Xxxviii. Of The Effects Of The Sacrament Of Penance
XXXVIII. OF THE EFFECTS OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE
(A)
Is the proper effect of this sacrament to remit sins?
Yes, provided one receives it with true sorrow in the heart (LXXXVI. 1).
What sins does the sacrament of Penance remit?
It remits all sins that a man can have on his conscience and that come under the power of the keys as having been committed after baptism (LXXXVI. 1).
Can these sins be remitted without the sacrament of Penance?
If it is a question of mortal sins, these can never be remitted unless the sinner have the will, at least implicit, of submitting them to the power of the keys by the reception of the sacrament as soon as he is able to do so; but as regards venial sins, if the person is in a state of grace a fervent act of the love of God suffices without having recourse to the sacrament (LXXXVI. 2).
Does it follow then that only those who have mortal sins on their conscience have need of this sacrament?
No; for although the sacrament is necessary for them, it is of great help to those in a state of grace; first of all in order to purify them the more from past sins if perchance any of their past sins were mortal; and also to purify them from venial sins, and to strengthen them against future venial sin by an increase of grace (LXXXVII. 2, Obj. 2, 3).
If by the sacrament of Penance man has received pardon for his sins, and he should fall again into the same grave sins, is his state worse by reason of this second and perhaps repeated fall?
Yes, his sin and his state of soul is worse; not that his past sins which were remitted are imputed to him again by God, but by reason of his ingratitude and despisal of the great goodness of God (LXXXVIII. 1, 2).
Is this contempt and this ingratitude another sin added to his fall?
Not unless he has, in falling again, the direct intention of contemning the goodness of God; but his repeated fall is a circumstance which aggravates the gravity of the new sin (LXXXVIII. 4).
Is it then certain that by confession God pardons sins, and that once pardoned they are never imputed again to him who committed them?
Yes, this is absolutely certain (LXXXVIII. 1).
(B)
As regards the good in the soul which sin destroys, does the sacrament of Penance by its power make that good to re-live?
Yes, most certainly; the virtue of this sacrament makes that good which was destroyed by sin to re-live; and in such wise that if it be question of an essential good, which is grace, and the right to the vision of God which one loses by grave sin, both grace and this right to heaven is given back when one receives this sacrament in good dispositions. If these dispositions fall short in fervour of one's former dispositions, the essential good is in a measure lessened somewhat; but the whole of former merits re-live and one will receive proportionate recompense for them in heaven (LXXXIX. 1-4, 5, Obj. 3).
It is then important to receive the sacrament of Penance in the best possible dispositions?
Yes, for the effect of the sacrament is proportioned to the dispositions of him who receives it.