Article — Wouters, Manual of Moral Theology
Article II. On Fraternal Correction
I. Notion. "Fraternal correction is the admonition of a brother for the amendment of delicts by fraternal charity" (St. Thomas, In IV Sent., dist. 19, q. 2, a. 1). The matter of fraternal correction is formal sins which are feared to be committed again, or those in which one's neighbor is feared to be dying or not going to do penance at the due time. Material sins are matter for instruction (n. 540); formal sins only to be committed, that is, not to be committed again, are matter for admonition (n. 541).
Fraternal correction differs from judicial and paternal correction. Judicial correction is that which is done by a superior as such; its primary end is the common good. Paternal correction is that which is done by a superior not as such, but because he is such, or because he is more suitable for correcting.
II. The obligation sometimes to correct one's neighbor is clear: 1. from Sacred Scripture: "Correct your neighbor, lest perhaps he did not say it: and if he did say it, lest perhaps he repeat it";1 "If your brother has sinned against you, go and correct him";2 2. from reason, namely from the fact that, if I can conveniently do so, I ought to draw my neighbor away from evil, such as sin is.
The obligation is grave from its genus, and binds even subjects with respect to superiors. But it is an obligation of charity; for parents with respect to children, for spouses with respect to the other spouse, for superiors with respect to subjects and vice versa, an obligation of special charity; for children with respect to parents, an obligation of piety; for pastors of souls, an obligation of justice (St. Alphonsus, II, 40; III, 360).
III. The conditions of grave obligation are:
That it be morally certain that a grave sin has been committed, because correction is something odious. Probability suffices exceptionally if it is a question of great danger and there is no fear of exasperating one's neighbor (St. Alphonsus, II, 38). Yet of itself only a Superior can and sometimes ought to inquire into the sins of others (St. Alphonsus, III, 360, doubt 20). By reason of charity, one must properly inquire into the necessity of one's neighbor when one prudently suspects it; but by reason of the common good, inquiry into another's life is prohibited, since this is apt to disturb public peace.
That correction seem necessary. Hence it can be omitted if the neighbor has amended himself, or will amend himself, quite certainly (St. Alphonsus, II, 39, 2).
That another more suitable or equally suitable person be lacking who will quite certainly correct the neighbor (St. Alphonsus, II, 39, 3).
That there be great hope of fruit, now or later (St. Alphonsus, II, 39, 4). Now, the greater the hope is, the more opportune time and place should be chosen; indeed, it is sometimes lawful to await repetition of the sin if hope of fruit is thereby increased.
That the correction can be made without relatively grave damage (St. Alphonsus, II, 39, 5), for example without damage to life, honor, goods, and sometimes friendship. Yet those who are bound from special charity, such as husband, wife, and parents, are excused with more difficulty; Superiors, with attention to their office, and those who are bound from justice, are excused with greatest difficulty, that is, only on account of very grave inconvenience. Moreover, even the gravest inconvenience does not excuse if someone is in extreme or quasi-extreme spiritual necessity.
Corollary I. Private persons are rarely bound under grave obligation to correction, either because some condition is lacking, or because there is an excusing cause, if not from the whole then at least from so much. But scrupulous persons commonly are immune from every obligation, both because they lack the necessary discretion, and because they would be pressed by continual anxiety if they judged themselves to be obligated.
Corollary II. Although even venial sins can be matter for correction, in practice there is almost no obligation among private persons, for there would be grave inconvenience, since one's whole life would be consumed in corrections, unless either the venial sins proximately dispose to mortal sin, or it can be done very easily; the latter sometimes has place if someone uses familiarity with the one being corrected. But for a superior by reason of office the obligation more easily falls, and sometimes even a grave obligation, for example if from uncorrected venial sins relaxation of regular discipline were imminent (St. Alphonsus, II, 34, 35).
IV. Mode of correcting. 1. "The order must be observed in correction which Christ prescribed, namely: first, that you correct privately; then before witnesses; then that you refer the matter to the prelate of the Church, or to a superior"1 (St. Alphonsus, II, 41). The reason for this order is taken from the fact that, as far as can be done, one's neighbor's reputation must be considered. Denunciation here is understood as evangelical, that is, that which is made to a superior as judge, so that he may publicly judge and punish the guilty person for the sake of the common good.
- The order prescribed of itself need not be observed: 1. when the sin is public; 2. when the sin tends to the damage of the community or of another innocent person and a private person cannot quite certainly avert it; 3. when the first and second mode of correcting do not seem sufficiently secure, for example because a private person is less suited for making the correction; 4. when the one to be corrected has renounced his right, as has place among certain religious (St. Alphonsus, II, 41). Yet in this case, although the obligation of justice is lacking, charity nevertheless prescribes that the order be observed if private correction is judged quite certainly effective.
Corollary I. "If the crime of one's neighbor is pernicious to the republic or to the community, although it is hidden, it must be denounced immediately to the prelate, with no fraternal correction having been made first; as the Doctors commonly teach with St. Thomas" (St. Alphonsus, IV, 242). Note besides that in this case denunciation must be urged even with grave inconvenience to the penitent; apply this, for example, to corrupters in colleges, seminaries, and boarding-schools. If only damage to one or another is feared, denunciation cannot be urged with grave inconvenience, for example if the penitent cannot carry out the denunciation without confessing his own crime; yet it should be advised.
Corollary II. For it to be lawful to refer a hidden sin immediately to a superior as father, it suffices that this seem more expedient; and this commonly has place in religious communities. "The reason is clear, because the end of this precept of fraternal correction... is nothing other than charity toward the brother; but this end of charity is twofold, one principal, the other less principal. The principal end is that the brother be amended, and therefore correction is prescribed; the less principal end is that the reputation of the brother be preserved as much as can be done, and therefore the order of secret correction to be made first is prescribed. Therefore, when it is believed to be more expedient for the principal end, namely for the amendment of the brother, that correction be made immediately by the prelate, the less principal end ought to cease; and therefore the order of secret correction is rightly to be omitted" (St. Alphonsus, IV, 243; St. Thomas, Quodlibet 11, a. 13).
Corollary III. A superior to whom denunciation has been made as to a father should proceed thus:
"Before he proceeds to correction, he ought: a) to consider the character of the informer, whether and to what extent he is worthy of trust; b) patiently to hear the very person denounced, for defense is due to each one by natural right; c) commonly to beware lest the one denounced be able to recognize his informer, unless necessity demands otherwise.
For the sake of correction he will be able: a) to impose moderate penances on the delinquent, which neither induce infamy nor manifest the delict, if it is grave; b) to remove a subject from office or from place, if this can be done without infamy; c) to manifest the delict to one or several consultors, if he judges this necessary for applying the remedy with greater fruit and security; d) to reprehend him gravely before two or three witnesses, for his greater confusion and commotion; e) to designate a faithful companion who may investigate the actions of the guilty person and report them to the Prelate, if the Prelate, after correction has been made, judges vigilance necessary; for this end he will be able to indicate some suspicion to the same companion concerning the brother entrusted to him; and other things of this sort. None of these things exceed the limits of paternal correction."