§ 4. On Satisfaction, or Sacramental Penance

— The substantial obligation of the penitent. One approaching to confess mortal fault must, under mortal obligation, be prepared in soul to accept and execute the penance which will be reasonably imposed on him.

This acceptance is a laudable and meritorious act of humility.

And if a grave penance has been imposed because of grave faults, the penitent who does not fulfill it will sin mortally.

Nor is it in his power to substitute even a better work in place of the thing enjoined, since the substituted work cannot pertain to the sacramental judgment.

But he who is not content with the imposed penance as harder or more difficult has the right either of returning to the same confessor so that he may temper or perfect his sentence, or of approaching another confessor, who, briefly, with the cause known at least from the penance which the former imposed, can commute the penance. If the same confessor is approached, only the new penance remains due, because the former sentence was virtually taken away; on the contrary, the option is given to the penitent of fulfilling either penance which two confessors successively gave because of the same accusation. For neither could abrogate the sentence of the other, since in this sacrament all are judges and, as such, are to be held in equal place. But the penitent ought not to satisfy twice for the same accusation of sins.

He who has perfectly forgotten the imposed penance is relieved of every obligation.

Yet if the confessor can conveniently be approached again, and prudently is thought to remember the penance imposed by him, he seems to have to be approached again so that he may renew the memory of the penance.

— Circumstances of execution. 1. He substantially satisfies his obligation who fulfills the penance in the state of mortal sin; nor is it established that this is a venial sin, especially since several judge that the fruit of that penance is obtained after the state of grace has been recovered.

For absolution gave a right to obtaining, once the penance has been fulfilled, a certain remission of temporal punishments. Therefore, with the obstacle of mortal sin removed, that right will become efficacious, so that the work revives as satisfactory, though not as otherwise meritorious.

2. If the confessor has expressly or tacitly determined the time, a notable delay will be grave when the obligation itself of the penance is grave.

Thus fasting or abstinence prescribed for individual weeks cannot be deferred beyond a week; and the delay is judged grave, especially since it changes the very form or figure of the penance. Yet, when the time has elapsed, the obligation of penance does not therefore cease, unless a different mind of the confessor appears. Thus he who prescribed a weekly fast is not judged to wish that the fast be observed through a continuous series of days. But one obliged to fast on Friday does not sin gravely if he defers the fast by one day; or if he defers by only six or eight days the monthly Communion imposed on him.

But there is no obligation to fulfill as soon as possible, or before the next confession or Communion, a penance given without a day, provided the danger of forgetfulness is avoided.

3. Nor is an express intention of satisfying required, provided the work is done.

4. That mode can and ought of itself to be observed which is established for the same work that is prescribed by the Church. Thus fasting will admit the little supper and foods permitted in the region on a day of fasting; recitation of an enjoined psalm can be done with a companion. By the same work someone can fulfill penance and gain indulgences.

Penance is to be fulfilled by the penitent himself, unless the confessor has permitted more (cf. proposition 15 condemned by Alex. VII). And sometimes a confessor can, with fruit of edification, impose a light penance on a sinner and take on himself a greater one for the penitent, with a declaration of the matter made to the penitent. Then he, by consenting to vicarious satisfaction, effects that the work performed by the confessor is part of the sacramental penance.

— It is not mortal but venial to neglect the penance imposed for venial fault; or a light penance enjoined even because of grave faults.