MORAL THEOLOGY
A Complete Course Based on St. Thomas Aquinas and the Best Modern
Authorities
BY
JOHN A. MCHUGH, O.P.
AND
CHARLES J. CALLAN, O.P.
REVISED AND ENLARGED BY
EDWARD P. FARRELL, O.P.
NEW YORK CITY
JOSEPH F. WAGNER, INC.
LONDON: B. HERDER
Nihil Obstat
ELWOOD FERRER SMITH, O.P., S.T.M.
BENJAMIN URBAN FAY, O.P., S.T.LR.
Imprimi Potest
VERY REV. WILLIAM D. MARRIN, O.P., P.G., S.T.M.
Provincial
Nihil Obstat
JOHN A. GOODWINE, J.C.D.
Censor Librorum
Imprimatur
+ FRANCIS CARDINAL SPELLMAN
Archbishop of New York
New York, May 24, 1958
The nihil obstat and imprimatur are official declarations that a book
or pamphlet is free of doctrinal or moral error. No implication is
contained therein that those who have granted the nihil obstat and
imprimatur agree with the contents, opinions or statements expressed.
[Transcriber’s note: References to the Code of Canon Law in this work
are to the 1917 version of the Code, later superseded by the 1983
version.]
All Rights Reserved by Joseph F. Wagner, Inc., New York
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
PREFACE
The purpose of the present work is to give a complete and comprehensive
treatise on Catholic Moral Theology, that is, on that branch of sacred
learning which treats of the regulation of human conduct in the light
of reason and revealed truth. This new work strives to deal with the
subject as a systematic and orderly whole, and is based throughout on
the principles, teaching and method of St. Thomas Aquinas, while
supplementing that great Doctor of the Church from the best modern
authorities. Needless to say, there are many questions and problems
connected with modern life that did not exist when the great classic
works on Moral Theology were written, and to these naturally special
attention has been given in the treatment that follows.
Nowadays, since the appearance of the New Code and of many special
works on Canon Law, it would be a mistake to encumber the pages of a
work like the present one with canonical questions of interest only to
the specialist, and which are ably and abundantly treated in fine
commentaries on the Code that are already available. Likewise, it would
be an error to treat here matter pertinent only to Dogmatic Theology or
History. All digressions, therefore, into alien fields have been
avoided in this work, with the result that a greater number of useful
moral questions have been herein considered.
But not only is it necessary to avoid irrelevant subjects, but it is
also needful not to sacrifice essentials for accidentals in any work of
this kind. It is the fault of too many textbooks on Moral Theology to
stress controversies, cite authors, and quote opinions, at the expense
of the principles and reasons that govern and explain the teaching
given. This work eschews that method, and is at pains everywhere, first
of all, to lay the foundations on which the superstructure is to be
built, namely, the definitions and rules that are presupposed to moral
judgments and conclusions. Obviously, this is a more logical way of
proceeding, and it consequently enables the student much more easily to
understand and retain the matter studied, since he can thus reason
questions out for himself. Moreover, such a method makes for brevity
and renders it possible, as said above, to treat more subjects than
could otherwise be treated; it makes it possible to condense the matter
of many pages of larger and less accessible works into brief and terse
paragraphs. But from this it should not be gathered that the work which
follows aims to present Moral Theology in a dryly scientific fashion.
On the contrary, it has been our endeavor to treat the matter in a way
that is at once clear, solid, comprehensive and interesting. Since the
general and the abstract do not make the same strong impression as the
particular and the concrete, laws and axioms are copiously illustrated
throughout with pertinent and practical examples that often amount to
brief _casus conscientiae_, thus combining the theory and the practice
of Moral Theology.
It would be a mistake to think that, while Moral Theology is a
technical and scientific treatise on human conduct, it deals
exclusively or primarily with vice and sin, and that it is intended
only to enable the priest rightly to administer the Sacrament of
Penance, distinguishing between the various classes of sins and their
consequences. Of course, it does all this, but it should do much more;
for it has also a much higher purpose, which is to enable man, not only
to know what is forbidden and how he may escape from moral disease and
death, but also to understand what are his duties and how he may live
the life of grace and virtue. The subject is indeed more positive than
negative, and it should be discussed accordingly. Thus, far from being
useful merely to confessors as a guide by which they may detect and
distinguish mortal and venial sins and the higher and lower degrees of
culpability, Moral Theology in its broader aspect should be of the
greatest service likewise to the individual in forming his own habits
and character, and in particular to those who have the guidance of
others, whether in or out of the confessional, such as pastors,
preachers, teachers, and the like. Consequently, the present work has
been written with a view to the homiletic and pastoral functions of the
priest, as well as those that pertain strictly to the administration of
the Sacraments.
Heretofore works on Moral Theology in English have been altogether too
few or too fragmentary, whereas they have been abundant in the
vernaculars of Continental Europe--German, French, Spanish, Italian,
etc. This does not mean that the present work is intended to replace
the Latin text-books used in our seminaries, but rather that it should
enable students and priests to get a more thorough and ready knowledge
of an all-important subject, and to adapt it more easily to the varying
needs of the ministry.
The section of this work on Law has been carefully read by two eminent
civil lawyers.
THE AUTHORS. May 10, 1929.
REVISOR’S NOTE
This is a revision, not a rewriting. Various deletions and additions
have been made with the intent of bringing the work up to date within
the scope of the original plan and methods of the authors. In this way
it has been possible to preserve the features that have made this
manual a standard guide for the past thirty years.
EDWARD P. FARRELL, O.P., S.T.LR., S.T.D. Washington, D.C., June 8, 1958
CONTENTS
[Volume I of print edition, through section 1625]
PREFACE
INTRODUCTION
Definition of Moral Theology (1-3).--The Objects of Moral Theology
(4-5).--The Sources of Moral Theology (6-12).--The Methods of Moral
Theology (13-14).--The History of Moral Theology (15-16).--The Division
of Moral Theology (17-18).
PART I. GENERAL MORAL THEOLOGY
Question I
THE LAST END OF MAN AND THE MEANS TO THAT END
Art. 1. THE LAST END OF MAN
The Existence of the Last End (19).--The Nature of the Last End
(20).--The Attainment of the Last End (21).
Art. 2. ACTS AS HUMAN
Introduction (22).--Definition (23).--Knowledge Requisite for a Human
Act (24-33).--Consent Requisite for a Human Act (34-39).--Obstacles to
Consent (40-55).--Two Kinds of Voluntary Acts (56-62).
Art. 3. ACTS AS MORAL
Introduction (63).---Definition (64-69).--The Sources of Morality
(70-75).--Good Acts (76-78).--Bad Acts (79-81).--Indifferent Acts
(82-86).--Perfect and Essential Goodness (87-88).--Morality of the
External Act (89-93).--Morality of the Act Indirectly Willed
(94-95).--Morality of the Consequences of an Act (96).--Imputability
(97-105).
Art. 4. ACTS AS MERITORIOUS
Introduction (106).--Definition (107).--Divisions of Merit (108-115).
Art. 5. THE PASSIONS
Introduction (116).--Definition (117).--Division (118-120).--Moral
Value of the Passions (121-131).
Question II
GOOD AND BAD HABITS
INTRODUCTION (132)
Art. 1. HABITS IN GENERAL
Definition (133).--Division (134-136).--Strengthening and Weakening of
Habits (137-139).--Habits and Morality (140-141).
Art. 2. GOOD HABITS, OR VIRTUES
Definition (142).--Division (143-152).--Properties of the Virtues
(153-158).--Complements of the Virtues (159-166).
Art. 3. BAD HABITS, OR VICES
Definition (167).--Divisions (168).--Mortal Sin (169-179).--Venial Sin
(180-184).--Imperfections (185).--Change in the Gravity of Moral
Defects (186-196).--The Distinctions of Sins (197-219).--Comparison of
Sins (220-229).--The Subjects of Sins (230-245).--The Causes of Sin
(246-267).--The Motives of Sin (268-271).--The Results of Sin (272-283).
Question III
LAW
INTRODUCTION
Art. 1. LAW IN GENERAL
Definition (285).--Division (286-287).--Collision of Laws
(288-292).--The Basis of All Laws (293-294).
Art. 2. THE NATURAL LAW
Meaning (295-296).--Division (297-304).--Properties (305-327).
Art. 3. THE POSITIVE DIVINE LAW
Meaning (328-330).--Division (331).--The Mosaic Law (332-345).--The Law
of the New Testament (346-369).
Art. 4. HUMAN LAW
Definition (370).--Division (371).--Qualities (372-374).--Obligation of
Human Laws (375-384).--Interpretation of Law (385-386).--Those Subject
to Law (387-388).--Change of Law (389-390).--The Law of Custom
(391-400).--Dispensation (401-410).--Epieikeia (411-417).
Art. 5. ECCLESIASTICAL LAW
Introduction (418-419).--General Law of the Church (420-422).--
Lawgivers in the Church (423-424).--Subject-Matter of Church Law
(425-426).--Those Bound by General Laws (427-434).--Those Bound by
Particular Laws (435-446).--Promulgation (447-449).--Irritant Laws
(450-458).--Laws Based on Presumption (459-461).--Fulfillment of Law
(462-482).--Interpretation (433-486).--Cessation of Obligation
(487-499).--Cessation of Law (500-505).--Custom (506-513).--Laws in a
Wide Sense (514-541).
Art. 6. CIVIL LAW
Meaning (542).--Origin (543-545).--Subject-Matter (546-549).--Those
Subject to Civil Law (550).--The Obligation of Civil Law (551-556).--
Special Kinds of Laws (557-572).--Other Questions (573).
Question IV
CONSCIENCE
INTRODUCTION (574)
Art. 1. THE LAW OF CONSCIENCE
Definition (575).--Division (576-579).--Obligation of Conscience
(580-587).--Results of Conscience (588-592).
Art. 2. A GOOD CONSCIENCE
Introduction (593).--Definitions (594).--Divisions (595-596).--The Lax
Conscience (597-606).--The Scrupulous Conscience (607-613).--
Scrupulosity (614-635).--Practical Conclusions (636-639).
Art. 3. A CERTAIN CONSCIENCE
Introduction (640).--Necessity of Certitude (641-642).--Kinds of
Certitude (643-653).--An Uncertain Conscience (654-655).--Doubt and
Suspicion (656-661).--Opinion (662-671).--The Moral Systems
(672-675).--Tutiorism (676-679).--Laxism (680-681).--The Other Systems
(682).-Probabiliorism (683-687).--Equiprobabilism (688-700).--
Probabilism (701-730).--Compensationism (731-738).--Practical
Conclusions (739-742).