Note 600 — Chapter III · ABUSE OF POWER BY THE MINISTER OF THE SACRAMENT

This question was before decided in the same sense by the S. Pœnit. 9 Jul., 1751, et Mart., 1878. Cf. Linzer Theol. Quartalschrift, 1882, p. 389. Revue theol. 1884, p. 363. St. Alphonsus had already (Lib. VI. n. 556) maintained, eum, qui fingat absolutionem, non incurrere censuram, deducing this from the words of the Constitution of Benedict XIV, and this interpretation of the Pope’s words was probable; this opinion of the sainted teacher seems still to coincide with the words of the Bull of Pius IX, which reads Absolventes. But the Sacred Penitentiary has declared otherwise. The latter evidently here takes the word absolventes in the wider sense. Cf. Ballerini, Opus Theol. Mor. l. c. n. 656. Lehmkuhl, l. c. n. 936, Nota.