PENANCE 181 



postponed only when the disposition of the peni- 

 tent is in doubt and there is no urgent necessity 

 (danger of death, etc.) which would justify the 

 giving of conditional absolution. 11 In the case 

 of certain occasional (occasionarii) , habitual 

 (consuetudinarii) or relapsed sinners (recidivi), 

 regarding whom it is doubtful whether they have 

 real contrition for their sins or the required 

 purpose of amendment, it is sometimes necessary 

 to reserve absolution. 12 Occasionally, too, it may 

 be well to withhold absolution temporarily in 

 order to promote the spiritual welfare of a well- 

 disposed penitent, either with, or under certain 

 conditions without, his consent. 13 



However, absolution should not be deferred as 

 a means of amendment (remedium animae) un- 

 less the confessor is certain that the penitent will 

 be benefitted by this measure. 14 



11 Gury, I. c. : "Poenitentibus' poenitens dispositus ius habet ad ab- 

 dubie dispositis absolutio neganda solutionem, non tamen ideo ius 

 est extra casum gravis necessitatis ; habet ad earn statim absque ulla 

 posita autem tali necessitate abso- mora obtinendam, saltern per se lo- 

 lutio sub conditione impertiri potest quendo. Nam confessarius non est 

 out etiam debet." tantum iudex, sed et medicus, ideo- 



12 St. Alphonsus, Theol. Mor., I. que recte potest, immo aliquando 

 VI, n. 452-464. debet, absolutionem differre, si iudi- 



13 Idem, ibid., n. 462. — Idem, cet tale remedium animae poenitentis 

 Praxis Confess., n. 76. — Gury, notabiliter profuturum esse. . . . 

 Comp. Theol. Mor., II, n. 468: "Ab- Dixi, saltern per se loquendo, quia 

 solutio differri potest ad breve tern- si absolutio differri nequeat sine 

 pus etiam poenitenti rite disposito magno incommodo poenitentis, 

 sine eius consensu, quando nempe statim conccdenda foret, poenitens 

 confessarius (prudenter) iudicat, id enim tunc ius strictum ad earn sta- 

 utile esse ad eius emendationem. tim obtinendam habere censetur." 

 Ratio est, quia dilatio absolutionis H St. Alphonsus, Theol. Mor., 1. 

 non est eiusdem denegatio, et licet VI, n. 463: "Magnum dubium, 



