172 THE MEANS OF GRACE 



sacramental confession embraces everything that 

 might prove disagreeable or injurious to the peni- 

 tent or tend to render the Sacrament odious; in 

 particular: 



a) All sins revealed by the penitent, venial as 

 well as mortal, together with their attending 

 circumstances and the names and deeds of ac- 

 complices ; 



b) The penance imposed, and whatever might 

 betray the fact that absolution was denied; 



c) Physical or moral defects of the penitent, 

 e. g., illegitimate birth, scrupulosity, impatience, 

 in so far as these defects are known to the confes- 

 sor only through confession; 



d) Virtues, special graces or prerogatives, the 

 disclosure of which might cause the penitent or 

 others pain or inconvenience; 



e) The fact that one has gone to confession, 

 if the penitent wishes to conceal it or if his in- 

 terests demand secrecy. 17 



The confessor is bound to abstain from all words, 

 signs, or other indications from which the nature of the 

 matter revealed to him in confession or anything that falls 

 under the seal might be inferred. Hence he is not per- 

 mitted to deny holy Communion to a penitent whom he 

 has refused to absolve, provided, of course, he knows of 

 his unworthiness only through confession, and the peni- 

 tent demands the Holy Eucharist in the ordinary way. 18 



17 Cfr. St. Alphonsus, Theologia 18 Cone. Lat. IV., c. 21 (Denzin- 



Mor., 1. VI, n. 640-644; Gury, ger-Bannwart, n. 437 sq.) 

 Comp. Theol. Mor., II, n. 502-504. 



