What excuses from a full confession

Physical or moral impossibility: danger of death, no common language, danger to the seal or to life; formal versus material integrity.

The works themselves ask 34 questions under this heading — see them together with their answers.

Also asked about as…

causes excusing from integrity · couldn't confess everything · embarrassed to confess (ed.)

In the index as Confession · Accomplice (Complex) · Integrity of Confession (Integritas Confessionis) · Absolution (Absolutio) · Confessor (Confessarius) · Forgetfulness · Impotence (Impotentia) · Reputation · The Deaf · Inquiry · Interpreter · Name · Name of an accomplice · Penance · The dying · The mute · Contagion · Deaf-mute · Interrogation · Mute person · Scandal · Superior · Accomplice in confession not to be manifested · Base

In the manuals

Read the manuals side by side → — each work's whole treatment in its own column

Summa of Moral Theology (Summa Theologiae Moralis)

Hieronymus Noldin, S.J. — 6 passages

Vol. III, Book Fifth. On Penance., Ch. II, Q. II, Article III. On Causes Excusing from Integrity., nn. 282, 283, 284, 285, 286 & 287 (6 passages — hover a number to read it)

A Manual of Moral Theology for English-Speaking Countries

Thomas Slater, S.J.

Vol. II, Bk. VI, Chapter IV. Confession, n. 5 — Integrity of confession is prescribed by divine law, but as even divine law does not bind to what is impossible, physical or moral impossibility of making a full confession will excuse the penitent from obeying the law. … Read in context →

Manual of Moral Theology (Manuale Theologiae Moralis)

Ludovicus Wouters, C.SS.R. — 5 passages

Vol. II, Bk. III, Tr. V, Diss. II, Pt. I, Sect. II, Ch. II, Art. II, § III, Point III. On the Causes Excusing from Material Integrity, nn. ¶1, 325, 326, 327 & 328 (5 passages — hover a number to read it)

Institutions of Moral Theology (Institutiones Theologiae Moralis)

Gennaro Bucceroni, S.J. — 4 passages

Vol. III, On Penance, V. On the Integrity of Confession, nn. 718, 719, 720 & 721 (4 passages — hover a number to read it)

Cases of Conscience, Proposed by Cardinal de Lugo, by Fr. Beniamino Elbel, by Fr. Ioannes Petrus Gury and by Other Authors, and Resolved (Casus conscientiae)

Gennaro Bucceroni, S.J. — 10 passages

125. Causes Excusing from the Integrity of Confession, nn. 1, 2 & 3 (10 passages — hover a number to read it)

Compendium of Moral Theology of Fr. John Peter Gury, S.J., with the Notes of Antonio Ballerini, S.J.

Jean-Pierre Gury, S.J.; notes by Antonio Ballerini, S.J. — 36 passages

Vol. II, Treatise On the Sacrament …, Pt. II, Ch. II, Art. II, § I, Point I. On the Necessity of Integrity in General, n. 470 (2 passages — hover a number to read it)

Vol. II, Treatise On the Sacrament …, Pt. II, Ch. II, Art. II, § II, Point I. On Causes Excusing from Integrity in General, nn. 497, 498, 499, 500, 501, 502, 503 & 504 (34 passages — hover a number to read it)

Synopsis of Moral and Pastoral Theology

Adolphe Tanquerey, S.S. — 17 passages

Vol. I, Matrimony, and Holy Orders, On Penance (Volume I), Moral Part — Chapter I: On the Duties of the Penitent, nn. 295–311 (17 passages)

Manuale Theologiae Moralis

Dominic M. Prümmer, O.P. — 5 passages

Vol. III, Pt. II, Tr. V, Ch. II, Art. II, § 2, 2. Causes Excusing from Material Integrity, nn. 378, 379, 380, 381 & 382 (5 passages — hover a number to read it)

Institutiones Morales Alphonsianae

Clement Marc, C.SS.R. — 8 passages

Vol. II, Part Third: On the Sacrame…, Tr. V, Diss. II, Ch. II, Art. II, § 2. On Formal Integrity, nn. ¶1697, ¶1698, ¶1699, ¶1700, ¶1, ¶2, ¶1701 & ¶1702 (8 passages — hover a number to read it)

Theologia Moralis Sancti Alphonsi: Reduced into a Compendium

Anthony Konings, C.SS.R. — 6 passages

Vol. II, TREATISE ON THE SACRAMENT …, PART SECOND: ON THE SUBJEC…, OR ON THE ACTS OF THE PENI…, Ch. II, Art. II, § II, And Especially As Regards The Dying, nn. ¶1, ¶1367, ¶1368, ¶1369, ¶1370 & ¶1371 (6 passages — hover a number to read it)

Summa Theologiae Moralis

Benedict Henry Merkelbach, O.P. — 38 passages

Vol. III, Special Moral Theology: On…, Treatise: On Penance, Third Part: On the Parts o…, Ch. II, Question Three: On the End…, Article II: On the Integrity of Confession, nn. 525, 526 & 527 (38 passages — hover a number to read it)

Compendium of Moral Theology

Aloysius Sabetti, S.J., and Timothy Barrett, S.J. — 12 passages

Vol. II, Tr. XV, Pt. II, Ch. II, Art. II, § II. On Causes Excusing from Integrity, nn. 750, 751, 751, Q. 2, 751, Q. 3, 751, Q. 4, 751, Q. 5, 751, Q. 6, 751, Q. 7, 751, Q. 8, 751, Q. 9, 752 & 753 (12 passages — hover a number to read it)

Christian Theology, Dogmatic and Moral, in Compendium

Daniele Concina, O.P. — 17 passages

Diss. I, Chapter I — Propositions condemned by the Holy See, nn. 11 & XI (3 passages — hover a number to read it)

Diss. II, Chapter VII — On the causes excusing from the material integrity of confession. On a dying man destitute of his senses, and on confessions to be repeated. Lax opinions are refuted, nn. I–XIV (14 passages)

Cases of Conscience for English-Speaking Countries, Volume II

Thomas Slater, S.J. — 9 passages

Slater, Cases II, Penance, Case 13. A Pair of Penitents, nn. ¶1, ¶2, ¶3, ¶4, ¶5, ¶6, ¶7, ¶8 & ¶9 (9 passages — hover a number to read it)

Treated under the broader heading Integrity: What Must Be Confessed — Koch–Preuss · Vermeersch, Theologia Moralis · The Casuist · The Roman Catechism — these works do not divide the matter as finely as we do here, so their treatment stands one heading up (ed.)