Section — Prümmer, Manuale Theologiae Moralis
§ 1. On the Definition of the Sacrament of Penance
319. Definition. The sacrament of penance is a sacrament of the New Law instituted by Christ in the form of a judgment for remitting sins committed after baptism to a contrite man who has duly confessed, through sacramental absolution.
It is said, first: instituted by Christ. Since in the preceding article it was proved that the sacrament of penance exists, it follows that it was instituted by Christ, because all the sacraments were instituted by Christ. Concerning the time of this institution the Council of Trent34 teaches: "The Lord then principally instituted the sacrament of penance when, being raised from the dead, He breathed upon His disciples, saying: Receive ye the Holy Ghost; whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins you shall retain, they are retained." The Council, however, says: principally instituted, because Christ had already promised this sacrament before His Passion, and accordingly had instituted it inchoatively.35
It is said, second: in the form of a judgment, and indeed a reconciliatory, not a condemnatory one. The Council of Trent36 defined: "If anyone says that the sacramental absolution of the priest is not a judicial act, but a bare ministry of pronouncing and declaring that sins have been remitted to the one confessing, ... let him be anathema." In this sacrament the penitent is at once the accused, the witness, and the accuser, while the priest is the judge. The judicial form distinguishes this sacrament from all the others. For the sacrament of matrimony was instituted in the manner of a contract, while the other sacraments consist in physical things. Because of the judgment essentially required in penance, there are demanded the confession of sins, an indicative absolution (and not by way of entreaty), and several other conditions, as will be evident below.
Note. The sacramental judgment in penance, although it is a true judgment, differs in several respects from a civil judgment, in which the accused is never at once the accuser and the witness. Then human judgments intend the reparation of an injured public order and therefore often punish the guilty person gravely; but the sacramental judgment intends the reconciliation of the guilty person with God and, according to the present discipline, imposes the lightest punishments upon the penitent. The Church indeed has no power over the physical matter and form of the sacraments. But since in the sacraments of penance and matrimony the matter consists of the moral acts of man, the Church can impose conditions which are required not only for the lawfulness but also for the validity of both sacraments. Thus unimpeded jurisdiction is required for the validity of absolution in penance. Thus the Church establishes impediments which destroy the validity of matrimony.
It is said, third: for remitting sins committed after baptism. By these words the remote matter of this sacrament is indicated. Absolutely all sins, both venial and mortal, can be remitted in the sacrament of penance. Therefore there are no irremissible sins, as the Montanists and Novatians maintained. The Lutherans and Jansenists, however, attacked the confession of venial sins. Although it is not necessary to confess venial sins, nevertheless this is useful, and their remission can be obtained in the sacrament of penance. Through penance only sins committed after baptism can be remitted, since baptism remits all prior sins. If baptism was received with an obstacle, its efficacy then revives when the obstacle has been removed through contrition or through attrition with the sacrament of penance. Cf. below, n. 321.
It is said, fourth: to a contrite man who has duly confessed, through sacramental absolution. In these words are contained the proximate matter and the form of the sacrament of penance. For, as will be evident below, n. 327, the three acts of the penitent, namely, contrition, confession, and satisfaction, are the proximate matter of this sacrament, while the form is the sacramental absolution of the priest.
34 Session 14, can. 1, On Penance (Denz., n. 894).
35 Matt. 16:19; 18:18.