e penitent are meant not be beneficial for ced. A skilful physi› remedies which he hat is a real remedy To another. So is it tual physician in the careless and negliIch a confessor only imorous and scrupu

same error as the h was intended for V different kind of will always observe n confession, unless contrary.

mits the guilt and g to the promise of give, they are for

admits of no exception; for if the case could ever arise in which it would be lawful to make known the sins of a penitent without his consent, all confidence in the secrecy of confession would be at an end. A priest, therefore, must be ready to suffer any amount of torture, and to sacrifice even life itself, rather than manifest by word or sign, or in any other way, the least venial sin. The seal of confession extends not merely to all the sins mentioned, while the confession is actually being made, but also to every thing made known while the confession virtually continues, the manifestation of which would tend to make the confession of sins odious. Thus if a person were to go to his confessor while he was preparing for confession, in order to be instructed how to examine his conscience, or how to declare any class of sins,-or if he were to speak of his sins immediately after absolution,-or even if he came back again after leaving the confessional, and again referred to the matter of his accusation,-the confession would virtually continue all this time, and therefore the sins which were manifested would fall under the seal of confession. Many persons seem to imagine that a confessor is not bound to keep secret what he is told in the confessional immediately after absolution; but this is quite a mistake, unless what is said has no reference to the matter of the confession. This strict obligation of perpetual secrecy applies not only to the confessor, but also to all others who have accidentally, or in any other way, acquired knowledge through sacramental confession. For example, he who has overheard a sin in confession is as strictly bound to keep it secret as the priest himself.

This law of secrecy does not, however, bind the penitent. He may speak of his own sins, or of what his confessor has said to him, without being guilty of sacrilege; but it is generally better, and even sometimes obligatory, to observe silence. It may often happen that the advice which a priest may think it his duty to give, can only be understood by knowing all the facts of the case on which it rests, and therefore by making known what he has said a grievous wrong may be done him, while he has no means of clearing his character. Moreover, the recom

mendations which are addressed to the penitent are meant for his particular case, and might not be beneficial for another who is differently circumstanced. A skilful physician may be perfectly correct in the remedies which he prescribes for his patients, and yet what is a real remedy for one may prove highly injurious to another. So is it with the recommendations of our spiritual physician in the Sacrament of Penance. If he who is careless and negligent applies to himself the rules which a confessor only intended for a penitent who was of a timorous and scrupulous conscience, he would fall into the same error as the sick man who took the medicine which was intended for one who was suffering from a totally different kind of illness. A discreet penitent, therefore, will always observe silence respecting what has been said in confession, unless there be clear and solid reasons for the contrary.

Effects of the Sacrament of Penance.

1. The Sacrament of Penance remits the guilt and eternal punishment due to sin, according to the promise of our Lord: "Whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven" (St. John xx.).

2. It imparts or increases sanctifying grace. If the soul be in the state of mortal sin, the worthy reception of the Sacrament of Penance clothes it once more with innocence and sanctity, and so renders it pleasing in the sight of God. If it is already free from grievous sin, sanctifying grace is increased within it, so that it becomes more pleasing before God.

3. It revives the merit of the previous good works which were performed in the state of grace. In explaining the tenth article of the Creed, it was pointed out that no supernatural merit could exist so long as the soul is in the state of mortal sin. Not only is it impossible to gain any title to a reward in heaven while the soul is separated from the friendship of God, but all the merit of previous good works remains in abeyance until the state of grace is recovered.

4. It gives sacramental grace, or a title to the actual graces which we most need, in order to guard us against a relapse into sin.

CHAP. CXIX. On Extreme Unction: its Nature, Institution, Matter, Form, and Subject.

"EXTREME Unction," says the Catechism, "is the anointing of the sick with holy oil, accompanied with prayer." It is a true and real sacrament, because it possesses all the requisites of a sacrament.

1. The outward sign, which consists in the anointing with oil, accompanied by the words, "By this holy anointing, and of His own most tender mercy, may the Lord forgive thee whatever thou hast committed by thy sight,hearing;" and so of the other senses.

2. It has the promise of grace, as recorded by St. James: "Is any man sick among you? let him bring in the priests of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith shall save the sick man; and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him" (chap. v. 14, 15)..

3. It must have been instituted by Christ; for none but God could give to an outward rite the power of forgiving sin and of imparting inward grace.

The name, Extreme Unction, or "last anointing," by which this sacrament is known, has been given to it because it is the last anointing administered by the Church to her children. There are several occasions in which anointing is used as a symbol of spiritual benefits conveyed to the soul. Thus in baptism the child is anointed immediately before and after the essential part of the sacrament. Thus, too, anointing with oil is used in administering confirmation and holy orders; but these several anointings precede extreme unction, and in consequence the name "last anointing" is given to this sacrament. The other sacraments in which anointing is used were intended for persons in health; extreme unction was instituted by our Lord to strengthen the dying, in their passage out of this world into another.

The matter of the Sacrament of Extreme Unction is oil of olives, blessed by a Bishop, and the form the words