§ I. On the Necessity or Opportuneness of General Confession

General confession can be either necessary, or only useful, or useless, or even harmful. Hence the following rules must be established:

Rule I. General confession is to be considered necessary as often as the preceding confessions were morally certainly invalid or sacrilegious, either on the part of the penitent because of defect of contrition or of integrity, or on the part of the confessor lacking jurisdiction; but in other cases it can never be commanded. The reason for both is clear from what was said above concerning the repetition of confession.

Rule II. It is to be advised, but not commanded, when, although the invalidity of the preceding confessions is not established, nevertheless grave doubt is had about this. The reason of this counsel is that anxieties may thus be driven out.

Rule III. General confession is to be permitted, or even prudently advised, although not necessary, when, with the circumstances considered, the penitent is going to perceive a notable spiritual fruit from it, for example, by reason of humility, devotion, fervor, knowledge of himself, manifestation of conscience for more perfect direction or greater purity of soul, for obtaining divine helps more efficaciously, etc.; because the confessor, out of charity, ought to promote the greater spiritual good of the penitent when he easily can.

Rule IV. It is to be prohibited in the other cases as useless and even harmful, when other inconveniences, besides the loss of time, are prudently to be feared, namely scruples, anxieties, disturbance of conscience, etc.; for so great a burden for the confessor and penitent is not to be undertaken without hope of notable fruit; a fortiori with fear of notable harm.

You Will Resolve. 1°. General confession is easily to be permitted, indeed advised, in the principal epochs of Christian life, namely before first communion, before the election or reception of a particular state of life, for example, before priesthood, religious profession, or even before matrimony; likewise when someone resolves to lead a more perfect life.

2°. Besides the confession made at the time of first communion, generally speaking, another general confession of the whole life is easily to be permitted; but a third would be conceded only with the greatest difficulty, when the former was made accurately enough, in good faith, and with good will, unless perhaps it was made in youthful age, for example, before 20 years. Hence penitents who ask from the confessor permission to make a general confession are to be asked for what reason they request this, whether at other times they have already confessed generally, from what time and how often; and from the answers the confessor will judge whether this confession is expedient or not.

3°. Partial general confession, namely of one year, or from the time of the last general confession, is easily to be permitted to devout persons, according to the custom observed among very many religious families. Likewise, it can sometimes be permitted to pious penitents that they repeat summarily, in a few words, the principal sins of their life: attend, however, to the various circumstances of persons.

4°. But confessors ought especially to beware lest they too easily compel penitents to general confession; and those who exact this from all new penitents under pretext of necessity, or by reason of direction, etc., are most greatly to be reproved.

5°. General confession is not to be permitted even in doubt about the validity of preceding confessions, where notable inconveniences are to be feared from it by reason of scruples, disturbance of conscience, etc.; because on account of a doubtful obligation grave and certain inconveniences are not to be undergone.

6°. General confession is never to be permitted to the scrupulous or fearful; because if one is permitted, when this has been finished, they will immediately wish to make another, and after the second, they will ask with troublesome prayers to undertake even a third, with the greatest detriment to the soul, etc. For experience establishes that general confession generates far more scruples in them than it destroys.