The Confession of the Rude, Slow and Semi-Feeble

I. The confession of the rude and the slow. Insofar as and in what manner they are to be instructed if perhaps they are ignorant of the things to be known by necessity of means and of precept, this has been said in n. 396. For the rest, in accusation and in eliciting contrition they must often be helped by the confessor. If they have omitted a diligent examination of conscience, they should not be dismissed so that they may search their conscience better.

Note. The things that have been said about the rude and the slow are also to be applied to deaf-mutes who are little instructed; for the rest, compare the things said in n. 396.

II. The confession of the semi-feeble.

1. If with sufficient certainty they are only semi-feeble, and therefore capable of moral acts, they can rather often be admitted to the sacraments, for instance every month, provided however that here and now they are judged to have posited the acts required for penance. If it is somewhat probable that they are capable of mortal sin and guilty of it, the necessity of absolving them is to be urged still more.

2. If it is doubted whether they are capable of moral acts, they are to be absolved under condition: 1. in danger of death; 2. at Easter; 3. several times in the year, especially if there is some fear that perhaps they have sinned gravely (St. Alphonsus, VI, 432).

521. (A) On the rude. Here there is question not of those who, although uncultivated in human matters, are well instructed in matters pertaining to salvation; but of those who are ignorant in the business of salvation. It has already been said (n. 473 sq.) how they are to be instructed before or after absolution. Here only a few things must be said concerning certain difficulties which occur in their confession.

(a) Some have scarcely anything to accuse; this can arise from defect of matter, of examination, or of knowledge. If the first, that is, if in fact they have abstained from graver sins because of continuous labors, and otherwise they are not accustomed to accuse lighter delicts, they should be taught how they can confess venial sins and avoid them in the future, and also how much it profits to declare and detest again the graver sins of their past life. If from defect of examination, they should be kindly helped to search the hidden places of their conscience, as was said above, n. 316. If from defect of knowledge, they should be instructed in the tribunal itself concerning those things which are necessary for receiving absolution validly and lawfully, and afterward concerning the other things which are necessary by precept.

(b) Others can scarcely conceive contrition, because they are hardly able to think about motives; therefore these motives should be proposed to them in simple speech, by way of dialogue, as we said concerning children.

522. (B) On the semi-fatuous. Those perpetually insane cannot receive absolution; but one must speak otherwise of the semi-fatuous.

(a) If they certainly can distinguish between good and evil, although somewhat obscurely, and otherwise seem well disposed, they can be absolved not only once, but several times in the year. But since, on account of slowness of mind and weakness of memory, they are scarcely able to retain in memory even necessary truths, the confessor will take care so to dispose them that they elicit the necessary acts of faith, hope, and contrition; thus, for example, he can proceed: "Do you believe in one God? Do you believe that He punishes the wicked and bestows rewards upon the good? Do you believe that there are three persons in God, distinct and perfectly equal, and that the Son of God for our sake became man and redeemed us by His blood, etc.?" Let him proceed in the same way as to the motives of contrition.

(b) If there is doubt about the sufficient use of reason and whether he can sin gravely or not, the semi-fatuous person must be instructed and disposed in the best way possible, and absolved under condition in danger of death, indeed several times in life, at least once a year, lest he remain in mortal sin, if perhaps he has committed any.

523. (C) On the mute and the deaf. (a) These are not strictly bound to write their confession, above, n. 299; but they should be gently induced to do this, if they are able to write, since in this way the integrity of confession is better procured.

(b) Since today deaf-mutes can be instructed rather easily, the pastor or confessor ought to take care that, insofar as possible, they be sent to those schools where they are able to learn Christian doctrine, so that they may better confess and detest their sins.

(c) But if they have not been instructed by these new methods, the confessor should first inquire from their relatives what sins they more frequently commit; then he should lead them into some hidden place, where by signs they may attempt to declare at least in a confused way certain sins and to express their contrition; by certain signs, for example, by raising eyes and hands to heaven, let him exhort them to contrition, and absolve them absolutely or conditionally, according as he will be certain or doubtful concerning their dispositions.

— The uneducated, even those who are found to have examined themselves negligently, are not to be dismissed⁽¹⁾ so that they may perfect their examination, since no moral hope is given that they will return better prepared, but rather they are to be helped by the confessor so that, by questions adapted to their capacity, he himself may procure sufficient integrity of confession.

And observe that several men, more cultivated in other matters but of modest piety, or immersed in business, are theologically uneducated or must be equated with the uneducated; they think that they have satisfied their obligation, and if dismissed would care for nothing more, but would be cast into bad faith or perhaps would desert the sacraments. The confessor, after making prudent inquiry, has fulfilled his parts; the penitent, from ignorance of his obligation, approaches disposed; imprudent recollection of the obligation is to be avoided.

Nor are the uneducated to be disturbed who confess words and works contrary to chastity, but deny thoughts which, nevertheless, the confessor will probably judge that they have had and admitted. For they answer thus because they do not attend to these things.

The things said are to be transferred by stronger reason to the half-witted, concerning whom we have already treated before.

⁽¹⁾ To dismiss such persons on this account was called by Fr. Segneri, Il confessore istruito, with St. Alph., VI, 607, approving, an intolerable error.

VI. Corollary concerning the rude. - From the things said before it is now sufficiently evident how one must proceed with the rude, without a special question being raised concerning them.³

³ Concerning them Reuter, o. c., nn. 3 and 114-118, and Lehmkuhl, Th. M., II, nn. 612-614, can be seen.

These persons, in the business of salvation, sometimes are well or better instructed than others, but not always, as can be evident from their accusation and answers. Concerning them let the following rules hold:

1. In accusation they are not immediately, but only when an occasion is given, to be helped, so that first they are permitted to express themselves, as was said q. 2, n. IV, C.

2. If they accuse themselves insufficiently, or this can deservedly be presumed, they are generally not to be dismissed, but are to be examined: by running through the precepts of God and of the Church and the obligations of state, as was said q. 1, n. III and IV.

3. To this end they are also to be questioned, but moderately and according to their capacity, so that the accusation may be completed in the mode in which this is possible for such persons: according to what was said q. 2, n. IV, A.

4. But if they seem unable to institute a sufficiently accurate examination, let the confessor also suggest to them the manner of examining themselves.

5. Those who are not negligent in enumerating sins are to be admonished concerning sorrow and purpose (unless, however, it is evident that in this matter they are solicitous), so that they may seriously weigh the malice of sin, and, motives of contrition having been proposed according to their grasp, may exercise themselves in sorrow: for there are those who think it suffices after confession merely materially to recite the formula of contrition (cf. q. 2, n. IV, C, 3, b; and q. 3, n. II, 2).

6. If some scarcely have anything to accuse (or say nothing particular), it must be examined from what the defect arises:

a) If from a uniform life and continual labor they scarcely have occasion of sinning, and thus easily abstain from graver things and hold light things of little account, they are to be helped so that they may accuse lighter things and, for the security of contrition, accuse a graver sin of their past life.

b) If from defect of examination, they are to be admonished concerning the obligation of examining conscience, and, according to prudence, either dismissed until sufficient preparation, or subjected to an examination of conscience to supply the defect. This, from charity, must often be done if they themselves cannot examine themselves, or if something worse is to be feared, e.g., if it is foreseen that they would be gravely offended or not return (q. 1, n. III).

c) If certain matter is not present, or if they reveal nothing because of imbecility, rudeness of instruction, or dullness, and have not confessed for some months, after sorrow concerning sins in general has been elicited, they will be able to be absolved under condition, at least if it is to be feared that they could be in mortal sin (q. 2, n. V, 3).

d) Such persons, however, are always to be examined concerning necessary things to be known: for if they confess nothing, or know how to answer nothing except that they have sworn or cursed animals, there is a prudent suspicion of crass ignorance. For these persons detestation must be enjoined concerning the fact that they have been negligent in the business of the soul; and the truths of faith must at least be proposed and recalled to memory, so that at least here and now they may know them, if they cannot retain them, just as can easily happen in the old, who knew them before (q. 3, n. II, 1 and 3).

e) With all the aforesaid persons, sorrow and serious purpose must be treated, as we have already said.

7. If they are doubtfully disposed, they are to be seriously admonished and, as far as possible, disposed; but if they remain doubtfully disposed, although of itself absolution should be deferred, nevertheless for these persons, more than for others, there often occurs one of the cases in which they can be absolved under condition, namely so that a greater evil may be avoided, as will be said, q. 4, n. IV, 4.

8. In relation to the satisfaction to be imposed, among other things those which Reuter has (o. c., n. 118) can be useful:

"For rustics and common people, for penances, prayers are almost always to be enjoined, and these usually such that they may discharge them immediately on the same day or on the next feast; unless custom or negligence in divine things counsels something else. Hence if they are negligent in receiving the sacrament of penance, it will usefully be enjoined that after a month or on the next greater feast, or if then they cannot, on the next occasion after it, they confess again. If they have a habit, e.g., of cursing or swearing, for 14 days or for a month let them recite in the morning three times the Our Father and Hail Mary in praise of the Most Holy Trinity; or: let them ask pardon of their sins, offer to God in satisfaction, in a simple manner, their labors and difficulties to be undergone that day, and ask the grace of amendment; or also: in the evening let them repeat the same prayers, grieve and ask pardon, saying, e.g., 'God, be propitious to me, a miserable sinner'; or let it be enjoined upon them that as often as they again curse or swear, they strike the breast and ask pardon; nevertheless they are to be admonished that, if at any time they forget, it suffices that afterward they repair or compensate. If someone were guilty of many grave sins and no other fitting penance occurred, it could be enjoined that for a month, or until the next confession, on Sundays and feasts he devoutly offer to God in satisfaction for his sins the Mass which he already ought to hear, and on the same days say the rosary (or five decades) at Mass, or as he pleases. It will also be useful, especially if it is feared lest the penitent be deficient in sufficient sorrow and efficacious purpose, to enjoin upon him that before communion he elicit faith, hope, and charity with sorrow, or at least contrition with purpose, and renew these acts after communion and offer them to Christ to be confirmed: for thus he will consult the reverence and fruit of the sacrament, as far as can be done."

Lehmkuhl, however, observes: with rude men and those of inferior condition, the confessor, on the one hand, can sometimes use a more severe manner of acting and speaking by rebuking them, if they are of a harder temperament and given to sins and not diligent in detesting them; on the other hand, he must beware lest he repel them by harshness, but must devote himself so that he may console them and win them for God. For the ruder are offended even by a hard manner of acting and are more deterred than the cultivated; but attracted by kindness and affability, they are formed to good morals with great docility. In one word: let severity be tempered by meekness.

I. The perpetually insane cannot receive absolution, of which they are incapable; not so the half-witted (etourdis, demi-sots, simplots):

a) If these certainly can distinguish between moral good and evil, although confusedly, and otherwise seem well disposed, they can be absolved not only once, but several times in a year. But since, because of slowness of mind and weakness of memory, they can scarcely retain in memory even necessary truths, let the confessor take care to dispose them in such a way that they may elicit the necessary acts of faith, hope, and contrition, proceeding thus for example: Do you believe in one God? Do you believe that He punishes the evil and bestows rewards on the good? Do you believe that there are three persons in God, distinct and perfectly equal, and that the Son of God, because of us, was made man and by His blood redeemed us? And so forth for the motives of contrition.

b) If there is doubt concerning sufficient use of reason and whether they can sin gravely or not, they are to be instructed and disposed in the best manner in which this can be done, and absolved under condition in danger of death; indeed several times in life, at least once in a year, and as often as it is probable that they are in the state of mortal sin, lest, namely, they remain in sin if perhaps they have committed any.

c) As Reuter notes (o. c., n. 192), it is not a sufficient sign of discretion that someone reverences the clergy, rightly executes some commands, bends the knees, strikes the breast, because he can do these things because he sees them being done by another. But signs such as were indicated for children suffice.

II. Concerning deaf-mutes. - a) These, of themselves and grave inconvenience being excluded, are bound to write their confession if they can write and cannot otherwise confess integrally. But because this is considered by some as an extraordinary means, let it not be strictly imposed unless they could not confess in any other way at all; but let them be gently induced to do this if they can write (e.g., on a slate tablet), since thus the integrity of confession is better procured. To avoid the danger of harming the seal, the confession having been completed, immediately in the presence of the penitent, the writing should be destroyed.

b) Since today they can be instructed rather easily, the parish priest, or also the confessor, must take care that, as far as can be done, they are sent to those schools where they can learn Christian doctrine, so that they may better confess and detest their sins.

c) But if they have not been instructed by these new methods, let the confessor first inquire from their relatives what sins they more frequently commit and what signs they are accustomed to give; then let him lead them into some hidden place, where by signs they may try to declare certain sins at least in a confused way and to express their contrition. Likewise by certain signs, e.g., by raising the eyes and hands to heaven, by showing the crucifix, let him exhort them to contrition, and let him absolve them absolutely or conditionally according as he will be certain or doubtful concerning their capacity. In a similar manner also he can indicate the penance, e.g., by showing the rosary or a certain decade of it.

III. Observations.

1. If the confessor notices not at the beginning but in the course of confession that the penitent is somewhat deaf, he cannot, generally, lead him before those standing by into a remote place or admonish him to return at another time, when, namely, as easily happens, he would introduce suspicion of mortal sin. On the contrary, he can do this if he notices it altogether at the beginning.

2. In former times they thought that one deaf and at the same time mute and blind from birth should be held as perpetually insane, as incapable of instruction. In our age, however, the more cultivated art of instruction does not exclude even such persons from education, and, although the matter is more difficult, nevertheless it is not judged impossible.

3. "If because of lack of skill in the language the confessor cannot perceive all mortal sins, the penitent is to be sent, if it can conveniently be done, to another skilled in the language; but if he cannot be sent back without grave inconvenience and has indicated at least one certain sin, he can be absolved in a time when precept or necessity urges, such as also the state of mortal sin of a travelling man who for a short time cannot have a confessor; for then formal integrity suffices. Nevertheless the penitent is bound, when an occasion is given, to confess to another the mortal sins which now were not understood by the confessor. Hence also he can be silent about sins which he certainly knows are not understood. But if he has only venial sins, he can approach a confessor less skilled in the language, the other being neglected... Finally, if the confessor plainly does not understand the language of the penitent, the latter can be absolved in necessity, if he accuses himself by signs in general" (Reuter, Neo-conf., n. 196). He can also use an interpreter, but this is not strictly obligatory, as is evident from the response of the Holy Office, 28 Feb. 1633, provided that by signs he can manifest at least sin in general.

For the hearing of those whose language the confessor does not know, a schema of questions in various languages corresponding to one another, edited by D'Herbigny, can be useful: Prudens 16 linguarum confessarius. Nevertheless it does not suffice for every case: for the rude generally do not understand cultivated language, but are accustomed to use a common idiom or special terms, especially for designating certain sins; indeed they are not always able to read.

649. Children are bound by the precept of confession if they have attained the use of reason, by which they are able sufficiently to discern between moral good and moral evil so as to sin mortally, and to deliberate concerning themselves and concerning the ultimate end of the whole of life, or eternal salvation. This discretion they generally attain around the seventh year, a little before or after.

Yet this does not depend on age alone, but also on keenness of mind and quality of education, and on other circumstances of time and place: thus they become mature earlier in warmer regions than in colder ones, in a city than in the country.

They are judged to enjoy the use of reason for confession when they distinctly explain their sins, answer suitably the questions proposed by the confessor, and understand that grave offenses offend God or are punished with eternal punishments. On the contrary, if they can say nothing spontaneously or recite only formulas committed to memory, if they answer affirmatively to all proposed questions, or negatively without any discrimination, or if for the most part they contradict themselves, they are rightly judged to lack the use of reason. In doubt whether they have attained sufficient discretion, outside danger of death they are not bound to confess.

Three rules concerning children are to be attended to:

1. Absolution certainly cannot be denied to children who have committed grave sins, if otherwise they seem disposed; hence the practice of those is wholly to be reprehended who dismiss without absolution those who have not yet been admitted to first communion. Nor should it be held as a sign of indisposition if about the confessional they act childishly, play, laugh, since these things are from natural lightness and lack of consideration and in themselves are not grave.

2. If it is doubtful whether they have the use of reason, or whether they are sufficiently disposed, they are to be absolved under condition ("if you are capable") in danger of death, or when the precept of annual confession urges, indeed whenever they accuse themselves of those things which of themselves are mortal, lest, namely, they remain in the state of sin if perhaps they have sinned.

3. If they have accused themselves only of venial sins, they are to be stirred up to contrition and, if they are sufficiently disposed, absolved, lest they lack sacramental grace; if after exhortation they remain doubtfully disposed, because, for example, there is doubt concerning their sufficient discretion, they are not to be absolved, even under condition, because there is not a sufficient reason for exposing the sacrament to danger of nullity; unless at some time there is reason to fear lest perhaps they are liable to some hidden mortal sin.

Many other practical matters can be seen in our pastoral little work De Variis Poenitentium Categoriis.

650. The perpetually insane cannot receive absolution, of which they are incapable; not so those partly insane or half-witted:

1. If these can certainly distinguish between moral good and moral evil, although confusedly, and otherwise seem well disposed, they can be absolved, not only once, but several times in the year.

2. If there is doubt concerning their sufficient use of reason and whether they can sin gravely or not, they are to be instructed and disposed in the best way possible and absolved under condition in danger of death, indeed at times in life, at least once a year, and whenever it is probable that they are in the state of mortal sin, lest, namely, they remain in sin if perhaps they have committed something.

But since the half-witted, on account of slowness of understanding and weakness of memory, are scarcely able to retain in memory even necessary truths, let the confessor take care to dispose them so that they elicit the necessary acts of faith, hope, and contrition, proceeding thus, for example: Do you believe in one God? Do you believe that there are in God three distinct and perfectly equal persons... and that the Son of God for our sake was made man and redeemed us by his blood? Do you believe that God punishes the wicked and grants eternal rewards to the good? And so forth concerning the motives of contrition.

Let it be noted that it is not a sufficient sign of discretion that they reverence the clergy, rightly execute certain commands, bend the knees, or strike the breast, because they can do these things because they see them done by others. But signs such as we indicated concerning children suffice.

651. Deaf-mutes today can be instructed rather easily, and if they have been instructed, can confess by signs or in writing. But if they have not been instructed by new methods, the confessor should first inquire from their relatives what sins they commit more frequently and what signs they are accustomed to give; then let him lead them into some hidden place where by signs they may endeavor to declare certain sins at least in a confused way and to express their contrition; likewise by certain signs, for example by lifting their eyes and hands to heaven, by showing a crucifix, let him exhort them to contrition, and let him absolve them absolutely or conditionally, according as he is certain or doubtful concerning their capacity. In a similar way also he can indicate the penance, for example by showing a rosary or a certain decade of it.

Let it be noted: a) deaf-mutes per se and apart from grave inconvenience are bound to write their confession if they can write and cannot otherwise confess integrally (n. 519 and 525). But because this is considered by some as an extraordinary means, it is not to be imposed strictly unless they cannot confess otherwise at all; but nevertheless they should be gently led to do this, if they can write (for example on a slate tablet), since thus the integrity of confession is better procured, and in the same way the priest can answer them suitably;

b) yet to avoid the danger of violating the seal, once the confession has been completed, the writing is immediately to be erased in the presence of the penitent;

c) a deaf-mute who is also blind from birth, who formerly was said to have to be held as perpetually insane, as being incapable of instruction, in our age is no longer excluded from all instruction: although the matter is more difficult, nevertheless it is not held impossible.

LXIV. The same in the same place, § 10, no. 635, folio 86: “Generally the rude and ignorant can be admitted to the completing of confession, even if they have sent no examination before.”