154 THE MEANS OF GRACE 



cific circumstances. 8 To be able to do this prop- 

 erly he must examine his conscience. 



The integrity of confession (integritas confes- 

 sionis) may be material or formal. It is material 

 (integritas materialis) if the penitent actually 

 confesses all his mortal sins; it is formal (in- 

 tegritas formalis) if he is willing to make a com- 

 plete avowal, but is prevented by physical or 

 moral causes. 



a) The material integrity of confession re- 

 quires: 



«) That the penitent mention all those mortal 

 sins which he has not yet validly confessed. 

 When he is in doubt whether or not he has 

 confessed a mortal sin, or whether some par- 

 ticular sin is mortal or venial, the penitent is 

 not bound, but (cases of scrupulousness and ur- 

 gent necessity excepted) earnestly advised to 

 mention it. If the existing doubt is founded on 

 weighty reasons (dnbium prndens), it is ad- 

 visable that the sin (peccatum dnbium) be 

 confessed. Mortal sins which have been inad- 

 vertently omitted (forgotten) in one confession, 

 must be declared in the next. If a penitent has 

 purposely concealed a mortal sin, his confession 

 is invalid, and he must, besides confessing his 

 sacrilege, repeat all the mortal sins mentioned 



dum et perfcctionem nee speciali ex- Poenit., c. 5, can. 7; Cat. Rom., 

 plicatione indigent." P. II, c. 5, qu. 40 sq. 



8 Cone. Trident., Sess. XIV, De 



