Reading another's letters

Opening letters; the rule of religious orders

The works themselves ask 3 questions under this heading — see them together with their answers.

Also asked about as…

privacy of correspondence · reading my spouse's texts · reading someone's mail · reading someone's messages · snooping (ed.)

In the index as Letters · Secret · Official · Opening of letters · Revelation of a secret · Violation · Secrets

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. — 2 passages

Vol. II, Part Second. On the Precep…, Book Seventh. On the Eight…, Question Fifth. On Violati…, On the Letters of Others, nn. 671 & 672 (2 passages — hover a number to read it)

A Manual of Moral Theology for English-Speaking Countries

Thomas Slater, S.J.

Vol. I, Bk. VI, Pt. VIII, Chapter V. Secrets, n. 4 — The doctrine with regard to secrets is applicable to the opening and reading of letters, unless it is known that they contain no secrets and the writer is not aggrieved. It is, however, a general rule of Religious Orders… Read in context →

Summa Theologiae Moralis

Benedict Henry Merkelbach, O.P. — 37 passages

Vol. II, Special Moral Theology: On…, Treatise: On the Cardinal …, Fifth Part: On the Virtues…, Section E: On Truth, Question Two: On Violation of a Secret, nn. 852, 853, 854, 855 & 856 (37 passages — hover a number to read it)

Compendium of Moral Theology

Aloysius Sabetti, S.J., and Timothy Barrett, S.J.

Vol. I, Tr. VI, On the Eighth Precept of t…, Chapter V. On Violation of a Secret, n. 325, Q. 4 — Question 4. Does he sin gravely who opens or reads another's letters? Response. Affirmatively, because by natural right and the right of nations there is present a grave obligation of preserving the secrets of letters in… Read in context →

Cases of Conscience for English-Speaking Countries, Volume I

Thomas Slater, S.J. — 8 passages

Slater, Cases I, The Eighth Commandment, Case 6. Reading Another's Letters, nn. ¶1, ¶2, ¶3, ¶4, ¶5, ¶6, ¶7 & ¶8 (8 passages — hover a number to read it)

Guide for Catholic Young Women

George Deshon, C.S.P. — 3 passages

Chapter LXI: On Spying and Listening, nn. ¶744, ¶745 & ¶746 (3 passages — hover a number to read it)

Treated under the broader heading Secrets — Wouters, Manual of Moral Theology · McHugh–Callan, Moral Theology · Bucceroni, Institutions of Moral Theology · Bucceroni, Cases of Conscience · Gury-Ballerini, Compendium of Moral Theology (8th ed., 1884) · Koch–Preuss · Vermeersch, Theologia Moralis · Coppens, Medical Practice · Prümmer, Manuale Theologiae Moralis · Konings, Theologia Moralis · Marc, Institutiones Morales · Rickaby, Moral Philosophy · The Casuist — these works do not divide the matter as finely as we do here, so their treatment stands one heading up (ed.)