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
791. Since Baptism is fruitless without due faith in the recipient, it
is not lawful as a rule to baptize those who lack substantial knowledge
of the four mysteries just mentioned. (a) Outside of danger of death,
it is never lawful to baptize a person, adult in mind, who is in
substantial ignorance of any of these four mysteries. Such a person
must first receive instruction. (b) In danger of death, when
instruction cannot be given, an adult in substantial ignorance about
the Trinity and the Incarnation may be baptized conditionally; for it
is probable that explicit knowledge of those two mysteries is not a
necessity of means (see 789; Canon 752, Sec.2).
792. Since absolution is invalid if the person absolved is incapable of
receiving grace, and since acts of faith in the four chief mysteries
are an essential means to justification in adults, absolution given to
one who is in substantial ignorance about one of the four mysteries
above mentioned is certainly or probably invalid, as the case may be.
Absolution certainly invalid is never lawful, but absolution probably
valid may in certain cases be regarded as lawful before administration,
and as valid after administration. Hence, the following cases must be
distinguished:
(a) Outside of danger of death, it is not lawful to absolve one who is
in substantial ignorance about any of those four mysteries. Such a
person should be sent away for further instruction, or given a brief
instruction then and there, if there is time.
(b) In danger of death, when instruction cannot be given, an adult in
substantial ignorance about the Trinity and Incarnation may be absolved
conditionally, for the reason given in the similar case of Baptism.
(c) After the fact, absolution given to one who was in substantial
ignorance of the Trinity and Incarnation, may be regarded as valid,
since the opinion that explicit knowledge of these mysteries is not a
necessary means, is at least probable. Hence, according to the
principles of Probabilism a penitent who made confessions While
ignorant of those two mysteries is not obliged to repeat his
confessions, since he has probably satisfied his obligation.
793. In the following cases (which would be rare, it seems) Baptism or
absolution cannot be administered, even to the dying who are unable to
receive instruction: (a) when it is certain that the dying person is
substantially ignorant about the existence of God, the Author of grace
and glory; (b) when it is certain that the dying person is
substantially ignorant of the Trinity and Incarnation through his own
fault, and is unwilling to hear about them.
794. Practical rules for granting the Sacraments in case of doubt or
urgency to those who seem to be indisposed on account of substantial
ignorance are the following:
(a) In danger of death, when instruction is out of the question, if
there is doubt about his ignorance, the dying person should be given
the benefit of the doubt.
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