Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It would seem that contrition, confession, and satisfaction are not fittingly assigned as parts of Penance. For contrition is in the heart, and so belongs to interior penance; while confession consists of words, and satisfaction in deeds; so that the two latter belong to interior penance. Now interior penance is not a sacrament, but only exterior penance which is perceptible by the senses. Therefore these three parts are not fittingly assigned to the sacrament of Penance.

Objection 2: Further, grace is conferred in the sacraments of the New Law, as stated above (Question 62, Articles 1,3). But no grace is conferred in satisfaction. Therefore satisfaction is not part of a sacrament.

Objection 3: Further, the fruit of a thing is not the same as its part. But satisfaction is a fruit of penance, according to Lk. 3:8: "Bring forth . . . fruits worthy of penance." Therefore it is not a part of Penance.

Objection 4: Further, Penance is ordained against sin. But sin can be completed merely in the thought by consent, as stated in the 1.2, Question 72, Article 7: therefore Penance can also. Therefore confession in word and satisfaction in deed should not be reckoned as parts of Penance.

On the contrary, It seems that yet more parts should be assigned to Penance. For not only is the body assigned as a part of man, as being the matter, but also the soul, which is his form. But the aforesaid three, being the acts of the penitent, stand as matter, while the priestly absolution stands as form. Therefore the priestly absolution should be assigned as a fourth part of Penance.

I answer that, A part is twofold, essential and quantitative. The essential parts are naturally the form and the matter, and logically the genus and the difference. In this way, each sacrament is divided into matter and form as its essential parts. Hence it has been said above (Question 60, Articles 5,6) that sacraments consist of things and words. But since quantity is on the part of matter, quantitative parts are parts of matter: and, in this way, as stated above (Article 1), parts are assigned specially to the sacrament of Penance, as regards the acts of the penitent, which are the matter of this sacrament.

Now it has been said above (Question 85, Article 3, ad 3) that an offense is atoned otherwise in Penance than in vindictive justice. Because, in vindictive justice the atonement is made according to the judge's decision, and not according to the discretion of the offender or of the person offended; whereas, in Penance, the offense is atoned according to the will of the sinner, and the judgment of God against Whom the sin was committed, because in the latter case we seek not only the restoration of the equality of justice, as in vindictive justice, but also and still more the reconciliation of friendship, which is accomplished by the offender making atonement according to the will of the person offended. Accordingly the first requisite on the part of the penitent is the will to atone, and this is done by contrition; the second is that he submit to the judgment of the priest standing in God's place, and this is done in confession; and the third is that he atone according to the decision of God's minister, and this is done in satisfaction: and so contrition, confession, and satisfaction are assigned as parts of Penance.

Reply to Objection 1: Contrition, as to its essence, is in the heart, and belongs to interior penance; yet, virtually, it belongs to exterior penance, inasmuch as it implies the purpose of confessing and making satisfaction.

Reply to Objection 2: Satisfaction confers grace, in so far as it is in man's purpose, and it increases grace, according as it is accomplished, just as Baptism does in adults, as stated above (Question 68, Article 2; Question 69, Article 8).

Reply to Objection 3: Satisfaction is a part of Penance as a sacrament, and a fruit of penance as a virtue.

Reply to Objection 4: More things are required for good, "which proceeds from a cause that is entire," than for evil, "which results from each single defect," as Dionysius states (Div. Nom. iv). And thus, although sin is completed in the consent of the heart, yet the perfection of Penance requires contrition of the heart, together with confession in word and satisfaction in deed.

The Reply to the Fifth Objection is clear from what has been said.

Articulus 2

Argumentum 1

Ad secundum sic proceditur. Videtur quod inconvenienter assignentur partes poenitentiae contritio, confessio et satisfactio. Contritio enim est in corde, et sic pertinet ad interiorem poenitentiam. Confessio autem est in ore, et satisfactio in opere, et sic duo ultima pertinent ad poenitentiam exteriorem. Poenitentia autem interior non est sacramentum, sed sola poenitentia exterior, quae sensui subiacet. Non ergo convenienter assignantur hae partes sacramento poenitentiae.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, in sacramento novae legis confertur gratia, ut supra habitum est.

Sed in satisfactione non confertur aliqua gratia. Ergo satisfactio non est pars sacramenti.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, non est idem fructus rei et pars. Sed satisfactio est fructus poenitentiae, secundum illud Luc. III, facite vobis dignos fructus poenitentiae.

Ergo non est pars poenitentiae.

Argumentum 4

Praeterea, poenitentia ordinatur contra peccatum.

Sed peccatum potest perfici solum in corde per consensum, ut in secunda parte habitum est.

Ergo et poenitentia. Non ergo debent poenitentiae partes poni confessio oris et satisfactio operis.

Sed Contra

Sed contra, videtur quod debeant poni plures partes poenitentiae.

Pars enim hominis ponitur non solum corpus, quasi materia, sed etiam anima, quae est forma. Sed tria praedicta, cum sint actus poenitentis, se habent sicut materia, absolutio autem sacerdotis se habet per modum formae. Ergo absolutio sacerdotis debet poni quarta pars poenitentiae.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod duplex est pars, ut dicitur in V metaphys.

Scilicet pars essentiae, et pars quantitatis.

Partes quidem essentiae sunt, naturaliter quidem, forma et materia, logice autem, genus et differentia. Hoc autem modo quodlibet sacramentum distinguitur in materiam et formam sicut in partes essentiae, unde et supra dictum est quod sacramenta consistunt in rebus et verbis. Sed quia quantitas se tenet ex parte materiae, partes quantitatis sunt partes materiae. Et hoc modo sacramento poenitentiae specialiter assignantur partes, ut supra dictum est, quantum ad actus poenitentis, qui sunt materia huius sacramenti.

Dictum est autem supra quod alio modo fit recompensatio offensae in poenitentia, et in vindicativa iustitia. Nam in vindicativa iustitia fit recompensatio secundum arbitrium iudicis, non secundum voluntatem offendentis vel offensi, sed in poenitentia fit recompensatio offensae secundum voluntatem peccantis, et secundum arbitrium dei, in quem peccatur; quia hic non quaeritur sola reintegratio aequalitatis iustitiae, sicut in iustitia vindicativa, sed magis reconciliatio amicitiae, quod fit dum offendens recompensat secundum voluntatem eius quem offendit.

Sic igitur requiritur ex parte poenitentis, primo quidem, voluntas recompensandi, quod fit per contritionem; secundo, quod se subiiciat arbitrio sacerdotis loco dei, quod fit in confessione; tertio, quod recompenset secundum arbitrium ministri dei, quod fit in satisfactione. Et ideo contritio, confessio et satisfactio ponuntur partes poenitentiae.

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod contritio secundum essentiam quidem est in corde, et pertinet ad interiorem poenitentiam, virtualiter autem pertinet ad poenitentiam exteriorem, inquantum scilicet implicat propositum confitendi et satisfaciendi.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod satisfactio confert gratiam prout est in proposito, et auget eam prout est in executione, sicut baptismus in adultis, ut supra dictum est.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod satisfactio est pars poenitentiae sacramenti; fructus autem poenitentiae virtutis.

Ad 4

Ad quartum dicendum quod plura requiruntur ad bonum, quod procedit ex integra causa, quam ad malum, quod procedit ex singularibus defectibus, secundum dionysium, IV cap. De div. Nom..

Et ideo, licet peccatum perficiatur in consensu cordis, ad perfectionem tamen poenitentiae requiritur et contritio cordis, et confessio oris, et satisfactio operis.

Ad 5

Ad contrarium patet solutio per ea quae dicta sunt.