Section II. On the Essence of the Sacrament of Penance

The sacrament of Penance supposes remote matter; and once that has been posited, it is integrally constituted by proximate matter, form, and an integrating part. Now then:

I. The remote matter of Penance, that is, that around which the sacramental action can be concerned, is all sins committed after Baptism (n. 293; canon 902).¹

¹ Roman Ritual, title III, chapter 1, n. 1.

II. Proximate matter.

1. Proximate matter strictly so called - that is, that which with absolution constitutes the essence of the sacrament - is the contrition and confession of the penitent. Thus St. Thomas (part 3, question 84, article 2), St. Bonaventure,¹ St. Alphonsus (VI, 425), the Thomists, some Scotists, and most more recent authors. But Scotus² and most Scotists teach that contrition and confession, externally manifested nevertheless, are only conditions required for the validity of the sacrament. Finally, some³ hold as probable that internal contrition or attrition alone is the condition necessary for the validity of the sacrament; for the rest, that the essence of the sacrament is completed by the form alone, which, insofar as it is an external ceremony, constitutes the matter, and insofar as it has the power of signifying, constitutes the form. This opinion is almost commonly rejected. Of the opinions explained, the first is much more common and more probable; and the Roman Ritual⁴ and the Roman Catechism⁵ favor it. For the rest, note:

a) Contrition and confession become the matter of the sacrament insofar as by the minister, through absolution, they are assumed or elevated into parts or matter. But it is disputed whether and to what extent the aforesaid acts must be referred to the sacrament by the penitent himself; concerning this dispute there will be discussion later.

b) Contrition, which in itself is internal and spiritual, is not an essential part of the sacrament, that is, of the external sign, except insofar as it becomes sensible through confession or through the petition for or expectation of absolution (St. Alphonsus, VI, 445, 459).

c) It is disputed whether satisfaction in purpose, or the will of fulfilling the imposed satisfaction, is an essential element, or, in other words, whether it pertains to proximate matter strictly so called. Many affirm this, because the Council of Florence and the Council of Trent speak in the same way about satisfaction as about contrition and confession, so that satisfaction must be called, at least in some sense, an essential element. But satisfaction actually performed certainly is not an essential element. It remains, therefore, that we say it is essential at least in purpose. Others deny this, because ecclesiastical documents - besides the fact that they do not settle the controversy about the proximate matter of Penance⁶ - understand by the word satisfaction, in the obvious sense, satisfaction actually performed, just as by the words contrition and confession they designate contrition and confession actually exhibited. Therefore from the aforesaid documents nothing can be drawn as regards satisfaction in desire.

2. Proximate matter taken more broadly - that is, that which, informed by absolution, constitutes the complete sacrament - is satisfaction actually performed. The said satisfaction is not an essential part of the sacrament of Penance, because it is not ordered to its primary effect, that is, to the remission of fault; nevertheless, it is an integrating part of it, insofar as it brings it about that the sacrament can fully attain its effect, which is the remission not only of fault, but also of punishment.

Corollary I. Contrition, confession, and satisfaction are not only the proximate matter of the sacrament of Penance, but also, together with absolution, produce the effect of the sacrament. The contrary is taught not only by many Scotists, but also by some of those who hold the acts of the penitent to be essential parts of the sacrament; and St. Thomas also at one time taught that (distinction 22, question 2, article 1, solution 1, ad 2 and 3); afterward, however, he expressly corrected that opinion (part 3, question 86, article 6). The proposition is especially supported by the fact that according to the Council of Trent⁷ the force of the sacrament is situated in absolution as the form "principally" (therefore not totally, as the adversaries wish). It is added that, just as in physical things, so also in moral things, the effect must be attributed not to the form alone, but also to the matter, or, in other words, to the whole.

Corollary II. Practically it does not matter whether the acts of the penitent are called parts of the sacrament or merely conditions required for validity;⁸ nor whether the effect of the sacrament is ascribed also to the aforesaid acts or to absolution alone. But it does matter somewhat, as will be clear from what is to be said later, whether or not internal contrition or attrition alone is the condition required for validity, as Ballerini teaches.

¹ IV Sentences, distinction 17, part 2, article 1, conclusion 3; distinction 22, article 2, question 1, conclusion.

² Disputation XVI, question 1, n. 5 sq.

³ For example, Ballerini, Opus theologicum de Poenitentia, n. 4 sq.

⁴ Title III, chapter 1, n. 1.

⁵ Part 2, chapter 5, question 12.

⁶ Pallavicini, Historia Concilii Tridentini, book 12, chapter 16.

⁷ Session 14, chapter 3.

⁸ Many Scotists indeed do not require of itself that contrition be external; but because they also hold confession as a necessary condition, and confession in fact manifests contrition, practically the matter comes back to the same thing.

III. The form of Penance is the words of absolution, as the Decree of Eugene IV for the Armenians and the Council of Trent expressly teach.¹

And thus, once the summary notion of the sacrament of Penance has been handed down, we shall explain the essence of this sacrament more fully, speaking distinctly first of remote matter, then of proximate matter, then of form, and finally of the integrating part, or satisfaction. Hence:

¹ Session 14, chapter 3; Roman Ritual, title III, chapter 1, n. 1.