PENANCE 141 



in a mere perception of the damnableness of 

 sin, and also from the so-called terror consci- 

 entiae, i. e., the fear with which conscience is 

 smitten upon being convinced of iniquity. 4 Both 

 these emotions may be present without a spark of 

 genuine contrition. 



The moral value of contrition, as a turning 

 away from sin and a turning to God (aversio a 

 peccato et conversio ad Deum), consists in its be- 

 ing an act of the will, 5 and consequently it need 

 not be accompanied by sensible pain or grief, nor 

 manifest itself by sighs and tears. Whilst there 

 is such a thing as "tears of contrition," 6 sensible 

 sorrow forms no constituent of genuine contri- 

 tion, nor is its presence a sure proof thereof. 



"As there are tears that indicate no deep emotion, so 

 there is a sorrow without tears. As a rule, however, it 

 is desirable that contrition should be manifested by out- 

 ward signs. Such outward signs of internal sorrow for 

 sin are technically known as signa contritionis, and di- 

 vided into two classes, ordinary and extraordinary. The 

 latter manifest themselves partly in an unusual stirring 



4 Cone. Trident., Sess. XIV, De sensu percipi. Contritio enim est 

 Poenit., can. 4: "Si quis . . di- voluntatis actio." — Cfr. Cone. Tri- 

 xerit, duas tantum esse poenitentiae dent., Sess. VI, c. 6 (.Denzinger 

 partes, terrores scilicet incussos con- Bannwart, n. 798). 

 scientiae agnito peccato et fidem, 6 Cfr. Ps. VI, 7; Matth. XXVI 

 anathema sit." — Conf. August., art. 75; Luke VII, 44, 47. — Cfr. St. Au 

 12. — Mohler, Symbolism, pp. 124 gustine, Serm., 351, c. 1: "Sicut 

 sqq.; pp. 223. comes poenitentiae dolor est, ita la 



5 Cat. Rom., P. II, c. 5, qu. 24: crimae sunt testes doloris." (Migne, 

 "Quod autem contritio dolore de- P. L., XXXIX, 1536). — Cat. Rom 

 finita est, tnonendi sunt fideles, ne P. II, c. 5, qu. 28. 

 arbitrentur, eum dolorem corporis 



