n6 THE MEANS OF GRACE 



tering Extreme Unction to an unconscious Cath- 

 olic, it may be presumed that the patient would 

 wish to receive the Sacrament if he were in pos- 

 session of his faculties. Penance and Extreme 

 Unction require an actual, or at least a virtual, 

 intention; for the other Sacraments (Baptism of 

 adults, Confirmation, Communion, and Holy 

 Orders) a habitual intention is sufficient. 



2. For the licit and fruitful reception of Bap- 

 tism (in the case of adults) and Penance there is 

 required in the subject faith, hope, and imperfect 

 contrition (attritio). One who has lost sanctify- 

 ing grace after Baptism must regain it by a wor- 

 thy confession before he can worthily receive 

 Holy Communion. 3 The reception of Penance is 

 recommended, though not prescribed, as the best 

 means of preparing for the other Sacraments of 

 the living. To receive any of these Sacraments 

 consciously in the state of mortal sin is a 

 sacrilege and a more grievous sin than would be 

 the administration of a Sacrament in the same 

 condition. 



Broadly speaking, the faithful are in duty 

 bound to demand the Sacraments only from 

 properly constituted ministers of good character. 

 Every priest is to be regarded as worthy unless 

 his unworthiness is certain and notorious. 



s Cone. Trident., Sess. VI. c. zinger-Bannwart, n. 797, 798, 880, 

 5-6; Sess. XIII, c. 7, can. 11 (Den- 893). 



