Moral Theology: A Complete Course Based on St. Thomas Aquinas and the Best Modern AuthoritiesCallan, Charles J. (Charles Jerome)
Religion
Moral Theology: A Complete Course Based on St. Thomas Aquinas and the Best Modern Authorities
Callan, Charles J. (Charles Jerome)
Christian ethics -- Catholic authors
462. Fulfillment of Law.--With reference to the manner of fulfilling
a law there are a number of questions to be considered: (a) as to the
external acts, whether or not one can fulfill the law for another,
whether or not the omission of some slight detail renders compliance
insufficient, whether or not he who cannot fulfill the whole law is
bound to fulfill a part of it, whether or not several obligations can
be satisfied at the same time or by the same act, etc.; (b) as to the
internal acts, whether or not one must have the intention of meeting
the wishes of the lawgiver, whether or not one must be in the state of
grace, etc.
463. Personal fulfillment is not always necessary; for an affirmative
law requires either that some thing be given, or that some personal act
be performed. (a) When the law requires that some thing be given (e.g.,
that taxes be paid), the obligation can be satisfied through another,
since a thing can be transferred from one person to another, who agrees
at least interpretatively; (b) when the law requires that a personal
act be performed (e.g., that Mass be heard on Sunday), the obligation
cannot be satisfied through another, for actions cannot be transferred
from one to another.
464. Minute fulfillment is not always necessary; for sometimes the
minor details of the fulfillment of a law are expressly prescribed,
sometimes they are not.
(a) If these details are required by the law itself or by the nature
of the case, the law is not satisfied if they are neglected. Example:
Friday abstinence ends exactly at midnight, and hence to eat meat even
one minute before midnight is to break that abstinence.
(b) If the law does not prescribe minute details, these are not
required for the fulfillment of the obligation; for laws should not be
unduly burdensome. Example: One who is a few minutes late for Mass does
not miss Mass, if he is present for the essential parts of the Mass.
465. Partial fulfillment is required of him who cannot make complete
fulfillment, only when the part is commanded for its own sake; for that
which is commanded by a law is considered by the lawgiver as either an
indivisible unit, or as a whole composed of parts that have singly an
independent moral value and obligation.
(a) If the thing commanded is morally an indivisible unit (e.g., a
pilgrimage to a shrine), he who is not able to fulfill the whole law is
bound to nothing. Example: One who has made a vow to go on pilgrimage
to a distant sanctuary, is not bound to go part of the way, if he is
unable to make the entire journey.
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