Morals of the Church
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point — Wouters, Manual of Moral Theology

Point VII. On Vindication

407.

I. Notion of Vindication. Vindication is a moral virtue inclining a private man to seek vengeance for an injury inflicted, by due punishment, according to the prescription of right reason illumined by faith. It is said:

  1. Inclining a private man. Thus is indicated the subject of this virtue; concerning by what virtue a public person is bound to vengeance for an injury, see n. 382.

  2. To seek vengeance for an injury inflicted by due punishment, etc. By these words is assigned the material object.

Vindication (Just Punishment)

408.

II. Object of Vindication. 1. The material object is constituted by all acts by which a private man seeks that due punishment be inflicted on the injurer by legitimate public authority. Hence the material object of the virtue of vindication is not the execution itself of the due punishment; for an act of this sort is dishonorable for a private man, because he lacks legitimate power to punish. And because man is more inclined to greater than to milder vengeance, the virtue of vindication serves especially to moderate the appetite for revenge.

  1. The remote formal object is the special reason of debt for seeking vengeance for an injury inflicted; the proximate formal object is the special moral goodness shining forth in seeking this debt (St. Thomas, II-II, q. 108, aa. 1 and 2).

Vindication (Just Punishment)

409.

III. Opposed Vices. To vindication are opposed all acts by which either excessive punishment, or an unduly milder punishment, or unduly no punishment, is sought. Nevertheless, as regards omission of the petition for punishment, it must be observed that it is often more perfect to forgive an injury and thus for the sake of a higher good to omit the petition of vindication; but not always, since supernatural reason dictates that sometimes, for the good either of the community or of the delinquent himself, punishment is to be sought.

Vindication (Just Punishment)