pardon of venial sins, it would have to be called the one means to this end. And certainly the remission of a lighter offense will also be easier; therefore, since mortal sin is destroyed by perfect contrition alone, venial sin can also be destroyed by imperfect contrition.
b. Motives of attrition can be distinguished into two kinds: some more perfect, as if someone grieves for venial sins because they are against obedience and reverence due to God, because they diminish the honor and worship of God, because they delay union with God, etc.; others less perfect, which are taken from the baseness of sin insofar as sin defiles the soul, from fear of purgatory, from fear of temporal punishments. Now if the same attrition sufficed for obtaining pardon of venial sins in the sacrament and outside the sacrament, the sacrament of penance would never destroy venial guilt: for before reception of the sacrament they would already have been remitted through attrition. But that the sacrament of penance never remits venial sins is contrary to the mind of Christ, who instituted penance also for destroying venial sins, and contrary to the sense and practice of the faithful, who confess frequently for this reason, because they are persuaded that through the sacrament of penance they obtain pardon of venial sins.3
1 Sporer-Bierbaum, III, pr. 3, n. 35.
3 Cf. Lugo, De poenit., disp. 9, n. 29.
245. Ex opere operato. a. In order that venial sins may be said to be remitted ex opere operato, three things are required: first, that that through which venial sins are said to be remitted moves God to producing the effect by force of institution, i.e., that the sign itself or instrument instituted for this has the power of producing the effect, namely the remission of venial sins; then, that the effect to producing which God is moved, with the necessary disposition supposed, is immediately the remission itself of venial sins, not the conferral of a supernatural help by which man may dispose himself to obtaining remission; third finally, that sins are destroyed by force of a remedy instituted by God without that disposition which by itself alone suffices for destroying venial sins.
b. The sacraments have the power of remitting venial sins ex opere operato. This is certain concerning four sacraments: baptism, penance, extreme unction, and the Eucharist. For baptism and penance were instituted primarily for destroying sins, whether mortal or venial; extreme unction likewise was instituted secondarily for remitting sins; finally, concerning the Eucharist there can scarcely be doubt, since the Council of Trent says: "Our Savior wished this sacrament to be received as an antidote by which we may be freed from daily faults."1 As to confirmation, order, and matrimony, the matter is less certain; nevertheless several theologians affirm it. For although they were instituted by Christ for producing peculiar effects, nevertheless they agree with the other sacraments in this, that they are remedies for sins; indeed sometimes first grace is also conferred through them and mortal sins are destroyed.2
c. Through the sacraments venial sins are remitted without that disposition which by itself alone would suffice for obtaining their pardon. Therefore, in order that venial sins may be remitted through the sacraments, no other disposition is required besides attrition for mortal sins (in the sacraments of the dead) or sanctifying grace (in the sacraments of the living), than the intention and will of receiving the sacrament as a remedy for one's sins without actual affection for any venial sin. For in this intention there is contained a virtual displeasure which is the necessary disposition for obtaining pardon of venial sins through the sacraments.3
Whether venial sins are destroyed through sacramentals, and whether through the sacrifice of the Mass, is said in their places, nn. 47 and 170.
2 Cf. Lugo, De poenit., disp. 9, n. 53.
3 Cf. Sporer, l.c., n. 42 f.; St. Alphonsus, l. 6, n. 270.