V. After his reception into the bosom of the Church the convert, if his

former Baptism was valid, or if he was rebaptized _sub conditione_,

must make a complete confession of the sins of his former life. Let

the confessor treat him with all charity, assist him with questions,

being careful, however, not to institute a rigid examination. The

confessor may ask him if he has uttered blasphemies or insults against

the Catholic Church, or induced others to do so; if he has entertained

doubts concerning his religion and how long he despised or neglected the

truth. If the penitent has committed many grave sins, the confessor must

be careful not to reprove him severely or harshly, rather praise his

good disposition in confessing them, exhort him kindly but earnestly,

henceforth to lead a truly Christian and good life. No great penance

should be imposed at first, so as not to dispirit the penitent. Finally,

the confessor administers absolution, _absolute_ or _sub conditione_,

according as Baptism was either not repeated or was again administered

_sub conditione_.

If a non-Catholic in the hour of death wishes to embrace the Catholic

faith, he must make the _professio fidei_ before two witnesses, at least

with regard to the doctrines which must be believed _necessitate medii

et præcepti_. To avoid difficulties later this act should be taken down

in writing, and the document signed. After which the dying person may be

prepared by acts of faith, hope, and charity, contrition, and purpose of

amendment; he should then confess; absolution from excommunication and

from sin should be given him; after this the viaticum and Extreme Unction.

But if the dying person shows no disposition to accept the Catholic

faith, the priest should seek to gain his confidence, and then gradually

approach the question of his salvation. Let the priest endeavor first to

awaken in the dying man an act of faith in all that God has revealed,

especially in all that must be believed _necessitate medii_, then an

act of hope, of perfect contrition, and resignation. In such a case it

is not prudent to ask the man bluntly to join the true Church, for fear

of exposing him to a great temptation. In order, however, to be able to

administer to him the conditional absolution, he should be induced to

acknowledge himself a sinner before God, and, having elicited contrition,

to declare also that he wished to be assisted as much as possible by the

services of the priest the better to obtain eternal life.[935] Absolution

_sub conditione_ can then be administered to the dying man, by secretly

pronouncing the form of words, without making the sign of the cross.

CHAPTER II

THE TREATMENT OF PENITENTS IN DIFFERENT EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES

74. The Confession of Children.

The confessor must devote special care to the confessions of children,

for this is a matter of much importance.[936] As with adults, so with

children, confession exercises a great influence upon the spiritual life,

and forms a factor in their education which cannot be estimated too

highly. For even a child can commit sins with full advertence or malice,

and hence requires the Sacrament of Penance in order to recover the lost

life of grace, and to obtain the necessary assistance in preserving

itself from future sin. The child also has its temptations; evil

inclinations and passions awaken in the child’s soul. Who does not know

that many a child is entangled in a net of evil habits and occasions of

the worst kind? In truth, the child stands much in need of supernatural

strength in order to preserve its most precious treasure of innocence.

This strength conferred by grace is more necessary to the child than all

exhortations and instructions. A good confession will eradicate obstinate

faults and evil habits which have long defied all the arts and wisdom

of educational systems. Confession is in many cases the sole means of

discovering in the child hidden and ruinous habits and of correcting

them, thus safeguarding its innocence and purity. Even when parents

and the other agencies of education, home influence and the school,

fail in their duty, attaching importance only to the cultivation of the

intelligence and to outward morality and propriety, the confessional can

still be the child’s salvation by shielding its heart from evil. This

great and fundamental significance of the confessional for the child and

its education must be realized by the confessor. He will then readily

undergo the labor involved in the preparation of children for confession,

and the confessions themselves. Here, preëminently, he will scatter the

good seed from which he may expect an abundant harvest. Here he is the

true representative of the divine Friend of children, of Him who suffered

the little children to come unto Him, of Him who uttered the momentous

words: “He that shall receive one such little child in My name, receiveth

Me” (Matt. xviii. 5; xix. 13-15).

I. The first consideration is the admission and the preparation of the

children for confession.

In the admission to confession, age must certainly be considered, but

not chiefly; the mental capacities and development must be taken into

account. The declaration of the IV. Council of the Lateran that a child

is bound to receive the Sacrament of Penance as soon as it has reached

the years of discretion (_anni discretionis_) is based on the nature of

the case. But when this period arrives cannot be precisely stated in

years and days; it depends much on individual circumstances. The seventh

year is generally regarded by theologians as the limit, and they teach

that a child who has completed the seventh year is bound to receive the

Sacrament of Penance. And if a child has average mental capacity, has

received religious training at home, and from the sixth year regular

religious instruction at school, it _can_, and generally _should_, go to

confession when it is seven years old, or even before this, as would be

desirable if such a child were seriously ill, or if there were reasons

for supposing that it had committed grave sin. In the latter event the

child would be bound, in order to comply with the precept of the Church,

to confess within a year.[937] But as it happens that very many children

are not sufficiently developed and instructed so early, it follows that

the regular admission is left to the judgment of the priest. St. Charles

Borromeo gave his clergy the following precept on this head: _Qui ad

septem aut octo annos pervenerint, pro modulo de necessitate et virtute

sacramenti illudque frequentandi instruentur_.[938] And the Cologne

Provincial Council of the year 1860 decrees that the first confession of

children _shall not be put off longer than the ninth year_. The priest

should certainly not delay the preparation of a child for his first

confession any longer, unless its incapacity is demonstrated. With the

seventh or eighth year the children should be admitted to instruction

for confession, and if a child shows in the course of this instruction

that it has arrived at a sufficient understanding of the Sacrament of

Penance, it should be immediately prepared for it. But those children

who are not qualified should take part in the preparation for the next

(second) confession of the course, in order that they may be admitted

then, or later, in any case as soon as possible, to this holy Sacrament.

For the zealous priest will not only instruct the children concerning the

Sacrament at the beginning of every school year, as is the regulation

in many dioceses, but each reception (at least in the children’s first

years) will be preceded by a solid preparation consisting in a general

repetition of the essential truths. If the less gifted children are

present at these instructions and preparations, and if special attention

is given to them, they will soon be in a condition to make a good

confession. The final decision concerning the capacity or incapacity

of a child to receive absolution, or, in other words, concerning its

dispositions, must be left to the confessor, who will and must arrive at

some settled judgment on this point, and give absolution conditionally or

unconditionally, or postpone it, as he shall find necessary.

The special instruction which precedes the children’s confession must

be given according to a definite and practical plan, and with great

care and prudence.[939] At the outset the children must be solemnly

admonished that they are shortly to be admitted to their first

confession, and that for this purpose they are to receive a special

instruction. The importance of this instruction must be impressed upon

them as an initiatory preparation for the reception of the Sacrament,

thus encouraging them to diligent application and attention. There

is probably no religious instruction which more attracts little ones

and more wins their interest, than the instruction for confession, on

account of the exceedingly beautiful truths which are here discussed.

It must be emphasized and brought home to the children that it is a

great happiness, an unmerited favor to be cleansed from sin in the holy

Sacrament of Penance; it would be ill timed to represent confession

as something hard or difficult or as a kind of punishment. One must

rather awaken enthusiasm within them, so that they may take pleasure in

preparing themselves for it carefully, and they must be assured that the

confessor will make easy everything which they think will be difficult

in the confessional if only they show good will. Admission to confession

must also be represented to them in the light of a distinction, and as a

reward of diligence and attention.

As to the matter of the instruction,—the doctrine of the Sacrament

of Penance must be treated thoroughly, clearly, attractively, and in

a manner adapted to a child’s intelligence. Then the most important

doctrines of the catechism with reference to confession must be repeated,

especially the doctrine of God and His attributes; furthermore, the

doctrine of sin and the Redemption. These truths are to be set forth

in a manner at once easily intelligible to the mind and stimulating to

the feelings. Particular care must be taken that the children learn to

say correctly and with understanding the usual prayers before and after

confession. It is very useful at the end of this instruction (of the

remote preparation) and shortly before the confession, to make with

the children an examination of conscience. In this manner as complete

a confession as possible will result, and many abuses be prevented;

especially will children not accuse themselves of things which they do

not in the least understand and which they have not committed; while, at

the same time, the suitable, intelligible, and becoming expressions for

the different sins will be put into their mouths.[940] Furthermore, it is

much to be recommended that the children should, in common, be incited

to contrition and purpose of amendment (say in the Church, immediately

before confession) by laying before them the motives for contrition,

and this slowly, intelligibly, and in a manner adapted to children;

afterwards repeating to them a short and forcible formula of contrition

and purpose of amendment, concluding with another short exhortation to

sincerity in confession and to gratitude to God after the confession.[941]

II. Treatment of children in the confessional.

If the children have been well prepared, the confessor’s work is much

facilitated. But he must, nevertheless, always bear in mind the words of

St. Alphonsus de Liguori: “_The confessor must expend all his love on the

children, and treat them in the gentlest manner possible_.”[942]

But even when there has been careful preparation the confessor must:

(1) see that the confession is a complete one, and supply any possible

defects in it; (2) instruct the child, and, if necessary, dispose it

for absolution; (3) judge of his disposition, and, according to this

judgment, give absolution conditionally or unconditionally or defer it.

In addition to the rules already laid down and discussed, the following

special remarks will be serviceable:—

1. If the confession of the child is _incomplete_ or vague, the confessor

can easily discover the principal sins or at least sufficient matter by

means of questions if the child has some little intelligence. He may ask

the child if it has neglected daily prayers, if it has through his own

fault missed Mass on Sundays or holidays (especially during vacation

time); if it has behaved disrespectfully in Church, by laughing, talking,

looking about, and disturbing others; if it has been disobedient and

naughty towards his parents and superiors; if it has quarreled with his

brothers and sisters and other children; if it has been angry or cursed

in anger; if it has taken dainties by stealth or stolen; if it has lied

and said untrue things of other children.[943] Where there are grave

sins, he must, of course, ask the number, if it was not stated; and he

must insist upon the child’s examining itself concerning the number,

and stating it as precisely as possible. Everything connected with

children’s confessions must claim the confessor’s attention, but he must

be especially careful that they learn to confess well. Children will have

great difficulty in giving account of their thoughts, desires, and the

intentions by which they have been influenced, and the confessor may thus

find himself obliged to put questions on these matters.

2. If the child has made a definite confession, but the confessor still

believes that there has been insincerity,—from false shame or fear, or,

perhaps, from inability to make the sin known, it often requires great

prudence to detect the sin omitted.[944] It is mostly sins against the

sixth and seventh commandments which, for the above reasons, children

conceal. If the confessor therefore, suspects that a sin against the

sixth commandment has been omitted, he must exercise prudence in two

ways: first, that he does not, by unsuitable questions, make the child

acquainted with sins of which it knows nothing, and that he does not put

the questions in such a general way that they fail to disclose the sin.

If the child confesses that it spoke immodest words, or did something

immodest, or permitted it, the confessor must not at once conclude that

he has to do with real sins against the sixth commandment; for sometimes

children take unbecoming words, which are no sin against holy purity,

for immodest words and confess them as sins; they also regard certain

things as immodest actions which are by no means sinful,[945] but on

the contrary necessary. There is ground for this supposition especially

when an otherwise good child accuses itself of having very frequently

committed such sins.... The confessor may also ask the child if it knows

what impurity is. As he must not investigate the matter further he must

form his judgment in accordance with the whole confession or suspend a

definite judgment; and he should not forget that it is better to leave

a confession doubtfully complete than to expose innocence to danger by

asking questions. But if he discovers that the case is really so, and

that the child suffers from _conscientia erronea_ on this point, he must

suitably instruct it. If, however, it is clear the child has accused

itself of sins against holy purity, and the confessor believes that real

sins are in question,[946] let him not fail to investigate what led up to

them—a sinful, necessary, or voluntary occasion, or a vicious habit. Not

infrequently the confessor will discover the distressing fact that home

and school, instead of being nurseries of that flower of the virtues,

the child’s innocence, are the cause of its destruction, either with or

without the fault of parents or superiors; and this through sleeping

together, the bad example or open seduction of corrupted brothers and

sisters, some imprudence on the part of parents, or the talk, buffoonery,

and doings of some tainted child at school. Such circumstances will

not only awaken deep and painful regret in the confessor, but also his

endeavors as physician of the soul, to help and heal, and save the

poor child from complete ruin. He must here apply with special care

and prudence the rules concerning occasions and sinful habits. If the

confessor perceives that a child suffers from _false shame_, or that it

is immoderately timid, he must seek to induce it to candor and confidence

by kind persuasion, affectionate encouragement, or also by serious

exhortation.

In the preparatory instruction the confessor must specially accentuate

the seal of the confession, and not fail to represent the confessor to

the child as the substitute of Christ, who, like our divine Savior,

receives children (and children who have sinned also) as a loving father,

and as the Good Shepherd rejoices over the return of the child by a

sincere confession.

3. If a child has concealed a sin against the seventh commandment, it

is easier for the confessor to discover the insincerity. He must ask

what was stolen, where and from whom it was stolen, if other things than

eatables were stolen, what was done with them, etc. Stealing and eating

dainties by stealth generally go together, as the longing for these

dainties often makes the child a thief. Another form of theft is keeping

back money when parents or others have sent the child to make purchases.

Study and experience, especially in the cure of souls, and light from

above, for which the confessor must always pray before confessions and

during them in more difficult cases, will enable him to discover other

points which cannot be here discussed.

The next task of the confessor is _to instruct the child, to prescribe

remedies, and to dispose it for the absolution_. The sins which have

been confessed will furnish the occasion for the instruction; but

instruction concerning the necessary truths of faith may also be

required, especially when absolution cannot be deferred. The confessor

must particularly inform the child concerning the malice and hatefulness

and evil consequences of its sins; then also concerning the beauty and

rewards of virtue and the duties of its station. Nor should he fail to

remind the children of their sublime pattern, the divine Child Jesus. The

confessor should inspire them with love and confidence in the Blessed

Virgin, their heavenly Mother, and teach them devotional practices in

her honor and service. Finally, he should recommend to them, as a means

of obtaining virtue, zealous and regular prayer, recollection of the

presence of God, and avoidance of bad companions; and let him not tire

of telling the children all this over and over again, and implanting it

in their hearts. It will remain there, and in due time bring forth good

fruit. Though he has imparted these precepts and exhortations during

the religious instruction, he should repeat them at the confession in

suitable form; they will be more effective there; but they must be

adapted to the intelligence of the child and be short and forcible.

With the performance of this duty he must combine another, the

healing of the wounds of the child’s soul. This healing begins with

the acknowledgment of the evil in the examination of conscience and

confession, is carried on by the sorrow, and completed by the absolution,

through which grace is poured into the soul. By means of the instruction

which the confessor gives the child, he will seek to move it to real

sorrow and firm purpose of amendment. This is a principal task of the

confessor in children’s confessions. How often and how easily the latter

become invalid, or doubtfully valid, from the child’s having been too

superficial and thoughtless in awakening sorrow and firm purpose, not

having been properly attentive during the preparation, and having

repeated an act of contrition and purpose of amendment more with the

mouth than with the heart. The confessor must have due regard for this,

and employ the necessary care for warding off such evil. If the immediate

preparation for confession was a good one, he may set his mind at rest

as regards most of the children; nevertheless he will here, once more,

seek to move the child to sorrow and renewal of purpose in a few forcible

words. But if the immediate preparation above described was entirely left

to the individual children, and if the confessor has misgivings about it,

he must supply what is wanting by short but earnest admonitions.

Let the confessor be persuaded that his endeavors are not in vain, and

even if it should be his experience that the child has turned to no

advantage these preparations for confession, let him not be disheartened.

The child will recognize the representative of Christ in him better

in the confessional than at the instruction, and if he speaks as such,

inspired by a pure intention and a holy zeal for the love of Jesus, he

may confidently expect that his words, aided by the grace of God, will

make their way to the child’s heart, and there find fruitful soil. The

child’s heart, though fickle and thoughtless, is not so insensible to

contrition; the feeling of gratitude and love is there, and the love

of God is more easily excited in it. Still easier will it be for the

confessor to move the child to a firm purpose of amendment. In this

work of healing he must pay special attention to certain sins, which

often occur with children, and are particularly ruinous in them—lying,

stealing, and impurity.

(_a_) If the child shows a tendency to lying, the confessor must first of

all emphasize the sinfulness of lying, as it is often scarcely regarded

as a sin and confessed as a matter of custom, in many cases, it must be

feared, without due sorrow and purpose of amendment. He should point out

to the child the particular hatefulness of lying, as expressed by the

Holy Ghost in Holy Writ: “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord”

(Proverbs xii. 22), and that “a lie is a foul blot in a man” (Eccles.

xx. 26); that God, as the eternal truth, especially hates, detests, and

punishes lying (Eccles. vii. 14); that men also detest a liar, for one

who has once lied is not trusted again; that lying brings a child no

good, as everything comes to light sooner or later.

(_b_) If the child has stolen something, the confessor must inquire

concerning the cause of the theft. Causes of theft may be: _Want_, in the

case of very poor children, who do not receive sufficient food, or who

cannot procure the necessary articles for school use. This cause will be

discovered without much difficulty by the question: “What did you steal?”

“What did you do with the stolen money?” Of course such children must be

treated leniently, but forbidden to steal again; at the same time they

should be told that if they are again in need of anything, to come to

him, the confessor (or the parish priest), and make known their trouble,

and they will be helped. Sensuality may be another cause; inducing them

to pilfer sweets, or buy them with stolen money. These children should

be earnestly admonished, often to think that God sees them. Finally, a

cause of stealing may be _an innate or acquired tendency_. In these cases

the amendment of the child is very difficult, but the confessor should

not give up hope, even when the tendency is deeply rooted. In the first

place, he should point out to the child the sinfulness of stealing,

and suggest the necessary measures (according to the circumstances)

for overcoming and eradicating the evil—daily renewal of purpose and

prayer for grace, recollection of the presence of God. If the children

are induced by their parents to steal, the confessor can only command

them not to obey their parents in future, and to declare that they must

obey God who has forbidden stealing; the rest he must leave to the

grace of God. If the child is led into stealing by others, it must, of

course, give up all intercourse with them at once, and (according to

the circumstances) inform parents and teachers of the fact. The duty of

restitution is not to be imposed upon children, as they are generally

incapable of making restitution,[947] excepting the case where the child

still possessed the stolen object; it should then be admonished to

restore the object, in order effectually to deter it from stealing.[948]

(_c_) The most dangerous and worst sin with children is that of

_impurity_. If a child accuses itself of this, and if the priest

believes that real sins of impurity are in question, he must investigate

if the child has fallen into them through his _own desire_, or through

the _seduction_ of others. If the former is the case, the confessor

should point out clearly and in a manner adapted to its comprehension,

the heinousness of this sin, which ruins body and soul, and makes us,

as does no other sin, an object of horror to an infinitely pure God. He

should remind the child of our divine Redeemer at the pillar, where,

by the dreadful pain and shame which He suffered, He atoned for this

sin. All this he should set before the child in eloquent, impressive

words, so that it may recognize how much his confessor detests these

sins and loves the virtue of purity. Let the confessor take occasion

to glorify this holy virtue, pointing out how much it is loved by God

and man, how much praised by the Holy Ghost, how it ennobles a man,

making him like the angels. This recommendation of holy purity will be

especially fruitful if accompanied by a special devotion to holy and

chaste young saints, especially to the Virgin of virgins, to St. Agnes,

St. Aloysius, St. Stanislaus, and St. John Berchmanns. In this manner

let him bring the child to a detestation of its sins, and to a firm and

determined purpose of resisting wicked desires and all temptations of

Satan, and to adopt the necessary means for this. As means of amendment

he can prescribe according to circumstances: daily renewal of the good

resolutions, daily prayer to the Blessed Virgin, frequent and regular

reception of the holy Sacraments; especially confessions each time the

sin is committed (this latter remedy is particularly to be recommended

if the sin has already become habitual, or has led to pollution). Other

devotional exercises are the honoring of St. Aloysius, especially by

the six Sundays of Aloysius (the celebration of which may very well be

recommended to older children); little mortifications for the purpose of

overcoming sensuality are also very appropriate. If _seduction_ by others

was the cause of the fall, the confessor must direct the child to avoid

intercourse with the evil companion; but if this is morally impossible

(for instance, when older brothers and sisters, or children of the same

school, are the seducers), he must give suitable rules by means of which

the immediate occasion may become a remote one. Whether the child may be

commanded to denounce the seducer to parents or superiors depends upon

circumstances, and the priest must examine into these; a denunciation is

a very efficacious means by which the sins of others also may be checked.

He must then tell the child how it can do this.

The third task devolving upon the confessor is _to judge of the child’s

disposition_, and according to his decision to give absolution or to

defer it. If the child has made a sincere confession, answered candidly

the confessor’s questions, listened attentively to his exhortations,

said the act of contrition devoutly and earnestly, if its behavior

has been generally good (before confession also, in the church, at

the preparation), or if in answer to the confessor’s question it has

declared that it was sorry for its sins, and that it wished to amend, the

confessor may be satisfied as to its dispositions. If he still doubts as

to the child’s dispositions (even after he has taken pains to dispose

it, for, in doubt, the confessor must, as shown above, seek to dispose

the penitent), or if he doubts as to the necessary _usus rationis_, and

if the child will not come again for two or three months (as is mostly

the case) or if it is in danger of death, he should give conditional

absolution. This also is allowed (in a case of doubtful disposition)

when the child has confessed venial sins only, and it is not likely

that it will soon come to confession again. Concerning the postponement

of absolution, see the principles laid down above, which apply here

also.[949]

As to the penance, let the confessor observe the teaching discussed above

(§ 33). Let him be careful not to impose any severe penance upon the

child, though it should be easier at one time, and severer at another,

corresponding to the sins. Moreover the penance should not be extended

over any long period, on account of the forgetfulness of children; nor

be such as the child must perform before others, and thus be exposed to

confusion.

In conclusion, we briefly refer to the question: How often should

children confess? If there are diocesan regulations on this point,—and

there are in most dioceses,—they must, of course, be observed. Where

no such direction exists, the zealous and conscientious priest will—as

confession is of such great importance for children, and as it is one

of the most powerful means of preservation from sin and the practice

of virtue, especially with those who have not yet made their first

communion—assuredly be glad to follow the precept which St. Charles

Borromeo gave to his clergy, namely, to induce children to confess

frequently. Let confession four times a year be the rule, and if he

considers it necessary, on account of particular circumstances, he

will readily grant the children more frequent opportunities; those who

are preparing for their first communion, especially, he will admit to

confession frequently during the last year before the reception; say,

every month, as is the regulation in some dioceses.[950]

75. The Confession of Young Unmarried People.

Youth, the springtime of life, is the most beautiful, but at the same

time the most dangerous, period of existence. The young man and the young

woman, more or less removed from parental care and observation, come into

closer contact with the world; many young people are obliged to leave the

parental roof to learn a business or trade, or to earn money for their

own support or for that of their relations, in factories, workshops, or

in strange houses as servants. And the dangers which, either temporarily

or constantly threaten them in these places, are not slight. Others,

more happily situated, can remain at home, but even here they are not

sheltered from all the dangers which the world, and contact with it,

prepare for them. And youth is so trustful, so easily beguiled, dazzled,

and misled; the youthful heart is so susceptible, the youthful ear so

open, evil often finds its way to the guileless heart in the guise of

what is good or harmless or indifferent; it is excused, or represented as

necessary, whereas virtue is despised as weakness or reviled as folly, or

denied as impossible. In the heart the passions and the sensual impulses

awaken, while the enemy of all good constantly watches to achieve the

ruin of the soul. The greatest dangers are _pleasure, bad company, bad

books, and human respect_. Therefore is it so very important that the

young should have an experienced, wise, circumspect confessor who knows

youth well,—the youthful heart with its inclinations, the youthful mind

with its aspirations and the dangers that beset its path; a confessor

who can admonish, instruct, and guide it, incite it, and awaken its

enthusiasm, restrain and warn it; who will hold fast to right principles,

but enforce them with wise moderation; who will lead his young penitents

into the ways of goodness and virtue without exciting their resistance—a

confessor who has a warm heart for youth. Let him, therefore, gladly

take upon himself the difficult but noble and blessed task of being a

father and guide to youth. Of this labor St. John Chrysostom[951] says

truly: “What is equal to the art of guiding the souls of the young, of

forming their minds and hearts? He who is equipped with the capacity

for it must exercise more care than a painter or a sculptor upon his

work.” That the confessor of young people may work with success it is

necessary _that he should win their hearts_ by the absolute confidence

with which his truly fatherly love inspires them. Let him not repel these

young people by cold, harsh treatment, but make due allowance for their

weakness, their inexperience, their inconstancy; they will then follow

his instructions, admonitions, and counsels with docility and with the

enthusiasm which is peculiar to youth. Moreover, let him make the work of

confessing easy to them so far as may be, in order that they may _gladly_

and _often_ confess and communicate. If it is possible, let him induce

and accustom them to the constant habit of confessing every month, or at

least every two or three months; for frequent confession and communion is

of especial benefit to young people, in order—(1) to preserve them from

sinful _habits_, for they will rise the quicker from sin the oftener they

approach the Sacrament of Penance, and sin cannot settle into a habit

if the heart is quickly cleansed from it. In any case the beginnings

will be easily overcome. If, however, a sinful habit has already taken

root, frequent confession and communion is the most certain, often the

only, remedy. (2) By it _they accustom themselves to pious exercises_,

which are learnt and performed more easily in youth than later on, and

by continued practice they will be confirmed in piety, which is itself a

firm support of weak and vacillating youth, a safe and protecting bulwark

against danger.

(3) _They will then also receive the holy Sacraments frequently in

later life, and will be preserved from that pernicious fear of the

confessional_, from which so many men and women suffer in our days.

For, as the Holy Ghost teaches, and experience proves, a youth will not

forsake easily in old age the path which he trod in early years. But

those who in youth seldom receive the holy Sacraments will, as experience

also proves, shun confession more and more as age advances.[952]

When the confessor has a suspicion that his young penitents have not

confessed sincerely, he may (as it shall seem to him advisable, and

having regard always to the rules applicable to questioning) ask if they

have been much troubled by temptations against holy purity, if they have

had intercourse with corrupt people, if they have read bad books? He may

also ask, especially where the preceding questions were answered in the

affirmative, if they have done anything immodest or permitted it? But

in all these questions let the confessor be modest and careful in his

expressions, lest he wound by awkward questions and teach the penitent

some sin before unknown to him, or excite his curiosity. He will more

easily attain to his end with young men, as these are generally more open

than persons of the other sex. Sometimes young people of both sexes do

not know what a sin of impurity is, although they accuse themselves of

impure thoughts.

_The faults peculiar to youth_ are:—

(_a_) _Disobedience_ to parents and superiors, which results in

much evil. The confessor must find out in what they have been

disobedient—neglecting divine service, religious instructions and the

holy Sacraments, attending forbidden entertainments, frequenting bad

company, keeping up dangerous and sinful connections with persons of

the other sex (familiarities, flirtations). Then let him point out the

evil consequences of their disobedience, the obligation of obeying which

still remains in force when they have become older, are earning money, or

supporting their parents, in fact as long as they remain under parental

control. He should remind them of the promises of the fourth commandment,

and the threats of God against those children who disobey this

commandment. At the same time let him instill in their hearts reverence

and love for their parents and superiors. Then let him lay special

stress upon sincerity toward parents, superiors, and the confessor; and

inculcate a deep abhorrence of dissimulation and lying, which make the

education, protection, and guidance of inexperienced youth impossible,

and expose it to great dangers.

(_b_) _Love of pleasure._ It excites the young man (and also the young

woman) to a craving for enjoyment, withdraws him more or less from useful

pursuits. It leads the young man into dangerous society, the young woman

into ruinous and sinful intimacies, which are secretly and prematurely

carried on, and are fruitful in sins and excesses; it ultimately leads

both of them into disobedience toward their parents, to lying, to

extravagance, to deception and theft practiced on parents, and to still

worse things. Moreover, it takes from them all devotion and fear of God.

(_c_) If love of pleasure appears more in young men, _desire of pleasing_

is characteristic of young women; it induces vanity, levity, distraction,

and sins against chastity. The confessor should combat these passions

with all his zeal and show how they may be suppressed.

He should recommend to young people as excellent means of acquiring and

cultivating the fear of the Lord and true virtue:—

1. _Regular daily prayer, and attendance at divine service_, Mass,

sermons, and Christian instruction. As long as a young man or a young

woman say their daily prayers and attend Mass, it is well with them;

but as soon as they begin to grow negligent in these practices, it is a

certain sign that they are no longer in the path of virtue, and if they

have not yet reached the broad highway of vice, they are certainly on the

road which very soon leads into it. Experience teaches that a man does

not become all at once corrupt and wicked; he usually falls imperceptibly

and by degrees. He no longer confesses and communicates regularly every

four weeks,—first five elapse, then six or seven; morning and night

prayers are no longer said punctually and kneeling,—they are sometimes

omitted, shortened, said in bed, now and then the religious instruction

and the afternoon devotion are missed, and excuses are forthcoming;

at the same time there is no longer the earnest endeavor to resist

temptation, there is no longer the same fear of sin. Upon the lesser

negligences supervene greater ones, and upon the smaller faults greater

sins. This is the usual progress. Let the confessor, therefore, urge

punctual prayer and regular attendance at divine service.

Many young men and women cannot attend at Mass on weekdays; if they

are absent from it on Sundays also, they are not only robbed of many

necessary graces, but they neglect the first duty of man, the service

of God, become more and more estranged from God and holy things, and

in the same measure attached to the world and worldly things, with the

result that sin and passion are more easily and more deeply rooted in

them. If young people come with the excuse that they were obliged to

work on Sunday, and therefore were not able to be present at Mass, the

confessor must investigate the validity of this excuse and give the

necessary directions and instructions. He should not be overready to

admit its validity; in towns especially, by a little good will and zeal,

though at cost of some effort, Mass may be heard before work begins.

These same people will often deprive themselves of necessary rest when it

is a question of pleasure! Work on Sundays is not always inevitable and

absolutely necessary, and other situations are to be found in which it is

not demanded. The confessor must inquire into all this.

2. Great esteem for holy purity and a great horror of impurity. For this

purpose the confessor should encourage (_a_) the reading of good books,

warn his penitents against idleness, and instill in them a love of virtue

(§ 66, IV). He should also (_b_) caution them against sinful talk and

familiar intercourse with persons of the opposite sex, and against bad

company; this warning should be especially addressed to young women,

who should also be admonished to be decent and modest, as becomes

virtuous women, at all times and in all places—at work, at recreation,

in the house, out of the house, in dress, and in manners; (_c_) he

should endeavor, to the best of his ability, to keep them from dangerous

pleasures, especially from theaters, dances, shows (§ 66, II. III), and

certain pleasure trips, which, unfortunately, in our days are so general,

and for which so many opportunities are afforded; indeed, he will be

obliged to forbid many of them to certain penitents as they are for these

penitents _occasio proxima relativa_; (_d_) he should also seek to hinder

young men from joining certain societies, the principal object of which

is pleasure, and which so often give occasion for profanation of Sundays

and holidays and for other scandals, and in which the ruling spirit is

not one favorable to religion and virtue. On the other hand, he should

recommend them, and young women also, to join a well-conducted religious

society or sodality; (_e_) he should induce them confidently to unfold

to their confessors all their temptations, struggles, and difficulties;

(_f_) finally, he should recommend and urge frequent reception of the

holy Sacraments after careful preparation and an earnest endeavor to

sanctify the day of communion.

But only the _regular confessor_ can, in this prescribed manner, produce

permanent effect upon young men and women. Only he who has known and

guided his penitent a long time can effectively warn him against

threatening dangers; and when the latter has gone astray, a confessor

can easily lead him back, and preserve him from future dangers and

relapse. It is, therefore, of the greatest importance that young people

should not change their confessors without a good reason. They should be

advised to choose a regular confessor and to give him their confidence,

ready to submit with docility to his admonitions and precepts. But if

his penitents confess once or twice to another priest, the permanent

confessor must by no means express displeasure or irritation; under

certain circumstances he must even express satisfaction at it, for it

is better that they should confess sincerely to another priest than

sacrilegiously to him. When they return to him he should show even

greater love and concern for them, and resume their guidance with the

accustomed conscientiousness. The priest to whom these penitents come

without the knowledge of their former confessor must receive them kindly,

dispose them, if necessary, and induce them to be sincere after they

return to the former confessor.

The confessor must devote special attention to a vice with which so many

young people are infected—the _vitium pollutionis_—in order to preserve

those who are still untainted by this pest, and to deliver and cure those

who are its victims. In a former section (§ 69, II) we have said what was

necessary on this point, and enumerated the remedies which the confessor

must apply to these unfortunate penitents.[953] If the young penitents

(male or female) are inmates of an educational establishment, the

confessor must not overlook the possibility of _particular friendships_,

as these prove to be very injurious. At first they are merely matters

of fanciful preference, without harm. But later on such friends like

to separate themselves from others when they are able to do so, and by

degrees the relationship between them tends toward sensuality and to

sins against purity. This evil the confessor must judiciously endeavor

to avert; if he observes such friendships, he must demand that they be

broken off, if necessary, under threat of refusing absolution. And if

one of the parties continues to be a cause of temptation, he must be

denounced to the Superior if this is possible. The confessor may be

assured that only by legitimate severity will anything be accomplished in

this matter.[954]

76. The Confessor as Adviser in the Choice of a State of Life.

It will often happen that the confessor is in a position to help young

people in the choice of a state of life; we will, therefore, lay down a

few rules on the point.

1. The confessor is by his calling an adviser to his penitents in this

matter; for he knows the souls of his penitents, their inclinations,

faults, and weaknesses, and the duties of the different states of life.

He is likewise apt to receive a special illumination of divine grace in

the exercise of his office, and he is probably always the most impartial

of those concerned in the decision of this question. Hence the penitent

usually lays this question of his future before his confessor with the

greatest confidence.

2. The right choice of a vocation is of supreme importance for a young

man or young woman; upon it depend not only the temporal and eternal

welfare of the party in question, but also the happiness and unhappiness

of many others. The confessor ought, therefore, to expend very much care

upon this question; he must consider, investigate, pray, and admonish the

penitent to do the same. The decision of such a weighty matter should

never be hasty. _Noli præcipitanter agere; diu considera, magnum est,

quod proponis_, writes St. Bernard.[955] The confessor must inquire

into the abilities of the young man or woman, the moral condition, and

also the exterior circumstances of the person; he must consider the

question of means and foresee difficulties which may arise. He must then

investigate if the intentions of the person in entering upon this state

are pure and acceptable to God. Finally, he must have recourse to God in

earnest prayer, that he may be able to give his penitent the right advice

in so important a matter. _Tria sunt difficilia mihi et quartum penitus

ignoro_, namely: _viam viri in adolescentia_ (Prov. xxx. 18, 19). St.

Philip Neri, the paternal friend and guide of youth, recommends in the

choice of a vocation, _time, prayer, and counsel_.

3. The confessor should not seek to persuade young people to embrace

some particular calling: “_Circa statum ab aliquo adolescente eligendum

non audeat Confessarius illum ei determinare, sed tantum ex indiciis

curet suadere statum illum, ad quem prudenter judicare potest ipsum a

Deo vocari_,” is the admonition of St. Alphonsus to confessors.[956] The

confessor should, therefore, direct the young man to submit the matter

to Almighty God, who determines the station in life of every individual,

and teach him that each one must seek to know the will of God, and be

ready to follow the divine call, whatever it may be, for a man can be

permanently and truly happy only in that state which God has allotted

him. He should admonish him to implore with perseverance light from on

high, and to this end perform some special devotion—a novena to Our Lady

of Good Counsel, or to St. Aloysius, the patron of youth, or to St.

Joseph; to receive the holy Sacraments, and preserve himself from all

grave sin, so as to place no obstacle in the way of the divine light of

grace.

All this being done, the confessor can, trusting to the grace of God,

give an answer which shall be, if possible, decisive. God is wont to make

known to a man the station destined for him in a threefold manner: (_a_)

_by miracles_, as He did in the case of St. John the Baptist, St. Paul,

and many other saints; (_b_) by interior illumination and suggestion,

by means of which the individual is enabled to recognize the will of

God clearly, as we see illustrated in the lives of very many saints in

quite a remarkable manner; (_c_) and generally, by means of outward

circumstances, by pronounced inclination and special capacity for some

state of life; among these circumstances may be reckoned the exterior

providential guidance of men, which the world calls chance, but which the

Christian enlightened by faith recognizes as the providence of God.

Respecting individual callings, the confessor should observe the

following:—

I. Religious Orders.

If a young man or woman shows an inclination to enter a Religious Order

and consults the confessor about the matter, the latter should first

investigate if the penitent has the ordinary abilities for such a life,

if he has sound judgment and a good character, if he is disposed to

obedience, if he possesses relatively sufficient talent and knowledge,

and if he is healthy. For one who is not of sound judgment is subject

to many hallucinations, and St. Teresa used to say, very wisely, that

she did not wish to have either scrupulous or melancholy persons in her

Order, that is, such as were subject to these faults in a considerable

degree, because such persons are a cause of much trouble both to

themselves and the community. Those who have not good health will not

be able to observe the general regulations of the establishment, and,

therefore, will be more of a burden than a benefit to the community,

and will not be able to set a good example. The priest should then

test the penitent’s intention in entering the Order, to see if it is

the right one, namely, to unite himself more intimately and closely to

God, to atone for the errors and sins of his former life, and to avoid

the dangers of the world. If the confessor should discover that the

intention has been influenced by some such motive as the expectation

of leading a life free from cares, or of escaping from the tutelage of

harsh relations, or by desire of complying with the wishes of parents,

he should proceed cautiously, for under the circumstances it may be

suspected that there is no vocation.[957] If, however, the intention

is right, and there is no obstacle in the way, the confessor may not,

and cannot, under grave sin,[958] prevent or dissuade the person from

following his vocation; nor may any one else do so. The confessor must

also investigate if _the purpose_ of the individual in question _is

firm and steadfast_; in order to make sure of this, it is sometimes

advisable to defer for a time the execution of the intention, especially

if the confessor knows the young person to be rather fickle, or when the

resolution to enter the Order was taken during a Mission, or under the

influence of a Retreat, because resolutions are sometimes made on such

occasions, which, when the first zeal has cooled down, are not kept.[959]

The confessor must be especially careful with penitents who, on account

of frequent relapses into sins of impurity, give rise to the suspicion

that they do not lead chaste lives; and also with those who have reached

middle age, because it is to be presumed that, being settled in their

habits and views, they would find obedience too difficult; finally, he

should also be extremely careful with those who have already belonged to

an Order, because these do not generally persevere, or are not adapted to

a life in community.

When the confessor has satisfied himself, as far as possible, concerning

the vocation for a Religious Order, he will have no difficulty in

discovering to what Order the young person is called. Here he must pay

special attention to the inclinations and dispositions of the candidate,

and whether regular observance prevails in the Order under consideration.

But as long as the question of the calling is not quite decided, he must

insist: (1) that the person maintain silence with every one, even his

parents, concerning it, till it is recognized as his vocation, and is

to be carried out; (2) that he should persevere in prayer for guidance,

and frequently receive the holy Sacraments; (3) that he should shun the

distractions, pleasures, and vanities of the world, otherwise he will run

the risk of losing his vocation.

II. The priesthood.[960]

Holy Writ, both in the Old and New Testament, teaches that a vocation

from God (_vocatio divina_) is necessary for receiving Orders (_status

clericalis_). Our Savior Himself expressed this truth very clearly when

He said to the first priests of the New Law: “_Non vos me elegistis, sed

ego elegi vos_,” and His Apostle also, who writes: “_Nec quisquam sumit

sibi honorem, sed qui vocatur a Deo tanquam Aaron_” (Heb. v. 4). The

confessor must, therefore, carefully examine the candidate’s vocation to

the priesthood; indeed, this investigation is even of greater importance

than in the case of the candidature for a Religious Order. For if the

religious takes upon himself greater burdens with regard to obedience

and voluntary poverty, and if the love of community life and a submissive

spirit is not to such a high degree necessary in the secular priest, yet

greater dangers threaten the latter, and fewer safeguards are at his

disposal than are possessed by the religious, who, in the rule of his

Order and the regular life of a monastery, finds a powerful help.[961]

The chief signs, by means of which the confessor may recognize a vocation

for the priesthood, are: (1) right intention—not seeking a comfortable

life, a future free from care, and honor in the eyes of the world, but

only the honor of God, and the salvation of souls; (2) a persistent

inclination to the spiritual state, joy in the spiritual life, and in

the offices of the priesthood; (3) confirmed virtue (“_virtus probata_,”

or _probitas vitæ, positiva nempe, iis virtutibus subnixa, quæ dignum

efficiant altaris ministrum_); especially purity of heart, temperance,

piety, modesty, and zeal;[962] (4) ability to perform the duties of this

station. As, in our days, nearly all who enter the clerical state wish

to become priests also, and by far the greater number of priests have

_cura animarum_, this ability consists in an average mental endowment

and the necessary knowledge, joined to a love of ecclesiastical science,

in prudent judgment and right conscience (very scrupulous youths are

unsuitable). According to the teaching of St. Alphonsus, one who intrudes

himself into the priestly office without a vocation cannot be acquitted

of great presumption, as he exposes himself to the great danger of losing

his own soul and of giving scandal to the faithful. He will, therefore,

not be free from grave sin.[963] But it sometimes happens that those who

were certain of their vocation become doubtful and vacillate; temptations

of the evil one arise and cause confusion; friends and relatives exert

their influences in order to turn them from the spiritual state, joy in

worldly pleasures and diversions makes itself felt; they fear and shrink

from the duties of the office, thinking they will not be able to perform

them, or they believe themselves unworthy to enter such a holy state.

If a confessor finds a penitent tempted in this manner, he must try to

inspire him with courage and confidence, make him understand that every

state in life has its burdens, but that in none is the yoke lighter than

in the one assigned by God. He should point out to him the deceits with

which the enemy of all good and the “father of lies” so often confuses

souls; remind him of the teaching of Jesus, that the kingdom of heaven

suffereth violence and that only the violent carry it away, that he who

will follow Jesus must take up his cross and carry it daily. At the same

time he must recommend prayer and absolute submission to the will of God.

III. The state of virginity (_status virginitatis in sæculo_).

If a woman living in the world has a serious wish to preserve virginal

purity, the confessor must confirm and support her in so good and

salutary a resolution, for it is very pleasing to Jesus, the lover of

pure souls. It offers a safer and easier way to holiness, and the state

of virginity by far exceeds in merit and dignity that of matrimony. The

confessor should, however, only allow those to take the vow of _perpetual

virginity_ whom he knows to be truly steadfast in piety and virtue, and

of firm and decided will. As a rule, he should allow younger persons to

take this vow for a short time only at first,—say for six months,—and

afterwards, when they have proved themselves steadfast, and he sees

that it is beneficial to them, he can extend the period to one or two

years, and only later permit them to bind themselves by vow to perpetual

virginity; or he should permit the perpetual vow under a conditional

resolution, such as: “_nisi Confessarius pro tempore judicaverit

expedire, ut votum desinat_.”[964]

The confessor should give special attention to those penitents who have

really taken the vow of virginity, instructing them not only to be

faithful to their vow, but to lead a perfect life according to their

station and capacity.

IV. The state of _matrimony_.

Although the state of virginity possesses a very exalted dignity, the

state of matrimony has divine sanction. The Church has always esteemed it

highly, faithfully following in this respect the example of her divine

Founder, and has always defended the dignity of Christian marriage

wherever it was called for. God has ordained marriage for most men as

their state of life; and, since upon the faithful performance of the

duties of married people depend, not only their own temporal and eternal

welfare, but also that of the family and of society, let the confessor,

when occasion is offered: (1) direct his endeavors to prevent young

people from entering into the state of matrimony too soon, without

preparation, without knowledge of its duties, or capacity to perform

them, and with an impure motive; (2) oppose most energetically those

forbidden and pernicious intimacies which are the worst imaginable

preparation for marriage, and generally the occasion of grave sins,

and tolerate only the acknowledged and necessary intimacies a short

time before the marriage, with due observance of the necessary measures

of precaution; (3) instruct those penitents who have a vocation for

marriage, and wish to enter that state, concerning its duties;[965] (4)

admonish them to inform their parents of their intention to marry, in

order to obtain their advice and assistance. For, as on the one hand,

parents would sin who deterred their children, _sine justa causa_, from

contracting an honorable marriage, so, on the other hand, children would

sin who wished, against the will of their parents, to contract a marriage

calculated to bring shame and dishonor upon a family, without some valid

ground which would constitute an excuse for so doing.[966]

77. Betrothal and Marriage.

“_Maxima prudentia ac zelo hic opus habet Confessarius_,” justly remarks

Scavini, and continues (quoting the “Méthode pour la direction des

ames”), “Les personnes, qui vont se marier ont besoin de plusieurs avis

pour ne rien omettre de leurs devoirs, ne rien faire contre la sainteté

du mariage.” The confessor should particularly observe the following

points: 1. Betrothed persons should not, as a rule, live in the same

house.[967] Let the confessor insist with unrelenting severity in this

matter.[968]

2. The time of betrothal should be one of preparation for contracting a

marriage well pleasing to God; but it would be a very bad preparation

on the part of the betrothed persons to burden their souls with grave

sins against holy purity. Let the confessor, therefore, admonish them

to preserve themselves free from all sins during this time, especially

from those of impurity; and he has the more reason for giving this

advice because very great dangers threaten their virtue on account of

the intimacy of their relationship, the frequency of their intercourse,

and their mutual inclination; moreover, this time of betrothal is, often

enough, a career of continued sin, and an almost uninterrupted round of

distractions, pleasures, and worldly cares. It often happens that young

women, who before their betrothal led a zealous, religious, and pure

life, become during this time lukewarm and indifferent in the exercises

of piety, in the reception of the holy Sacraments, and even in attendance

at Mass. With this comes carelessness in combating temptation; and moral

perversion, alas! often of the worst kind is the result. Therefore let

the confessor watch, warn, and admonish.

(_a_) He should explain to them that whatever is forbidden by God in the

sixth and ninth commandments is no more allowed to them than to unmarried

people in general; on the contrary, the prospect of a speedy union, their

mutual love and weakness may lead them into greater temptations and

dangers, and that they should, therefore, be more watchful and careful

now, should pray more than before for the necessary grace and strength

to remain pure, and to be able to approach the altar for the nuptial

ceremony with hearts undefiled. He should also call their attention to

the misfortunes in married life with which God, even here on earth, is

wont to punish sins committed against the sanctity of the Sacrament by

the betrothed.

(_b_) He should forbid them any too familiar intercourse with each

other, especially _solius cum sola_, in retired places at night or in

the evening. He must not allow them to meet without some attendance

and supervision. How many have been exposed to the greatest dangers by

merely going to the door in the evening, and tainted a virtue which

had been preserved spotless for years. Frequent visiting of engaged

persons without supervision of parents or relations is, in general, to

be regarded and treated as an _immediate_ occasion of sin, and that,

not _per accidens_, but _per se_.[969] St. Alphonsus inveighs severely

against engaged persons and the parents who permit these visits and

familiarities, and defends his severity by appealing to experience.[970]

Moralists teach (and experience confirms their teaching) that too much

familiarity on the part of persons engaged constitutes the very greatest

danger to chastity.[971] Frassinetti’s words are to the point: “Let

parents see that their sons do not meet with too great familiarity, and,

above all, not alone and without witnesses, the young women whom they

think of marrying. I say ‘with too great familiarity,’ for it would be

useless to preach that betrothed persons should never visit one another.

Such visits are partly necessary, in order that there may be mutual

knowledge of one another, before they are joined by the indissoluble

bond of matrimony. Moreover, they would, in any case, wish to visit one

another, on account of their mutual attachment, which, in view of their

future marriage, is not reprehensible.... But the priest must earnestly

impress upon parents the necessity of exercising great watchfulness over

these visits. _Great watchfulness_, in order that the young people may

observe the strictest propriety in their intercourse with each other.

The parents should, therefore, always have them under their observation.

Such visiting should not be prolonged nor be too frequent. For, in these

cases, it cannot be presumed that divine grace will assist the young

people, as such conduct is neither necessary nor becoming; and, on this

account, there will unfailingly be many dangers.”

(_c_) He should urge speedy marriages, as this will obviate many

temptations and dangers of sin. Protracted engagements are seldom good;

circumstances may supervene which make speedy marriage difficult or

impossible; but if it can take place soon, the confessor must not easily

consent to postponement from slight motives.[972] The cause of the

postponement should be inquired into, and all possible efforts be made

to remove it. Every betrothed person _can_ demand the fulfilment of the

promise of marriage (even in _foro externo_) and the other party is,

_sub gravi_, bound to accede to this demand if he has no valid reason

for refusal or postponement. As postponement of marriage generally

means great moral dangers for the betrothed, it can only be justified

by weighty motives.[973] If one of the parties intends to dissolve the

engagement, the confessor should explain its binding nature. To break off

an engagement out of levity, in momentary anger or on account of some

sudden passion, is wrong, and dishonorable, even if the dissolution be

valid.[974] To make engagements lightly and as lightly to break them is

contrary to the sanctity of matrimony.

(_d_) He should enjoin zealous prayer, frequent reception of the

Sacraments,[975] and especially a general confession (which will be

useful for all and necessary for many)[976] and good works, that they

may receive the Sacrament of Matrimony worthily, thus laying a solid

foundation for a happy life. But it is not well to defer the confession

till the last hours or minutes before the wedding, and the confessor

should energetically dissuade from this practice, which may cause him

and those about to be married difficulties and embarrassment. In order

to avoid this, and also to contribute to a better preparation, he should

recommend confession (general confession) _before or after the_ first

publication of the banns, and then confession again immediately before

the wedding.

For if the confession is not made till shortly before the wedding, the

following difficulties may arise: 1. _The penitent may not be disposed

or cannot be rendered disposed._ The confessor will certainly do

everything which zeal for souls and the light of grace suggest, in order

to dispose the penitent for the worthy reception of absolution. But if

the disposition remains doubtful, despite all his endeavors, he may

absolve the penitent _sub conditione_, as the reception of the Sacrament

of Matrimony is a sufficient reason for administering conditional

absolution.[977] If his efforts to dispose the penitent remain

fruitless,—the bridegroom, perhaps, being bad and wishing only to make a

show of receiving the holy Sacraments, influenced by his better disposed

bride, or by relations; or because he will not satisfy some necessary

condition, such as avoiding some immediate occasion, making restitution,

giving up an enmity,—the confessor must refuse absolution. Of course,

such a person may not receive holy communion, and the confessor must

tell him so. As to the reception of the Sacrament of Matrimony, there

are two possible cases to consider: either he does not know that a state

of grace is necessary for the lawful reception of this Sacrament, or he

does know it. If he does not know it, and if the confessor is obliged to

presume (knowing the penitent’s frame of mind) that he would not respect

his admonition concerning the unlawful reception of the Sacrament of

Matrimony in a state of mortal sin, he must leave him in his state of

ignorance and _bona fides_, in order that he may not formally sin. If

the penitent does know that it is not allowed to receive the Sacrament

of Matrimony in mortal sin, the confessor should lay before him in

forcible terms the enormity of the sacrilege of which he will be guilty,

in order, if possible, to bring him to a better disposition. And if this

is of no avail, he should admonish him with suitable prudence, to make an

act of perfect contrition before the marriage, and to come to confession

as soon as possible after it.[978]

2. Another difficulty arises when the penitent confesses a reserved sin

from which the confessor cannot absolve. As here _gravis causa confitendi

urget_, we are face to face with a case which was discussed earlier

in this work and solved by St. Alphonsus, namely, that any priest can

indirectly absolve from sins reserved to the bishop, and also from those

reserved to the Pope, _si episcopus non possit adiri_; even when the sin

is reserved _cum excommunicatione_.[979]

3. Finally, another difficulty may arise: the confessor may discover

in the confessional an _impedimentum matrim. occultum ex causa

infamante exortum_; the marriage for which all the preparations have

been made cannot be postponed without disgrace and great detriment to

the parties, and dispensation from the impediment cannot be obtained.

Here the following circumstances have to be taken into consideration:

(_a_) If both parties know the impediment, and have concealed it from

a bad motive, they must, if possible, postpone their marriage till the

dispensation has been obtained. If they are not willing to do this,

the confessor must refuse them absolution. But if they are not able

to postpone the marriage on account of the great disgrace or scandal

which would result, and if they are otherwise in good dispositions, he

can give them absolution; but he must instruct them that they have to

be married before the priest, on the supposition that the Pope will

dispense, then to live merely as brother and sister till the dispensation

has been obtained;[980] after that they must repeat before him their

consent to marry. He must tell them how this has to be done, make it

as easy for them as possible, so as not to deter them. (_b_) If both

parties are ignorant of the impediment, and are quite _bona fide_ and

if the confessor cannot assume that they will live continently till the

dispensation is procured, he should leave them in their ignorance, _bona

fide_, and request a dispensation _pro foro interno_, then proceeding

according to the rules for rendering valid an invalid marriage _in foro

interno_; for it is better to let them commit material sins, than to

furnish them with occasion for formal sins. (_c_) If only one of the

two parties is aware of the obstacle, and, on account of the disgrace

attaching to it, cannot reveal it to the other, a “_communissima et

probabilissima sententia_” of the theologians teaches that the bishop can

grant a dispensation in this case,[981] and recourse must, therefore,

be had to him. If the latter is not possible, the confessor (or parish

priest) can, according to what St. Alphonsus calls the “not unfounded”

teaching of many theologians, declare “_ex Epikeia_” that the _lex

impedimenti_ does not bind in this case, because it would be injurious.

But the confessor must _pro securitate et ad salvandam reverentiam

legibus Ecclesiæ debitam, quantocius_ apply to the Roman Penitentiary,

or to the Ordinary who possesses the quinquennial faculties, in order to

obtain a dispensation. But it is to be carefully observed that only a

secret impediment, arising from a sin, is here in question; for in the

case of a public impediment arising from no dishonorable cause, there is

neither scandal nor disgrace, but only the inconvenience of postponing

the marriage.[982] It depends entirely upon circumstances, since it is

the duty of the pastor to instruct those about to marry, whether the

confessor should give special suggestions and admonition in this last

confession on the _usus matrimonii_,[983] explaining what is allowed

to married people, and what is forbidden.[984] He may speak to them of

the intention which, as Christians, they should have in this state;

of matrimonial harmony and mutual love and fidelity. If the confessor

deems it necessary, or advisable and beneficial, he will not fail in

his zeal for souls to instruct his penitents concerning this matter,

and to admonish them to lead a truly Christian family life, where sin

and vice are carefully avoided, whilst God is being faithfully served.

If matrimony is based upon this foundation, the husband and wife may

confidently expect God’s abundant graces: if they depart from these

principles, they will deprive themselves of this blessing.[985]

78. The Confessor’s Attitude toward Mixed Marriages.

The confessor will often have occasion to speak to penitents concerning

mixed marriages, because they either wish to contract such a marriage,

or have already done so. The following principles will serve him in this

equally important and difficult matter.

I. Even if the essence of marriage is not destroyed by the obstacle of

mixed religion, as in _disparitas cultus_, it falls short of the ideal.

For marriage should not only represent the unity of the Church; it

should, as much as is possible, produce this unity; now the Church is,

in a special manner, _one_ through its faith. Conscious of this, and in

view of the many great disadvantages which accrue from mixed marriages,

the Church has always energetically protested against them. She has

always taught that such a marriage is a reprehensible _communicatio in

sacris_, that there is danger to the Catholic party of falling away

from religion or of becoming indifferent to it, and that a proper

education in the Catholic faith of children born from such marriage, if

not exactly impossible, is certainly rendered very difficult, as the

necessary coöperation is wanting, and opposition easily made by word and

example.[986] In 1858 the Apostolic See anew admonished the bishops to

deter the faithful from such mixed marriages.

Only by three conditions will the dangers of mixed marriages be, if not

removed, at least reduced; and only under these three conditions does the

Church, _præsertim ob privatas causas_, permit mixed marriages. These

conditions are: (1) Both parties, especially the non-Catholic, must

promise, ordinarily in writing and before witnesses, to bring up all

their children in the Catholic religion (without distinction of sex). (2)

The non-Catholic party must promise solemnly not to hinder in any way the

Catholic party in the practice of his (or her) religion. (3) The Catholic

must use every lawful means to effect the conversion of the heretical

partner.[987]

From these three conditions the Church cannot recede,[988] for, as

not only the ecclesiastical, but also the natural and the divine law,

absolutely forbid that anybody expose himself or his offspring to

the danger of perversion, it naturally results that these sureties

should be prescribed and demanded, in order that together with the

canonical precepts, the natural and divine law may not be criminally

transgressed.[989] When these conditions are satisfied, and officially

guaranteed[990] by a contract, dispensation from the _impedimentum mixtæ

religionis_ may then be requested from the bishop, and given by him in

virtue of the usual faculties conferred upon him.

II. By these regulations of the Church, his _modus procedendi_ in the

matter of a mixed marriage is mapped out for the priest or the confessor.

1. If the confessor receives information of an intended mixed marriage,

he should emphatically dissuade from it, but with pastoral prudence, and

without offensive words.

2. If his endeavors are of no avail, and if he cannot prevent the

marriage, he must persuade the penitent to fulfill the stipulated

conditions.

3. If the penitent agrees to this, the confessor will do well not to

administer absolution at once unless there is some special reason for

so doing (for example, the fulfilment of a commandment of the Church,

necessity of communicating, to prevent gossip, etc.), but let him urge

that the consent of the non-Catholic party to the three conditions should

first be obtained.

4. When this consent is obtained, there is no obstacle to the absolution

of the penitent.

5. But if the penitent will not consent to the fulfilment of the three

conditions, but still intends to contract the mixed marriage, he purposes

to commit a grave sin, and cannot be absolved. For he who, without

obtaining a dispensation from the _impedimentum mixtæ religionis_,

contracts a mixed marriage before a non-Catholic minister, is guilty of

three grave sins: he disobeys the Church; he endangers the salvation of

the children which God may give him; he is _hæreseos fautor_, guilty of a

_communicatio in sacris_, and incurs ecclesiastical censure.[991]

III. Concerning the reconciliation of those persons who, in disobedience

to their Church, have contracted a mixed marriage before a non-Catholic

minister, the confessor must be guided by the following principles:—

1. It is certain that a Catholic having contracted marriage before a

Protestant clergyman cannot be absolved as long as he remains unwilling

to make good the above-mentioned conditions. Even if the refusal of

absolution does not produce its immediate effect (the fire of passion

obscuring the light of conscience), it, nevertheless, instills salutary

fear. But it would be very wrong on the part of the confessor to wound

such a penitent by harshness and reproaches. The confessor (parish

priest) must take all pains to bring such penitents to a consciousness of

their error.[992]

2. But if the penitent truly repents of his error, and if he is ready to

make good the scandal given, and to take immediate steps towards bringing

up his children as Catholics, he is worthy of absolution and it may not

be refused to him.

3. It is, above all, necessary to find out if the marriage was valid

according to the Decree _Tametsi_. If the marriage has been invalidly

contracted, a dispensation from the _impedimentum mixtæ religionis_ and

from the banns is to be sought; and when this is obtained, according to

the regulations of the Church, the consent is to be renewed. If this

renewal of consent cannot be effected, _sanatio in radice_ must be

requested.[993] If the marriage is valid, dispensation is not necessary.

4. Moreover, the _facultas absolvendi a censuris propter hæresim_ must

be obtained. For the censure reserved _speciali modo_ to the Pope is,

according to an explicit decision of Rome, incurred in _all cases_ by

those _qui matrimonium coram ministro hæretico ineunt_; even when the

existence of censure was not known to the parties, because it is a

question of the _forum externum_, and the contract of marriage is, of

its nature, an external act. By virtue, however, of the quinquennial

faculties, the bishop can absolve from this censure, or confer this power

_subdelegando_ upon others. The confessor must, therefore, refer the

penitent to the parish priest, in order that the latter may procure from

the bishop the _facultas absolvendi a censuris pro foro externo_. Not

till then can the confessor give sacramental absolution.

Only when, from _special reasons_, determined by the circumstances, an

_absolutio in foro externo_ would not be advisable, may the confessor

apply for the _facultas absolvendi a censuris pro foro interno_, and

administer this absolution after he has obtained the faculty. We add that

absolution from the censure _in foro externo_ can take place without

witnesses, and that it is not necessary to make use of definite words at

the absolution _in utroque foro_, but it is always necessary to declare

that the absolution is administered by virtue of special powers from the

Holy See, subdelegated by the bishop.

Married people who were allowed to receive the Sacraments before the

promulgation of the answer of the Holy Office, 18 May, 1892, requiring

the _absolutio a censuris pro foro externo_, are not to be disturbed.

5. The confessor should also help a penitent of this kind to keep his

resolution of bringing up his children as Catholics, by showing him

what steps he must take. He should encourage him to overcome possible

difficulties which may occur. This will be easier for the Catholic father

than the mother. If the children have reached an age when they are

removed from parental authority, the Catholic party must at least promise

to exert its influence by prayer, exhortation and good example, to gain

the children for the Catholic Church.[994]

Of course the confessor must demand that the penitent should inform his

parish priest of his resolution to bring up the children in the Catholic

faith. Only very weighty grounds should induce the confessor to refrain

from exacting this, and then he would be obliged to apply to his Ordinary

for advice.

6. It may also be the case that a woman repents of the step which she

took, but which she cannot now retrace, not being able, in spite of her

good will, to induce her husband to consent to the Catholic education of

the children. It would be hard, in such a case, to leave her unassisted.

The repentance which she has evidenced, the willingness which she has

shown (and which will continue) to repair as far as possible the harm

done; the efforts which she may have already made; the promise to

influence husband and children by the means at her disposal—prayer,

a good life, words of advice—suffice for her to be admitted to the

Sacraments. This satisfies the demands which the Holy Office in Rome

makes in such cases.[995]

7. If the confessor believes that there is reason for doubting the

sincere and earnest will of penitents who are joined by an illicit mixed

marriage, he is free to make inquiry, and, according to the nature of

the case, to postpone absolution for a time. It is always well not to

admit such penitents to the holy Sacraments shortly after contracting

the illicit marriage, unless they have guaranteed the Catholic education

of their children in a manner which satisfies the ecclesiastical

regulations; unless, moreover, they show sorrow for their lapse from

duty, and by faithful performance of their religious obligations,

effectually prove that they wish to be obedient to the Catholic Church

in future. Persons who are dangerously ill, emigrants, etc., of course,

constitute exceptions to this rule.

8. An illicit marriage contracted by a Catholic before a non-Catholic

minister is a public act and causes public scandal; the satisfaction

must, therefore, as a rule, be made publicly. The confessor must not

overlook this, lest he make himself an accomplice in the scandal, and

lest this dreadful evil of our days (for such mixed marriages are in

reality, especially when contracted without dispense) be rendered more

numerous, by want of due severity in the conditions of reconciliation. As

public acts of reparation may be regarded: an oral or written declaration

of sorrow before the parish priest; the promise of bringing up their

children as Catholics made to the pastor. The confessor should follow the

directions which may have been given by his bishop in this matter, and if

there are none, he must proceed with pastoral prudence and charity. It

may happen that, in the place where the Sacraments are to be received,

the scandal given is not known, the parties having changed their place

of residence. In this case the reconciliation may take place in all

privacy. The confessor should not forget in such cases that the salvation

of souls is the highest law.

79. How to deal with Penitents joined in “Civil” Marriage only.

The confessor’s treatment of _penitents living in “civil” matrimony_ must

be essentially different from the above.

Here the chief question is whether there is a real _consensus maritalis_;

that is, whether the persons in question had the consciousness and

intention of entering upon a true matrimonial relationship by the

declaration which they made before the public official, or if they

believed they were concluding an external agreement only and one not

permanently binding upon the conscience. In the second place, the

confessor must investigate if there are any—and what—impediments to

marriage. If there are no diriment impediments, and if there was

a true _consensus maritalis_ in those places where the Tridentine

Decree “_Tametsi_” is not in force (therefore, where the _impedimentum

clandestinitatis_ does not apply), such informal contract of marriage

must be regarded as valid. On the other hand, these informal marriages

are ecclesiastically invalid in all places where the Tridentine Decree

is in force, on account of the “_impedimentum clandestinitatis_.” The

confessor must, however, in every individual case have recourse to the

Ordinary.

Apart from this question of validity, all persons living in mere “civil”

matrimony must be exhorted (if no obstacle from which there is no

dispensation be in the way) to be married in _forma Tridentina_, and to

receive the blessing of the Church. If difficulties arise in connection

with this, the confessor should apply to the bishop, in order to obtain

_sanatio in radice_, according to the circumstances.

A penitent living in “civil” marriage is not to be absolved till he has

promised to be married in the Church and has actually made preparation

for this marriage. Under particular circumstances—if the persons live

apart—absolution can be given, even if the ceremony is postponed.

Admission to holy communion must be deferred till immediately before the

marriage.

80. The Confessor’s Conduct towards Women.

Occasion has already several times[996] presented itself for remarks

concerning the confessor’s conduct when hearing the confessions of

women. The importance of the subject demands for it special treatment.

Amongst penitents women probably form nearly always the majority. However

regrettable it may be that men so seldom, and often reluctantly, approach

the tribunal of confession, it is a source of joy that women should be

zealous in the reception of the holy Sacraments, for this justifies the

hope that their influence upon their husbands and upon those around them

will be the more salutary. The influence which a truly Christian woman

exercises upon her husband, a mother upon her children, the mistress of

a house upon her subordinates, is very great. Truly Christian, pious,

and chaste young women are a real blessing in a family and a household.

Moreover, woman is generally more inclined to the exercise of Christian

piety, and can thus, if properly treated and guided, attain to great

perfection.

Nevertheless, it is not to be overlooked that, owing to certain

weaknesses and faults which are peculiar to their sex, the hopes of the

confessor are not infrequently disappointed and his endeavors rendered

fruitless. “Their piety may easily become a matter of feeling, without

solidity and worth; they are much inclined to form an inordinate

attachment for the confessor, which is perhaps not free from a sensual

element. The practice of piety also easily serves as a means of

gratifying vanity. Many are disposed to dissimulation and hypocrisy.”[997]

Hearing the confessions of women is thus indisputably one of the greatest

and most imminent dangers for the confessor. He must, therefore, be very

circumspect and prudent, reasonably fear this danger, for in this fear

lies his safety; “he who fears this rock runs no danger of suffering

shipwreck.”[998] These shortcomings ought not to mislead us into

condemning the whole sex, as is sometimes wrongly done. This is unjust.

We must help them to overcome their faults, and if no improvement results

from our endeavors, suitable severity is to be employed.

Bearing in mind the exhortation (Eccl. lxi. 15): “_Curam habe de bono

nomine_,” the circumspect and prudent confessor will have regard for his

good name, and seek to preserve and guard it; not only remaining pure

of heart, but preserving himself free from every suspicion of impurity,

herein faithfully following the example of Our Lord, who patiently bore

many an accusation leveled against Him, but never tolerated any on the

subject of purity. For nothing detracts so much from a priest’s authority

and efficiency as the suspicion that he is not absolutely clean of

heart. Let the confessor, therefore, place a guard upon his eyes, let

him never look at those who stand before his confessional, and never

glance at the face of the person whose confession he hears; he should

not try to find out who his female penitents are; it is sufficient for

him to know the state of their souls. He should carefully avoid, as far

as it is possible, all intercourse with them outside the confessional,

not visiting them in their houses, except at times of severe illness;

he should refuse _munuscula_ under whatever name they may be offered to

him; he should confide no secrets to them, and avoid familiarity.[999]

His words should be reserved, serious, respectful, even if the

penitent’s station and circumstances do not actually command respect.

When the priest hears the confessions of young women, and such as are

distinguished by station, beauty, education, etc., he must still more

carefully avoid familiarity. Concerning delicate matters the confessor

should put only few questions, and then only with the greatest prudence,

and content himself with knowing the nature of the sin, or its kind; he

should carefully guard against inquiring after superfluous details.[1000]

The confessor must not lose sight of the dictates of prudence which

have been discussed, when he hears the confessions of “_personæ

spirituales_.” Here, as St. Alphonsus warns us,[1001] prudence is

most necessary, on account of the _periculum majoris adhæsionis_. His

teaching on this point is as follows: “_Dicebat Ven. P. Sertorius

Capotus, diabolum ad conjungendas inter se personas spirituales, ab

initio uti prætextu virtutis, ut deinde affectus a virtute transeat ad

personam_,” and justifies this statement by a word of St. Augustine,

which St. Thomas quotes (Opusc. 64 de Famil. Dom. etc.): “Speech with

these persons must be short and reserved; it is not because they are

more holy that one must be more on his guard, but because the holier

they are, the more attractive they become.” And St. Thomas adds to

these significant words of the holy Bishop of Hippo: “_Licet carnalis

affectio sit omnibus periculosa ipsis tamen magis perniciosa, quando

conversantur cum persona, quæ spiritualis videtur; nam quamvis principium

videatur purum, tamen frequens familiaritas domesticum est periculum;

quæ quidem familiaritas quanto plus crescit, infirmatur principale

motivum et puritas maculatur._” He also adds that such persons do not

observe this at once, _quoniam diabolus ab initio non emittit sagittas

venenatas, sed illas tantummodo, quæ aliquantulum feriunt et augent

affectum. Sed brevi hujusmodi personæ eo deveniunt, ut non amplius agant

secum tanquam angeli, quemadmodum cœperant, sed tanquam carne vestiti;

vicissim se intuentur mentesque sibi feriunt blandis allocutionibus,

quæ adhuc a prima devotione videntur procedere: hinc alter alterius

præsentiam incipit appetere; sicque spiritualis devotio convertitur

in carnalem. Et quidem oh quot sacerdotes, qui antea erant innocentes

ob similes adhæsiones, quæ spiritu cœperant, Deum simul et spiritum

perdiderunt_.[1002]

In order to act with the necessary prudence, the confessor will (1) hear

the confessions of women, as far as possible, only in the Church, or in

some place which is always accessible for hearing confessions; (2) he

will dispatch matters, especially with those who often confess; will not

tolerate talk about subjects which do not belong to the confession, and

will carefully avoid long exhortations and unnecessary questions.

The confessor must observe all this, and take all precautionary

measures,—if he is young, because it is then particularly necessary, but

also in more advanced years, and even in old age, in order to give others

good example, and also because experience shows that even for those who

are mature and old, the danger exists, though it be lessened. “If the

confessor follows these precepts, he realizes in himself a miracle,

which is one of the most beautiful proofs of the truth of the Catholic

religion; the miracle, namely, that priests who preserve their hearts in

the holy fear of God, hear the confessions of women for years without

ever having to accuse themselves that their holy office has been for them

an occasion of sin, even of one single sin.”[1003]

If the penitents are _married women_, let the confessor encourage and

instruct them in the complete fulfilment of their duties towards their

husbands, above all, their duty of matrimonial love, giving a good

example, bearing faults with patience, and not ceasing, though their

husbands have gone astray, to use every endeavor to reform them,

especially by praying for them with indefatigable zeal. How many wives

have saved their husbands by their patience, their loving, prudent

exhortations, and their prayers.

If circumstances appear to call for it, let him admonish them to preserve

matrimonial chastity, and warn against transgressions, pointing out that

complete preservation of this matrimonial chastity is the very condition

and foundation of lasting matrimonial happiness, and of eternal salvation.

He should not permit pious women to devote themselves to the exercises

of piety, especially hearing Mass and frequent reception of the holy

Sacraments, to such an extent that important household duties are thereby

neglected, or members of the family aggrieved and irritated.

Finally, he must not be overready to believe complaints of wives about

their husbands; but if he finds that the complaints are justified, he

will tell the woman how to act and gravely comfort her. If she complains

of the severity and bad temper of her husband, he must advise her to

remain patient and obedient to him, to perform punctually every service

which he desires, to show her love for him by the greatest willingness

and kindness; to be silent when her husband is angry or intoxicated; not

to drive him to still greater violence even when she suffers injustice;

and admonish him affectionately when he has become calm, and sober, and

good-humored, but not till then. She should answer her angry husband with

meekness when she is _obliged_ to answer him, for a gentle answer turns

aside wrath, whereas a harsh one only embitters.

The _mother_ will claim the confessor’s special zeal; he should expose

to her the importance and responsibility of her duties, the obligation

of admonishing and instructing her children in prayer, in attendance at

Mass, reception of the holy Sacraments, and of correcting their faults;

of warning and protecting her children against the dangers which threaten

youth, of daily praying for them, of preventing dangerous intercourse

with other persons, of not allowing children of different sex to sleep

together, etc.

As so much depends upon the loyalty of _teachers, male and female_, to

their duties the confessor will not fail to admonish them at all times

to discharge faithfully these important and exalted duties, reminding

them of their grave responsibility. Teachers should zealously instruct

children in the truths of religion, always assisting the endeavors of

the priest according to their capacity, and working with him; see that

the education of the children is conducted upon Christian principles;

give the children and the parish good example by conscientious discharge

of their religious duties—attendance at Mass, reception of the holy

Sacraments, and by their conduct in general. They must be encouraged to

bear patiently the manifold, and by no means slight, hardships of their

position. The confessor will also show constant interest in their work in

the school.

The mistress of a house must be reminded by the confessor of the duties

of Christian employers—the duty especially of having a watchful eye

on the servants, not allowing them to go out late in the evening; of

preventing male and female servants being together at unseasonable times;

of treating servants in a Christian manner, and of giving them sufficient

time to fulfill their religious obligations.

81. The Confessions of Men.

It is a deplorable fact that men approach the confessional more seldom

than women, and especially since their position in life is more

influential, and consequently a high degree of piety is particularly

desirable in them, in order that this influence may be a salutary one. At

the same time, they are exposed to greater dangers and temptations.[1004]

1. Men must, therefore, be more welcome to the confessor as penitents

than women. St. Alphonsus bewails the fact that so many confessors spend

a good part of the day in hearing the confessions of certain pious

persons (_quas vulgo dicunt Bizocas_), and that when men or married

women, who are weighed down with misery and distress, and who at a great

sacrifice leave their homes and business, approach the confessional,

the priest dismisses them, saying: “Go to some other confessor, I have

too much to do”; and thus it comes to pass that such people live months

and years without the Sacraments. This is not hearing confessions to

please God, but rather to serve self-love. I know, and, in opposition

to others who maintain that the time is wasted which is devoted to the

confessions of these pious persons, I firmly hold that leading souls to

perfection is a work very pleasing to God; but I assert also that good

confessors who hear confessions only to please God (like St. Philip Neri,

St. John of the Cross, and St. Peter of Alcantara) do not hesitate to

prefer to these pious souls one whom they perceive to be in need of their

help.[1005] What St. Alphonsus says in another place is also undoubtedly

true, namely, that a perfect soul is more pleasing to God than a thousand

imperfect ones; but for them there are other times and other occasions,

and even leading souls to perfection does not demand such expenditure of

time and care that others should be neglected. Moreover, such a manner

of administering the Sacrament of Penance may easily give occasion to

malevolent misconstructions and rumors, and thus scandalize the men who

see themselves neglected.[1006] Hence men who come to confession must not

be kept waiting long. The confessor should show himself ready to answer

any call, even when the hour is unseasonable and troublesome to him.

If there are both men and women who wish to confess, Frassinetti[1007]

recommends hearing the men first; they generally have more important

business than women, and are also as a rule more impatient. Women have

more leisure and greater patience.

2. The confessor must always treat men courteously, “indeed with a

certain affability, as if he considered himself particularly fortunate,

and took a special pleasure in hearing their confessions.” Even if they

belong to the lowest classes and are coarse and repulsive, he should

always address them with politeness and kindness. “One can never show

them too much love and friendliness, for it makes the best impression

upon their minds, encourages them to make a good confession, and

in course of time incites them to a more frequent reception of the

Sacraments.”[1008]

3. The confessor must not speak of perfection to those who have no

understanding for it. He must generally be content with instilling into

their hearts hatred and detestation of mortal sin. “This is necessary,

lest they regard him as what they call a ‘saint,’ and be afraid to come

to him again.” But the confessor must not go too far in his indulgence,

nor permit to the men who are his penitents, anything which might become

a great danger for their souls; he must here be particularly careful

concerning circumstances in their lives which are to them _occasiones

proximæ_.

4. The confessor must urge them to fulfill their duties as Christian men

faithfully, punctually, and fervently.

5. He should especially warn them against negligence in prayer, admonish

them to observe Sundays and holy days conscientiously, and particularly

to be present at sermons, as those who seldom or never hear a sermon will

hardly persevere in a truly Christian life.

6. Then if it be opportune, he should enjoin moderation in drinking, in

case they have been guilty of drunkenness.

7. If he has reason to doubt the firmness and integrity of their faith,

in which they may be remiss, he must probe into the matter; perhaps he

will have to censure the reading of bad newspapers, or the frequenting of

doubtful society.

8. Upon husbands he should impress the duty of cultivating a loving and

peaceable disposition towards their wives, and, if there is reason for

it, the duty of avoiding all impropriety in married life. He should,

especially, denounce the evil habit of carrying on improper talk in the

presence of servants, companions, young people, and in the home circle.

9. Fathers should be earnestly admonished to assist their wives as much

as possible in the work of education, and to set their children a good

example in every respect.

82. The Confession of Nuns.[1009]

1. We have already stated that a priest requires special approbation

from the bishop to hear the confession of nuns.[1010] But in order

to discharge this office fruitfully, he must be well instructed and

experienced in spiritual things, prudent, and possessed of great charity

and patience. As already pointed out, proficiency in theology, especially

in moral theology, is indispensable to all confessors; “but greater

knowledge is necessary to the confessors of nuns, since the Church

exercises greater care in selecting them.” Without solid knowledge,

the unusual circumstances which may arise are often mismanaged and not

rarely with fatal results. The confessor of nuns must possess an accurate

knowledge of the spiritual and ascetic life, of the duties of religious

in general,[1011] and of the particular obligations of the Order (or

Congregation) to which the women committed to his care belong. First of

all, distinction is to be made between nuns who lead a contemplative and

those who lead an active life. The former are devoted in a special manner

to the love of God, are far removed from the dangers of the world, and

can more easily sanctify themselves; they also contribute toward the

general welfare by their prayers; but they are tried by temptations and

interior struggles. The others are not wholly withdrawn from the dangers

of the world, as they are inevitably brought into contact with it by the

exercise of the works of charity; society benefits much by their high

merits. Both forms of life are ordained by God, and are of great use in

the Church. Moreover, the separate Orders have their characteristics,

corresponding to the particular object for which they were founded. With

these, and with the constitutions of the Order, the confessor must be

familiar.

But in _rebus spiritualibus_ he must not only possess theoretical

knowledge, he must be _well experienced_ in them, “because _spiritualia_

cannot be rightly and perfectly understood without personal experience.”

If this experience is not possessed, he will be a blind man leading the

blind.[1012]

Supernatural love and patience are necessary to the confessor, in

order that he may zealously further the spiritual progress of those

committed to him, and bear with equanimity their faults, weaknesses,

and deficiencies. And though only a few souls may be confided to his

spiritual care, let him not forget that by the perfection of a few a

greater honor is shown to God than by the imperfect endeavors and virtues

of many. Let him also keep in mind that those who devote themselves to

the service of God have to endure more temptations of every kind than

others, and that he to whom the spiritual care of them is intrusted

must bear no small portion of this burden with them. If, therefore, the

confessor does not possess the supernatural love of God and his neighbor

which enables him to sustain these trials, he is not suited for his

office.

2. It must be his care that the nuns disclose to him the state of their

consciences with full confidence; they must place great trust in their

confessor, as he is almost their only refuge; and, like sheep without a

shepherd, they will be exposed to many anxieties and temptations if this

support fail them. He must, therefore, always show great patience and

gentleness towards all, and if he perceive in a nun a certain shyness in

the confessional which hinders her from making known her interior state,

he must lend her special assistance in laying aside this shyness; but at

the same time there is a certain kind of unnecessary tenderness which he

should avoid in his whole demeanor.

3. It must also be his care that nuns observe their vows faithfully and

perfectly, and adhere to the special rules and regulations of their

institute; moreover, that they perform their exercises of piety with

devotion and zeal, that their daily occupations are executed with a

perfect intention, with frequent recollection of the presence of God.

They must, therefore, be taught a good method of meditation and of the

examination of conscience (_examen generale_ and _particulare_), the

manner of receiving holy communion, making a good confession, hearing

holy Mass, saying the Office, and other vocal prayers. All these things

are generally provided, however, in the religious rule.

4. He must make it his concern that the nuns should advance in virtue.

The following virtues are especially necessary for them: (_a_) the love

of God, not a sensual love, but a strong love, one which urges to the

fulfilment of the will of God, in all things, even the most difficult;

(_b_) humility and modesty; (_c_) obedience to rules and to superiors; a

sacrificing, cheerful, punctual obedience, which does not ask a reason

for the command, but which, when no sin is apparent and certain, blindly

submits itself; (_d_) love of the members of the community, which has

for a practical result that they avoid wounding or grieving others,

that offenses are gladly forgiven, faults patiently borne, and mutual

assistance rendered, as far as is possible; (_e_) chastity, which avoids

every dangerous attachment and familiarity.

5. The confessor should encourage and promote the authority of the

Superioress of the convent, but not to such an extent that, if she should

happen to be in error or to go beyond her powers, he should render

himself inaccessible to the complaints of the subordinates; he should

discourage the spirit of grumbling in the community, because authority is

thereby weakened; but he should prudently weigh complaints which may be

laid before him, to see if they are justified, and so remedy them; others

he must dismiss.

6. In his capacity of confessor, he must observe the following points:

(_a_) to associate with the nuns rather too seldom than too often, and if

he is obliged to speak to them, let it be done as briefly as possible;

(_b_) in answering questions submitted to him, he should not be too

hasty, but in more important matters or cases of doubt, he should request

time for consideration; (_c_) in the confessional he should show no

weariness, no impatience, and no haste, for this lessens confidence in

him; (_d_) he must not be immoderately disturbed, nor take scandal if he

should hear a sin of greater gravity in the confessional, for he must

remember that persons dedicated to God are subject to violent attacks

from the evil one; let him, therefore, rather show pity than agitation,

admonish the erring one with paternal earnestness, encourage her,

reawaken her lost fervor, in order that by greater zeal and mortification

she may atone for her error and avoid sin in the future; (_e_) he should

be very careful to give no ground for any suspicion that he makes use of

knowledge gained in the confessional, in his actions or words outside

the confessional; (_f_) he must not interfere at all in the management

of the house, nor in any matter which concerns the Ordinary or the

Superioress, nor readily give advice in such things, but remain firmly

and strictly within the limits of his office, looking after the spiritual

welfare and the progress of his penitents. For this reason, he should

introduce no innovations, and if, on weighty grounds some change appears

desirable, it should not take place without the advice and consent of the

Superioress and the greater part of the community; otherwise peace in the

community will be destroyed.

7. The confessor must be especially on his guard against the following

abuses, lest they creep in, and establish themselves: (_a_) everything

which is detrimental to community life, or derogatory of the vow of

poverty in any way, even if only in slight measure; (_b_) disobedience

towards the Superioress, murmuring against her, complaining about her

to the other sisters, aversion, etc.; (_c_) offenses against charity,

even if these latter are common and not of grave nature; the confessor

must not tolerate the least offense against charity which is committed

with deliberation, and he must firmly insist upon reconciliation and

suppression of antipathies; (_d_) particular friendship, even if there

be no danger connected with it, is to be avoided, for it divides the

heart, hinders familiar intercourse with God, lessens the love of the

community, and gives occasion to complaints and recriminations; (_e_)

familiarity with, or voluntary intercourse with, persons not belonging to

the house; this causes great dangers, and weakens the religious spirit.

The confessor must, therefore, strictly insist upon the inclosure being

observed, and upon the portress being thoroughly trustworthy. If there

are nuns whose duties oblige them to be in contact with the world, or

who are occupied out of the house attending to the sick, the confessor

must see that danger of sin does not result to any one of them through

this occupation; (_f_) lukewarmness and spiritual sloth; the confessor

must direct his endeavors to prevent drooping of the first ardor, and to

encourage the practice of true piety; he should, therefore, insist that

the prescribed recollections take place regularly and are well observed;

also that there is a Retreat every year, or at least every two years.

8. In order that the Superioress may duly exercise her office, the

confessor should, when occasion offers, admonish her that: (_a_)

she must love all her sisters as her daughters without making any

distinction; and she must, therefore, gladly lend her ear to any one of

them, and help her to the best of her ability; (_b_) she must not at once

credit reports made secretly to her, but carefully investigate them, and

if she has to reprimand, it should generally be done privately; (_c_) she

must take care that the regular Observance is strictly fulfilled, and she

herself must be a model for all; (_d_) if she perceives abuses, she must

rectify them in a prudent manner; (_e_) she must look to it that members

of the Order who are sick are carefully tended and often visited by the

other sisters; (_f_) in the expenses she must avoid both avarice and

extravagance; (_g_) in admitting and dismissing novices she must exercise

great prudence; (_h_) in unusual circumstances she must have timely

recourse to the advice of the _Ordinarius_; (_i_) she must be guided

by the Papal Decree in the matter of the account of conscience. (The

constitutions of many Orders permitted the unfolding of the conscience to

the Superior, in order to obtain help and advice, but “a more intimate

investigation of the conscience, such as is reserved solely to the

Sacrament of Penance,” was wrongly introduced by some. In consequence

of which Pope Leo XIII strictly forbade Superioresses, whatever rank

and eminence they might occupy, to induce persons under them, directly

or indirectly, by command, advice, threats, or kind words, to make such

revelation of conscience to them. On the other hand, the Pope leaves it

to subordinates voluntarily and freely to disclose their interior state

to their Superiors, so that, in doubt and trouble of conscience, they may

receive from their wisdom advice and guidance);[1013] (_k_) finally, she

must never encroach on the rights of the regular confessor by determining

for individual sisters the number of weekly communions.[1014]

83. The Confession of Priests.

A good confessor is very necessary for a priest. The priest instructs,

warns, and guides others; he himself is seldom admonished and warned,

and yet for him, too, reproof, instruction, and warning are sometimes

necessary. And who should give it but his confessor? The latter has a

solemn duty to do so. And does not the priest, too, sometimes require

encouragement and comfort, especially if he finds himself in a difficult

situation, or is troubled with anxiety? And here the confessor must come

to his assistance and comfort him.

Hearing the confessions of priests is a matter of the highest importance,

as priests are appointed by God shepherds, teachers, and guides of souls;

they are the light of the world and the salt of the earth. A worthy

priest effects much good amongst the faithful by a holy, pious, pure,

virtuous, and zealous life! But how harmful is the lukewarmness, the

neglect of duty, the levity of one who by his faults and open sins gives

scandal to the people. What a great and significant task is it for the

confessor to teach, rouse, warn, threaten, and encourage his brother in

the holy priesthood!

Let the confessor treat his penitent with reverence; although the

latter kneels before him to accuse himself as a sinner, he is still a

priest, clothed with exalted dignity. He must also treat him with true,

fraternal, zealous and courageous _love_, which discloses the wounds of

the soul, points out dangers and evil inclinations, blames when blame is

necessary, and punishes when punishment is necessary. It would, indeed,

be rendering bad service to a fellow-priest simply to listen to him, to

give him a few general exhortations, and then to absolve him.

If the penitent is a conscientious, well-instructed priest (which may

without difficulty be inferred from the manner of the confession, if

he is not already known to the confessor), it is not necessary to put

questions to him; if the confessor has doubts as to the gravity of

a sin confessed, he can ask the penitent if he thought that he was

committing a mortal sin. The exhortation, however, should scarcely ever

be omitted; let it be short and appropriate; it may be given in indirect

form, “we priests,” etc. If the penitent is frivolous and superficial,

questions must be put to him, in order to complete his confession. These

questions may turn on the recitation of the Office, the celebration of

Mass, administration of the Sacraments, and other priestly and pastoral

duties.[1015]

Toward such penitents the confessor must be fearless, and administer

to them, whoever they may be, regardless of rank, esteem, and dignity,

reproof, and refuse absolution, if necessary; for example, when they are

_occasionarii_ or relapsing sinners. St. Alphonsus adds: _Potissimum hac

fortidudine agendum est cum sacerdotibus, qui in gravia peccata relapsi,

quin se unquam emendaverint, ausi sunt tamen celebrare, aucupando

absolutionem ab aliquo confessariorum qui hoc funguntur officio et

laborant, ut damnentur. Hi sacerdotes pravis habitibus detenti palam

solent in sacristia confiteri, ut absolutionem, quæ eis denegenda esset,

extorqueant sub prætextu scandali, quod eveniret (quemadmodum illi

exponunt), si a celebrando desistere deberent. Sit constans confessarius

cum hujusmodi sacrilegis in differenda absolutione, eos adstringat ad

repetendas confessiones tanquam irritas, et ad confitendum de omnibus

Sacrificiis celebratis: et interim ad abstinendum a celebratione,

usquedum suæ emendationis perspicua indicia præbebunt. Quod si quis

diceret, ob scandalum a celebrando abstinere non posse, respondeat quod

deesse non possunt justi prætextus, si vellet desistere a celebrando;

ceterum si ipse id facere renuit, dicat quod celebrare potest si est

certus, se habere contritionem, sed quod ipse pro tunc non potest eum

absolvere, dum certus non est, ut oportet, de ejus dispositione; imo

justum habet motivum credendi oppositum, cum observet tot lapsus sine

emendatione. Et hoc modo agendi potest sperari, fore ut recipiscat et

salvetur ille miser sacerdos, secus ambo damnabuntur._[1016]

But the priest (especially a young one) must not be bewildered if an

unfortunate brother priest, burdened with grave sins, approaches him to

make his confession. Let him remember that there was a Judas amongst the

apostles; that the chief of the apostles was guilty of a very grave sin;

let him also bear in mind the words of the Lord: _Necesse est, ut veniant

scandala_ (Matt. xviii. 7).

As to the _exhortations_ which the confessor should give to priest

penitents, they should be chiefly: (1) to remember their calling, their

exalted dignity, their duties, their reward; (2) to devote themselves

wholly to their sublime office, to labor for the salvation of souls,

and for the glory of God by their prayers, their example, and the

exercise of the sacred ministry; to have special care for the sick and

dying, the poor and the young; (3) to avoid, especially, four vices, as

being, above all, unworthy of their spiritual calling and presenting

particular dangers for priests,—sloth, impurity, drunkenness, and

avarice (covetousness). The priest must often renew his purpose of

leading a virtuous life and of striving to obtain perfection. This

resolution always revives the priest’s zeal in the performance of his

sacred functions, gives joy in the exercise of virtue, strength to resist

temptations, and perseverance in his efforts. But that the priest may be

true to this resolution, he must employ various means, especially:—

1. Zeal in prayer; the priest must be a man of prayer; he must practice

mental and vocal prayer. _Sine oratione mentali difficillime bonus

erit Sacerdos; nam sine ea intellectus carebit lumine, quo cognoscat

veritates æternas et mysteria divini amoris, atque inde deerit in

voluntate calor fervoris, quo novatur ad sancte vivendum._[1017] The

priest should, therefore, fix a definite time everyday—at least a quarter

of an hour, if at all possible, half an hour—during which to devote

himself to meditation. Morning is the best time, as one is less exposed

to distractions then than in the midst of the occupations and cares of

the day. Those who answer, however, that they have no time for daily

meditation should consider if their lukewarmness and carelessness are

not much more to blame than want of time. If they gave up superfluous

pleasures, visiting, and other unnecessary things, or at least reduced

them, they would certainly be able to spare a quarter of an hour on most

days for meditation.[1018]

Not less necessary for the priest is oral prayer. _Clama ad me et ego

exaudiam_, says the Lord (Jerem. xxxiii. 3); for if it is certain that

the priest daily requires new graces, it is also certain that he must ask

for them daily. Besides the priest is the mediator between God and His

people, and therefore must supplicate for them. “_Absit a me poc peccatum

in Dominum, ut cessem orare pro vobis_” 1 Kings xii. 23 (Samuel); “_Et

rogante pro eis Sacerdote, propitius erit eis Dominus_” (Lev. iv. 20).

2. Of all the prayers that the priest must say, none is more excellent,

with the exception of the holy Mass, none is more efficacious than the

_Officium divinum_. Let the priest say it punctually, faithfully, with

recollection and with pleasure.

3. The center of the sacred ministry is the celebration of the holy

sacrifice. For this most holy mystery he should prepare himself with

care, celebrate it with the greatest possible purity of heart, interior

devotion, and exterior reverence, and with careful observance of the wise

precepts of the Church which bind under grave sin (_ex genere suo_). The

priest must be on his guard against three chief faults in the celebration

of Mass: celebration in _haste_, out of _custom_, and _in a state of

grave sin_.

4. Another means of sanctification is _frequent confession_. At least

every eight days the priest should make a good confession, and only

on account of great distance from a confessor should he delay it a

fortnight. So St. Charles Borromeo determined in the first provincial

council and in his celebrated Instructions. But the priest should

also observe the other advice of this enlightened Saint (_in Decretis

visitatoris_): _Valde utile esset, ut Sacerdos unusquisque ... certum

ac firmum Confessarium Sacerdotem haberet ex approbatis, a quo nisi in

magna necessitate recederet; si quidem animæ solet non minus obesse

Confessariorum mutatio, quam corpori Medicorum._

5. The good priest loves the _study of wisdom_, and observes the

admonition which St. Paul gave to his pupil, Timothy: _Attende tibi et

doctrinæ; insta in illis. Hoc enim faciens te ipsum salvum facies et

eos qui te audiunt_ (1 Tim. iv. 13, 16). Continual, zealous study of

theology alone enables the priest to do his duty, to be a teacher of the

people in the science of salvation, and to administer the holy Sacrament

of Confession rightly and successfully; at the same time it preserves

him from many evils and dangers, and it is to him a source of exalted

pleasure.

6. Another means which contributes much to sanctification is to be found

in the _Exercitia spiritualia_, which priests should make every year, at

least every two years. Immense is the blessing which results to the whole

Church and to the individual priests who zealously perform them in the

right spirit and in the right manner.[1019]

CHAPTER III

PENITENTS IN EXTREME DANGER

84. The Importance of the Priest’s Ministry at the Bedside of the Sick

and the Dying.

As the grace of perseverance and eternal salvation depends upon a good

death, as a bad death can never be remedied, and as man’s helplessness is

never greater than in that terrible last struggle, in which a thousand

things disturb and confuse him, the bitterest pains afflict and the most

violent temptations beset him, it is a work most pleasing to God, and

most conducive to the salvation of souls, to bring spiritual aid to the

sick and dying. The good, zealous priest is an ardent friend of the sick

and the dying, following in this the example of our divine Savior (Matt.

ix. 35). It was always the glory of Catholic priests that they were to be

found at the bedside of the sick and the dying, making no distinction,

and undeterred by the worst infectious diseases. And when all flee, the

priest remains and is prepared to sacrifice himself in order to save the

sick one. Therefore Dr. Stöhr says most truly in his “Pastoral Medicine”

(p. 241): “The chronicles of epidemic disease record upon each of their

pages the most splendid examples of that joyful self-sacrificing courage

with which the whole secular and Regular clergy have stood faithfully at

their posts in the hour of the greatest need, in the days when a reign

of terror dissolved all ties of society. For the Catholic pastor of

souls this form of courage is just as much a principle of professional

honor, and, therefore, I venture to say, as much a matter of course, as

in an officer bravery before the enemy.” In the moment of greatest need

(_in articulo mortis_) any priest, as already stated, can administer the

consolations of religion; reserved cases and censures do not exist. And

_every_ priest should, therefore, be solicitous to obtain the necessary

knowledge in order to be able to administer the holy Sacraments to a

dying person in case of necessity. As visiting the sick is, of itself,

forbidden to no one, and, as St. Alphonsus remarks,[1020] “_Every_

priest, even he who has no talent for preaching, can engage upon it,

rendering by so doing the greatest service, not only to the sick man

himself, but also to his relations and friends,” _every_ priest should

acquire a facility in comforting the sick according to their special

needs and circumstances.

In order, therefore, that the priest may effectually assist the sick and

the dying, he should, before he betakes himself to the sick-room, observe

the following:—

1. Reflect that he is about to perform a work of the greatest importance,

and that the errors which he commits in it are of the worst kind, and

cannot, as a rule, be remedied.[1021]

2. Remember that in this most important work the help of God is necessary

to him; he should not, therefore, trust in himself, but wholly in God.

3. Endeavor to awaken and preserve the purest and most perfect intention

possible, the intention of saving a soul which Jesus Christ has purchased

by His blood.

4. Earnestly pray for the success of his work.

5. Study well what he has to do and to say. He should consider the

particular manner in which he has to treat the patient to whom he is

going; for he is undertaking a more important work than preaching a

sermon, and yet he must prepare for every sermon.[1022]

6. Learn the character, the habits, the circumstances, and the situation

of the sick person, if he is not already in possession of this

knowledge.[1023]

85. The Confessions of the Sick.

_I. Some preliminary remarks._

1. The confessions of the sick and the dying are of the greatest

importance, as, in many cases, they open the gates of heaven to them,

and prepare them for the worthy reception of the other Sacraments. On

this account parish priests, and priests in general who have the care

of souls, are strictly bound to hear the confessions of those in danger

of death, even in face of great difficulties and of danger to their own

lives. The priest may, in such a case, even interrupt Mass (even during

the Canon) if no other priest is at hand.[1024] Let him, therefore,

before he visits the sick person to hear his confession, earnestly pray

for grace; let him enter upon this important duty with zeal and love, but

also with great prudence and judgment, confiding in God, and where there

is danger, let him face it with apostolic courage. Let him not forget

that the eternal salvation of the sick person is in his hands, that he

can save his soul; but that this soul may also be lost by his fault if

his action is careless, tardy, imprudent, and faulty.

2. In the presence of the sick person, however the latter may be

circumstanced, and, however he may have lived, the confessor must

manifest for him a great love and a sincere sympathy.

3. If he were not called by the sick person to hear his confession,

but by those around him, or if he went unsummoned,[1025] and if there

is no danger of death, he should not mention confession at once during

the first visit, but address the patient in a friendly manner, ask him

sympathetically about his illness, etc., as sick people like to talk

about these things. He should then admonish him to resign himself to the

will of God, to unite his sufferings to the bitter sufferings of Jesus,

and to bear them patiently in satisfaction for sin.[1026] In subsequent

visits, he should gradually prepare him for confession; ask him when he

made his last confession; remark that it is better to confess before the

illness increases, because this will render it more difficult; that the

graces of the holy Sacrament of Penance procure for the soul the peace

which it desires; that they conduce to patience in suffering. Let the

priest awaken in the sick person a hope that God will restore his health,

but at the same time, be careful that he recognizes the gravity of his

illness, and that he does not place undue confidence in doctors and their

skill. In order not to expose the patient to the danger of dying without

the Sacraments by misjudging the gravity of the case, the priest should

ask the doctor whether the condition of the patient is precarious. The

friends may also be privately asked if the sick person wishes to confess

to another priest, adding that there would be no objection whatever to

his doing so.[1027]

4. If the sick person is a _peccator publicus_, living, for example, in

concubinage, or in the so-called “civil marriage,” the confession should

not, as a rule, be heard before amendment and due satisfaction have been

seriously promised; for if the priest hears the confession, and the

person refuses to fulfill the conditions, the priest will, on account of

the seal of the confessional, be obliged to allow viaticum and Extreme

Unction to be administered to one who is unworthy,—indeed, perhaps be

obliged to administer these Sacraments himself.

5. If the sick person begs that the confession may be deferred, and if

danger of death, lethargy, or delirium is not imminent, this postponement

should be granted, but the patient must at once fix a time for the

confession, perhaps on the same or the following day. The priest should

not consent to indefinite postponement. If, however, danger threatens,

he should not consent to postponement at all, but use all his efforts

to induce the patient to confess at once, firmly but kindly, and

considerately removing all his objections; especially pointing out to him

the great danger to which he exposes himself by this postponement; as God

has promised pardon to the penitent sinner, but has not promised to give

him the next day.[1028] The confessor must, therefore, investigate the

patient’s reasons for wishing to postpone his confession. The real reason

is generally either (1) because _his conscience is burdened with sin_,

he has not confessed for a long time, or confessed badly, and therefore

despairs of unburdening his conscience, the task being above his

strength, as he thinks; or (2) because he has an _obdurate heart_, not

caring about his salvation, or he so despairs of his salvation that he

rejects all attempts from outside as useless and troublesome. The priest

may not give up such a patient, nor leave him till the last moment; he

must pray much, and cause others to pray for him, endure humiliations

cheerfully, and exhaust every means that love, zeal for souls, and wisdom

can possibly suggest.

In the first of the two cases, the priest should offer the sick person

his help, and promise him to make the confession quite easy for him,

telling him that with a little good will, he will certainly make a good

confession, and so obtain pardon, grace, and salvation. The inexhaustible

mercy of God should be especially and most earnestly impressed upon him;

he should be reminded of the sufferings and death of Jesus for sinners;

of the parables of the prodigal son, the lost sheep, the joy of the

angels over _one_ sinner doing penance, of the great examples of mercy:

Peter, Mary Magdalen, the thief on the cross, etc.

In the other case the difficulty is greater, for it is indeed difficult

to soften an obdurate heart. Here, fervent, continued prayer is

necessary. Those terrible and consoling truths which our faith supplies

so abundantly should, at suitable intervals, and with eloquence and

_unction_, be laid before him: the misery of the impenitent sinner,

the severity of the divine judgment, the eternity of punishment, the

happiness of the sinner reconciled to God, the peace of the soul adorned

with sanctifying grace, the eternal joys which await him, etc. If all

this does not produce upon the sick person the desired effect, he should

be left to himself for some time, in order that he may reflect upon what

he has heard. In the meantime, pray; then visit him again, and speak to

him again, and proceed in this manner till success results, or till an

impenitent death closes an impenitent life.[1029]

II. _The confession of the sick person._

1. If the sick person shows himself ready to make his confession, the

confessor must help him in every way to fulfill the conditions necessary

for the reception of the Sacrament of Penance; thus he should help him

to examine his conscience, to elicit contrition, to make a complete

confession, and to perform the penance.

And first, as to the completeness of the confession, the penitent’s

condition must be taken into consideration. If the confession can be put

off without danger, he should be admonished to examine his conscience

according to his ability and to prepare for a general confession.[1030]

If it cannot be put off, or if the confessor is under the necessity of

supposing that the patient is not well able to make such an examination

of conscience, he must help him. But he must be careful to avoid worrying

him by asking too many questions.[1031]

The following cases deserve special attention:—

(_a_) If the sick person has lost the power of speech, and can thus only

indicate a few sins by signs, or in some other way. In this case the

priest will be able to elicit the confession of a few sins, and that

suffices.

(_b_) If the sick person is so weak that he can only confess a few sins,

or having confessed a few, faints, or seems about to faint, or when the

patient has not confessed for some considerable time, or invalidly, and

the gravity of the illness or the nearness of death does not permit of

postponing the absolution.

(_c_) When the confessions of many dangerously sick or dying persons are

to be heard, and there is no time for a complete confession.

(_d_) When the priest has arrived at the house of the sick person with

the viaticum, and cannot, without endangering the good name of the

sick person, hear a complete confession.[1032] In this case, let the

priest visit the sick person as soon as possible after administering the

Sacraments and supply what was wanting.

(_e_) When a dangerously sick or a wounded person, or _mulieres

parturientes_, require the assistance of another even during the

confession. In this case, the sick person may confess some sin of which

he is not ashamed to accuse himself before others, or the confessor may

ask him if he accuses himself of all the sins he has committed, and

repents of them, because by them he has offended God, and ask him, in

particular, if he has committed this or that (slight) sin, such as people

of his class are generally guilty of.[1033] Similarly when the priest

does not understand the language of the sick person, and the latter

confesses through an interpreter.[1034]

(_f_) When the sick person has a contagious disease, and, in the opinion

of experts, there would be danger of infection to the priest if the

confession lasted long. Nevertheless, the priest would, in this case, do

well to overcome the fear of infection, trusting in God and making use

of the necessary precautions, and be ready to sacrifice his life in the

service of God and his neighbor.

In all these and similar cases, the patient must duly repent of all grave

sins, and have the will to confess the sins which he has omitted if he

is able to make a new confession. Indeed, there are cases in which a

purely general accusation by word or sign, or a request for absolution,

expressed in any way, suffices for obtaining absolution, that is, when

no other means of confession is available. Even if a wish expressed to

others, or the desire for a priest, can be regarded as confession when

the penitent has become unconscious.[1035]

2. The confessor should question the patient so that he need simply

answer without being obliged to talk much. If he is not well acquainted

with the state of his soul, let him ask the patient if he has always

confessed validly (this question may also be put to all sick penitents),

or if, in his past life, he always wished to confess well, if he ever

voluntarily concealed a grave sin, and has not yet confessed it, if he

has anything else upon his conscience which disturbs him. According to

his character, and the state in which the confessor finds the penitent,

he should, moreover, ask if he still has in his possession anything

belonging to another, or if, for some other reason, he still has

restitution to make of property, or honor and good name; if he harbors

hatred and enmity toward any one; if he has ever lived in a sinful habit,

and if he has expiated these sins in a general confession. If restitution

has to be made, and he can make it at the time, the duty of so doing at

once must be imposed upon him, and he must not be allowed to leave this

duty to his heirs; unless the latter be thoroughly trustworthy, the dying

person believing this to be sufficient and not easily being induced to

another expedient. If the restitution cannot at once take place, he must,

at least, have an actual intention of making it as soon as possible, and

of taking the necessary steps toward insuring its being made—either by a

will, or by an injunction to those belonging to him.[1036]