Of the Method to Be Observed in Giving an Account of Conscience

OUR out thine heart like water in the sight of the Lord (Lam, ii. 19). By this comparison the Prophet Jeremy declares to us very well how we ought to manifest and declare our heart to him who holds the place of God, when we give an account of conscience; it should be as when we empty out a vessel of water. When a vessel of oil or honey is emptied, some part remains behind, sticking to the vessel; and if it is wine or vinegar, at least the smell remains. But when a vessel of water is emptied, nothing remains sticking to the sides; there remains neither smell, nor taste, nor any trace whatever of what was there, but it is as though the vessel had never held anything. In this way you should empty out and declare your heart before your superior when you give an account of your conscience, so that nothing be left behind, and there remain neither smell nor taste, nor any trace whatsoever. Because this is a thing of such importance, and such a chief and efficacious means for the spiritual advancement of our souls, our Father has wished that, besides other times that this is done, it should be done more particularly every six months, taking in all that time, and that this manifestation should always go before the renovation of vows. So it has always been practised in the Society, and since the Fourth General Congregation it has been put among the Common Rules. As besides the ordinary confessions that we make at frequent intervals, he wishes us then to make a general confession of all that time; so he wishes, that, besides the ordinary account which is given at frequent intervals, there should be then given a general account of all that time. It would seem that he could not have given a more appropriate means than this for the spiritual and inward renovation of each. And our Father General Claudius Aquaviva in his “Instruction to Visitors” commends to them greatly the use of this means, and says: “If this practice of giving an account of conscience is done on the part of subjects in the proper way, and is taken as it ought on the part of superiors, it will doubtless tell greatly for the renovation of spirit and augmentation of virtue and perfection in the Society.”

In accordance with this pronouncement are certain very grave words spoken by St. Basil, who says: “Whoever wishes to attain any signal and notable perfection, ought to take care that no movement pass in his soul of which he does not give an account to the superior. In this way what is good will be confirmed, and what is not so will be remedied; and thus little by little, getting rid of evil, and planting and causing to take root good, we shall come to arrive at perfection.” As in clear water the pebbles and very minute grains of sand which are at the bottom are clearly seen, so the subject should make himself so clear and transparent to his superior that he can see all the motes and imperfections of his soul. And that we may do this the better and more easily, we have in the Society an excellent instruction, on which I wish to observe that, of the two parts which it contains, the first, which is the preface or heading, is the principal; for therein is contained the whole substance of the Fortieth Rule of the Summary of the Constitutions, which treats of the manifestation of conscience and explains how it is to be done. After telling each one to reflect on the importance attached to this observance in the Constitutions, the rule goes on to say: ‘‘Wherefore let each one with great integrity, in confession or under ordinary secrecy, as shall please him and be to his greater comfort, manifest his whole soul entirely, without concealing anything in which he has offended the Lord of all, starting from the last account of conscience that he gave; or at least let him discover the defects that weigh heaviest on his conscience since that time.” I say, then, that here is the main element of this business, and anyone who passes over what is said in this preface will not give a good or entire account of his conscience, even though he runs through all the second part, which contains fourteen particular points.

That this may more clearly appear, there will be no need to go through the other points; but let us take for example one of the chief of them, and let it be point the third, which bids us give an account of our temptations, passions, and bad inclinations. This is one of the main things of which a man has to give an account, what temptations he has, whether they are troublesome and importunate, of the ease or difficulty which he finds in resisting them, and the manner in which he does it. This question says no more, nor is anything more said on this head in the whole of the second part of this instruction. But, I ask, will it be enough for giving a good and clear account of one’s conscience to one’s spiritual father, so that he may know the state of one’s soul in this particular, to tell him all one’s temptations and all one’s evil inclinations? I answer No, but it is necessary to tell also one’s falls, if, perchance, there be any; for it is one thing to say: “I am inclined to pride,” and another thing to say: “I am so inclined to pride that I desired or did such a thing in order to be regarded and thought well of; and I greatly resented the being told to do this and that, and I made such an excuse to get off doing it, and the only real reason was because I had not the virtue or humility to do it, as otherwise I could have done it very well.” It is one thing to say: “I am passionate and impatient,” and another thing to say: “I am so impatient and so passionate that I came to lose my temper, and say such and such a disedifying thing.” It is one thing to say: “T have impure temptations,” and another thing to say: “I was so weak in the affair that I dwelt and took delight in it,” and so forth. It is clear that a different judgment is formed of him who has fallen under temptation from what is formed of him who has had a temptation and bravely and manfully resisted it, and a different treatment is required in the two cases. In a fever case it is very important for the doctor to know, and also very important for the patient to let it be known, whether the patient be a strong and hearty man, or a weak subject; for the treatment of fever is different in the two cases. So it is very important for your spiritual physician, and for you also, that he should know your strength or weakness, to know how to treat you and the remedy that should be applied. It is not enough for you to tell him your temptations and bad inclinations, but you must tell him also of your falls, if there are any, for otherwise there is no knowing your weakness or your virtue and fortitude. And therefore the Forty-first Rule of the Summary, treating also of this matter, tells us to manifest to our superior not only our temptations, but also our failings. This is declared in the preface to this instruction, wherein it is said expressly that the subject must declare his whole soul to his superior, without concealing anything in which he has offended the Divine Majesty, or at least declare the failings that weigh heaviest on his soul; and nothing more is said of this in the fourteen points that follow. So anyone who does not observe this will be turning into an idle ceremony and vain formality a thing of such leading importance and made so much of in the order. This lesson may be profitable to all Christians generally, that they may know how to give an account of their soul to their spiritual fathers.

But to throw further light on this matter, I observe that the subject must not be satisfied with telling his faults in general, but he must tell them in particular, for in that way and in no other does he give a clear account of himself. And the same is also good advice for confession. You must not rest content in confession with saying in general: “TI let myself be carried away with bad thoughts;” but you must say to what extent you were carried away. And though the matter be no more than venial sin, and venial sins are not necessary matter of confession, nevertheless, if we do confess them, as it is right we should confess them, we should not speak in generalities, which considerably gloss over the fault, but also mention any particular circumstance which adds to the gravity of the case. For clearly a penitent does not quite declare his fault by saying: “T have said offensive words, impatient words, or words of detraction,” when the word was such that the telling of it will make the fault appear greater than a general expression would show. And if one has failed in obedience, and given notable disedification thereby, one should not rest satisfied with saying: “I accuse myself of having failed in obedience,” but he should specify the particular thing or the particular manner, so far as it throws more light on the fault and alters the confessor’s judgment of it. In like manner I say, in giving an account of conscience, the thing should not be done in general expressions and roundabout phrases, but with great simplicity, thoroughness, and clearness, without there remaining the least corner hidden away, or tiny pocket not laid open, according to what St. Paul says of the Church: That Christ might make appear before his eyes one full of glory, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but holy and unspotted (Eph. v. 27). It is in wrinkles that dirt and grime is apt to hide; so there should not be in our soul any wrinkle or fold of any sort, but all should be plain and smooth.

Our Father requires anyone entering the order to give a clear account of his conscience, not only declaring the bad inclinations that he has at present, and the vices and sins to which now he is most inclined, but also the bad inclinations that he had, and the vices and sins which troubled and assailed him most in his past life. As it is a great help to the doctor if his patient will tell him not only the illness that he feels at present, but also the illnesses that he has had, that he may guess whether the present indisposition comes from that quarter, and so treat him for the present as to prevent any possibility of a recurrence of the past; so in spiritual things, if you wish to give a clear and entire account of your soul to your spiritual physician, you should not only tell him your present habits and inclinations, but also your past, for from thence there may often be inferred the cause and root of the present trouble. For this they are wont to advise anyone making a general confession to make it to the priest whom he intends to choose for his ordinary confessor in future, that he may be the better able to help him for having fuller knowledge of his soul, The temptations and evil motions that a man feels at present are apt many a time to be traces and remnants of old weaknesses, the penalty and punishment of an evil past life; and so, however recollected and fenced in from the world the man now be, he will suffer against his will what he would not, in pain and penalty for past license and evil habits. In that case there is no reason for him to be frightened; what he has to do is to practise patience and humility, and try to gather from it sorrow and shame, not only for the present, but also for the past; and so it will do him no harm.

Finally, it is to be observed here that giving an account of one’s conscience and going to confession, generally, are distinct things in the Society, as is evident from the different rules that we have on the subject and by the difference of their purpose and matter. It is at the same time a certain fact that anyone may give an account of his conscience either in confession or out of confession, as shall better please him and make for the greater comfort of his soul, since that is expressly stated in the Constitutions. But here is to be observed a thing which our Father General Claudius Aquaviva observes in the instruction which he gave to visitors. And this being such a serious subject, I have thought it well to put here Father Aquaviva’s exact words, which are the following. After having laid down the difference there is between an account of conscience and confession, and after having said that anyone that likes may give his account of conscience in confession, he goes on to say: “Wherefore, though no one is to be obliged in the Society to give his account of conscience out of confession—seeing that the Constitutions leave it to the choice of each in view of his greater comfort and consolation— yet they deserve praise who, excepting things which properly belong to confession, which things may be manifested to the superior in confession, give their account of conscience out of confession, and reveal themselves entirely to the superior, that superiors may use this knowledge freely, and without let or hindrance, to direct and govern their subjects to their greater advantage and to the greater service of God.” Thus it is better to give the account of conscience out of confession, and so to show greater confidence in the superior; even as he who puts a jewel into the hand of his friend to keep for him shows greater confidence in him than if he gave it in a casket locked and sealed and took away the key.