156 THE MEANS OF GRACE 



The mortal sins a man has committed, together with 

 their number and specific circumstances, constitute the 

 necessary matter of Penance (materia necessaria). 

 Venial sins are merely materia libera et sufiiciens, that is 

 to say, they need not be, but may and, considering the 

 importance of the Sacrament, should be confessed. Pre- 

 viously confessed sins, whether mortal or venial, may 

 be confessed again, and if properly regretted, constitute 

 sufficient matter for absolution. All "the other sins, 

 which do not occur [to the penitent] after diligent 

 thought, are understood to be included as a whole in that 

 same confession," and are summarily included in the 

 usual declaration : "For these and all other sins of 

 which I am not now conscious, I am heartily sorry," and 

 so forth. 10 



In order to be able to confess his sins properly, the 

 penitent, before approaching the sacred tribunal, should 

 carefully and earnestly examine his conscience. 11 No 

 time limit can be set for this important task. Circum- 

 stances of individuality, time, place, etc., must be taken 

 into consideration. The only general rule that may be 

 laid down is that the time and care devoted to the exam- 

 ination of conscience should be equal to that which is 

 usually bestowed by prudent men upon important matters 

 of business, and that there be no exaggeration or careless- 

 ness, lest the validity of the Sacrament be endangered 

 and it become what Protestants have unjustly called it, — 

 a "slaughter-house of consciences." 



Material integrity of confession in the strict sense is 



10 "Reliqua peccata, quae diligen- 11 "Diligcns sui discussio aut de- 

 ter cogitanti non occurrunt, in uni- bita et diligens praemeditatio." 

 versum eadem confessione inclusa {Cone. Trident., Sess. XIV, De 

 esse intelleguntur." — Cone. Trident., Poenit., c. 5, can. 7). — Cfr. Noldin, 

 Sess. XIV, De Poenit., c. 5; cfr. Ps. Summa Theol. Mor., Vol. Ill, pp. 

 XVIII, 13. 339 sqq. 



