A Topic of Moral Theology
When an act is wholly good, and the multiple malice of an act
Object, end and circumstances all good; an act evil in several ways at once.
The works themselves ask 3 questions under this heading — see them together with their answers.
In the index as Human act · Circumstance · Circumstances · The good from the whole cause · Act · Efficacy of intention · End: what it is and of how many kinds · Merit · Reference of actions to God · Sources of morality · Time
In the manuals
Read the manuals side by side → — each work's whole treatment in its own column
A Manual of Moral Theology for English-Speaking Countries
Vol. I, Bk. I, Ch. IV, Sect. II, Point III. The Circumstances, n. 3 — In order that an action may be altogether and simply good, the object, the end, and the circumstances must all be good; for good indicates completeness and perfection; there is evil in any defect. If all the sources of m… Read in context →
Institutions of Moral Theology (Institutiones Theologiae Moralis)
Vol. I, On Human Acts, IV. On the Various Sources of Morality, nn. 89 & 92 (2 passages — hover a number to read it)
Commentaries on Human Acts (Commentarii de Actibus Humanis)
Bucceroni, Commentaries on Human Acts, Commentary XIII: On the Circumstances of Human Acts, nn. 4, 5, 15 & 16 (4 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 Human Acts, Ch. III, Art. II, § III. On the End, nn. 29 & 30 (8 passages — hover a number to read it)
Theologia Moralis: Principles — Responses — Counsels
Vol. I, Tr. II, Tit. IV, Evil from Any Defect, nn. 122, 123, 124, 125 & 126 (5 passages — hover a number to read it)
Manuale Theologiae Moralis
Vol. I, Pt. I, Tr. II, Ch. III, Art. II, § 2. On Circumstances, n. 118 — 118. Corollary. From the two stated principles it follows that circumstances can influence the morality of a human act in a fourfold way. 1. An act indifferent from the object becomes good or evil because of an influenci… Read in context →
Summa Theologiae Moralis
Vol. I, General Moral Theology, Treatise: On Human Acts in…, Second Part: On Human Acts…, Section B: On the Morality…, Question V: On the Goodness and Malice of Circumstances, nn. ¶1, 181, 182, 183, 184, 185, 186 & 187 (19 passages — hover a number to read it)
Treated under the broader heading The Circumstances — Wouters, Manual of Moral Theology · Bucceroni, Cases of Conscience · Sabetti-Barrett, Compendium of Moral Theology · Billuart, Summa Summae · Rickaby, Moral Philosophy — these works do not divide the matter as finely as we do here, so their treatment stands one heading up (ed.)