A Topic of Moral Theology
Small thefts that coalesce
When petty thefts add up to grave matter.
The works themselves ask 11 questions under this heading — see them together with their answers.
Also asked about as…
petty theft · stealing little things · taking office supplies (ed.)
In the index as Theft · Coalescence · Petty Thefts · A wife · Children · Duties of servants toward masters from justice · Foodstuffs in petty domestic thefts · Grave or light matter · Intention · Interruption · Merchants · Pasture · Plurality · Railway company · Servants · Small thefts can coalesce · Smallness Of Matter · Tailors · Those stealing coal in mines · To cut wood · To cut wood in another's forest · Venial Sin
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)
Vol. II, Part Second. On the Precep…, Book Sixth. On the Seventh…, Chapter Second. On the Inj…, Question Second. On the Un…, Article First. On the Nature of Theft, nn. 419, 420, 421, 422 & 423 (5 passages — hover a number to read it)
A Manual of Moral Theology for English-Speaking Countries
Vol. I, Bk. VI, Pt. VII, Div. II, Chapter II. Theft, n. 4 — That small thefts may coalesce and constitute grave matter is certain, for by a number of small thefts grave harm may be done, and the opposite opinion is implicitly condemned by the 38th proposition condemned by Innocen… Read in context →
Manual of Moral Theology (Manuale Theologiae Moralis)
Vol. I, Bk. II, Tr. II, Diss. I, Pt. VII, Sect. II, Ch. III, Art. I, § I, Point II. On Minor Thefts in Particular, nn. 1029, 1030 & 1031 (3 passages — hover a number to read it)
Moral Theology: A Complete Course (McHugh & Callan)
Vol. II, Pt. II, Q. II, Art. 4. The Vices Opposed …, Theft and Robbery, nn. 1908, 1912 & 1913 (3 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.
Vol. I, Treatise on Justice and Ri…, Second Part. On the Violat…, Ch. II, Article I. On the Nature of Theft, n. 609 (3 passages — hover a number to read it)
Synopsis of Moral and Pastoral Theology
Vol. III, Contracts, and the Obligat…, On the Virtue of Justice (…, Part I — Chapter II: On Injury, or the Violation of Right, nn. 440, 441, 442, 443 & 444 (5 passages — hover a number to read it)
Manuale Theologiae Moralis
Vol. II, Tr. XI, Sect. I, Q. III, Ch. II, Article II. On Certain Thefts In Particular, n. 82 — 82. The rules given above for discerning the gravity of theft (or rather the grave obligation of restitution in certain thefts) must be somewhat tempered, either because among the small things taken away there were many … Read in context →
Vol. II, Tr. XI, Sect. I, Q. III, Ch. II, Art. II, § 1. On Petty Thefts In General, n. ¶24 — Petty thefts are called thefts of lighter matter repeated rather often. Of themselves these petty thefts are venial sins; but they become gravely evil 1. from an evil intention and 2. from frequent repetition. 1. From an… Read in context →
Vol. II, Tr. XI, Sect. I, Q. III, Ch. II, Art. II, § 2. On Domestic Petty Thefts, n. 83 — 83. Petty thefts are especially frequent in domestic matters, and not rarely are perpetrated by wives, children of the family, servants. The head of household is not customarily so unwilling against such petty thefts as … Read in context →
Institutiones Morales Alphonsianae
Vol. I, Pt. II, Sect. II, Tr. VII, Diss. II, Ch. I, Art. II, § 2. On Small Thefts, nn. ¶908, ¶909, ¶910 & ¶911 (4 passages — hover a number to read it)
Summa Theologiae Moralis
Vol. II, Special Moral Theology: On…, Treatise: On the Cardinal …, Third Part: Concerning Com…, Section B: On Justice and …, Ch. III, Question Two: On Theft, nn. 407 & 408 (11 passages — hover a number to read it)
Compendium of Moral Theology
Vol. I, Tr. VIII, Pt. II, Chapter I. On the Nature and Malice of Theft, nn. 404, Q. 3 & 404, Q. 4 (2 passages — hover a number to read it)
Palladium Theologicum, Tome V: On the Virtues
Tr. I, Disputation XXVII: On Thef…, Question V: Whether theft is mortal when, after many tiny thefts, a further small one makes the whole grave, nn. 1–30 (30 passages)
Cases of Conscience for English-Speaking Countries, Volume I
Slater, Cases I, Restitution, Case 1. Defrauding a Railway Company, nn. ¶1, ¶2, ¶3, ¶4, ¶5, ¶6, ¶7, ¶8, ¶9, ¶10, ¶11 & ¶12 (12 passages — hover a number to read it)
Guide for Catholic Young Women
Chapter LII: On Honesty, nn. ¶647, ¶648, ¶649, ¶650, ¶651 & ¶652 (6 passages — hover a number to read it)
Chapter LIII: Continuation, nn. ¶658 & ¶659 (2 passages — hover a number to read it)
Treated under the broader heading Theft — Bucceroni, Institutions of Moral Theology · Koch–Preuss · Vermeersch, Theologia Moralis · Merkelbach, Pastoral Questions — these works do not divide the matter as finely as we do here, so their treatment stands one heading up (ed.)