FRATERNAL CORRECTION AND DETRACTION

We have been asked by several of you to go into this matter again, because there is some confusion about how this must be handled. We shall start with a consideration of Our Lords words on this subject and then go into the matter in more detail, so that all sins may be avoided. But if thy brother shall offend against thee, go and rebuke him between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou shalt gain thy brother. And if he will not hear thee: take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand. And if he will not hear them: tell the church. And if he will not hear the church: let him be to thee as the heathen and publican., Matthew 18:15-17 The Douay Rheims footnotes are copious for these three verses, so let us explore these and meditate on this matter carefully. We shall also consider the writings of the Fathers on this most important subject. But if thy brother shall offend against thee, go and rebuke him between thee and him alone. If he shall hear thee, thou shalt gain thy brother., Matthew 18:15 Leviticus 19:17: Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart: but reprove him openly, lest thou incur sin through him. Ecclesiasticus 19:13-18: Reprove a friend, lest he may not have understood, and say: I did it not. Or if he did it, that he may do it no more. Reprove thy neighbor, for it may be he hath not said it: and if he hath said it, that he may not say it again. Admonish thy friend: for there is often a fault committed. And believe not every word. There is one that slippeth with the tongue, but not from his heart. For who is there that hath not offended with his tongue? Admonish thy neighbor before thou threaten him. And give place to the fear of the Most High: for the fear of God is all wisdom. James 5:19-20: My brethren, if any of you err from the truth and one convert him: He must know that he who causeth a sinner to be converted from the error of his way shall save his soul from death and shall cover a multitude of sins. Saint Augustine: Our Lord admonishes us not to overlook one anothers faults, yet not so much as seeking for matter of blame, but watching what you may amend. For our rebuke should be in love, not eager to wound, but anxious to amend. If you pass it by, you are become worse than he. He by doing you a wrong hath done himself a great hurt; you slight your brothers wound, and are more to blame by silence than he for his ill words to you. Saint Isidore: But if any one spares reproof of evil doers, because he seeks a fitter occasion, or fears to make them worse, or that they may be an impediment to the good and pious living of other weak ones, or may grieve them, or turn them from the faith; herein there is seen no considerations of covetousness, but the prudence of charity. 1

Saint John Chrysostom: And he says not, Accuse him, nor, Chide with him, not, demand redress, but, Tell him his fault; that is, remind him of his sin, tell him what things you have suffered from him. We are to tell his fault to the man himself who did it, and not to another, because the party takes it with the more patience from him, and above all when they are together alone. For when he who had a right to demand reparation, shews rather a carefulness to heal the sore, this has great power to propitiate. Saint Jerome: Thy brother is to be reproved in private, lest if once he has lost a sense a shame, he should continue in sin. And if he will not hear thee: take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may stand., Matthew 18:16 Deuteronomy 19:15: One witness shall not rise up against any man, whatsoever the sin or wickedness be. But in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall stand. John 8:17: And in your law it is written that the testimony of two men is true. II Corinthians 13:1: Behold, this is the third time I am coming to you: In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word stand. Hebrews 10:28: A man making void the law of Moses dieth without any mercy under two or three witnesses. And if he will not hear them: tell the church. And if he will not hear the church: let him be to thee as the heathen and publican., Matthew 18:17 I Corinthians 5:9: I wrote to you an epistle not to keep company with fornicators. II Thessalonians 3:14-15: And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man and do not keep company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet do not esteem him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother. Saint John Chrysostom: That is, to those that are over the Church. Gloss: Or, tell it to the whole Church, that his infamy may be the greater. After all these things follows excommunication, which ought to be inflicted by the mouth of the Church, that is, by the Priest, and when he excommunicates, the whole Church works with him; as it follows: And if he will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as the heathen and the publican. Q814 of The Baltimore Catechism #3/ When are we bound to admonish the sinner? A/ We are bound to admonish the sinner when the following conditions are fulfilled: 1. When his fault is a mortal sin 2. When we have authority or influence over him 3. And when there is reason to believe that our warning will not make him worse instead of better.

Commentary
Notice that We have simply quoted many pertinent things at first before proceeding to Our own commentary and summary. This matter is so important that We think all should study and meditate on the matter before reading Our own commentary. The Baltimore Catechism summarizes the three conditions of Fraternal Correction: 1. When his fault is a mortal sin 2. When we have authority or influence over him 3. And when there is reason to believe that our warning will not make him worse instead of better Meditate well on these three conditions. First the matter must be a mortal sin on his part. So we should, therefore forgive all venial sins committed against us or another. Second we should have authority (Paternal Correction) or influence (Fraternal Correction) over the person. Now those in authority are under a double obligation in this matter. Pastors must correct their parishioners; fathers must correct their wives and children; mothers, their children, etc. Now anyone may correct another fraternally, whether inferior, equal or even a superior, as reported by Saint Thomas Aquinas in his Summa Theologica. Finally there must be hope for amendment. If by saying something we will make him worse WE ARE BOUND TO KEEP SILENT! Leviticus 19:15-18: But judge thy neighbor according to justice. Thou shalt not be a detractor nor a whisperer among the people. Thou shalt not stand against the blood of thy neighbor. I am the Lord. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart: but reprove him openly, lest thou incur sin through him. Seek not revenge, nor be mindful of the injury of thy citizens. Thou shalt love thy friend as thyself. I am the Lord. We expanded on this reference, because it outlines the sins surrounding this matter. Our obligation is simple, to correct the offender. This forbids telling every Tom, Dick and Harry about the matter. Saint Jerome: Thy brother is to be reproved in private, lest if once he has lost a sense a shame, he should continue in sin. What will happen if a person finds out that his sin has been published to others before being admonished himself? He will be angry, and rightfully so! He will probably not amend. Here we touch on the mortal sin of detraction, which is extremely common today. In fact there are whole television programs devoted to this mortal sin. We can take the example of President Clintons sins, which were published to all. Although they were certainly mortal sins, do we have a right to know them? Do we have a need to know them? Let us read from Saint Pius Xths Castechism: Q. What is detraction or backbiting? A. Detraction or backbiting is a sin which consists in making known another's sins and defects without sufficient reason. We are forbidden under pain of sin to reveal the faults of others without sufficient reason. Basically, Jesus requires us to follow the order of correction, which He outlined in Saint Matthews Gospel: 1. Admonish the person alone 3

2. Take two or three others 3. Tell the Church, who will decide what further action needs to be taken, if any. Notice what is missing? Tell the world. It is left to the discretion of the Church, when the world should be informed. Gloss: Or, tell it to the whole Church, that his infamy may be the greater. After all these things follows excommunication, which ought to be inflicted by the mouth of the Church, that is, by the Priest, and when he excommunicates, the whole Church works with him; as it follows: And if he will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as the heathen and the publican. If the Church deems the matter serious enough, it excommunicates the offender. Otherwise we are still obliged to keep silent.

Detraction
This sin needs much consideration, since it is so common today. Detraction is telling the truth about someone, but to a person who has no need to know. The classic example used in Moral Theology is a man, who had been in prison and finished his sentence. He has changed his ways and moved to a new location. Another person comes to that area, who knows of the mans past. He then begins to publish it to everyone. This second man has committed a mortal sin of detraction, for a person has the right to his good name, EVEN IF IT IS UNDESERVED. One may argue that the crime should be published to protect the common good. The example used is the case of a sexual predator. This is where our jurispurdence system has gone totally awry. Prison is not for the punishment of the offender, nor even for his amendment, but to protect the innocent. In times past, those whose amendment was improbable were executed, for the common good. It was hoped that the person would get right with God prior to being executed, so that not only would the innocent be protected, but the person in question might save his soul as well. Notice, that everything is ordered to the salvation of souls. Prudent Third Party Now some moral theologians permit us to talk to a prudent third party about a problem we are having with others. And so this must be defined. A prudent third party is a person, who is detached from the situation. For instance, we can talk to a Confessor or Spiritual Advisor about a matter. Usually a prudent third party is not a relative, because a relative will be prejudiced in our favor, and we need someone who is totally impartial. And why do we consult them? To obtain advice on how best to handle the situation, because no one is a judge in their own cause. We want someone who is indifferent and will give us good advice. Who knows, we may actually be the one at fault, or the problem may be a two way street and we must begin with an apology before proceeding?!! We do not go to a third party to simply vent our spleen or to rationalize our actions. This is the sin of detraction.

Calumny
This is the sin many detractors often fall in to. The story, as it stands, is simply not good enough, so we add to it. This is a worse sin, because now we are not even telling the truth. Remember that detraction is a mortal sin, if we are publishing a serious matter that we should not publish, and most things should not be mentioned. Let everyone close by considering the rest of Saint Pius Xths Catechism on the Eighth Commandment:

Saint Pius Xths Catechism The Eighth Commandment

1 Q. What does the Eighth Commandment, Thou shalt not bear false witness, forbid? A. The Eighth Commandment, Thou shalt not bear false witness, forbids false testimony in a court of justice, and it also forbids backbiting, detraction, calumny, adulation, rash judgement and rash suspicion and every sort of lying. 2 Q. What is detraction or backbiting? A. Detraction or backbiting is a sin which consists in making known another's sins and defects without sufficient reason. 3 Q. What is calumny? A. Calumny is a sin which consists in maliciously attributing to another faults and defects which he did not possess. 4 Q. What is adulation? A. Adulation is a sin which consists in deceiving another by falsely praising him or others for the purpose of profiting thereby. 5 Q. What is rash judgement or rash suspicion? A. Rash judgement or rash suspicion is a sin which consists in judging or suspecting evil of others without sufficient foundation. 6 Q. What is a lie? A. A lie is a sin which consists in asserting as true or false by word or act that which one does not believe to be really the case. 7 Q. How many kinds of lies are there? A. There are three kinds: The jocose lie, the officious lie, and the malicious lie. 8 Q. What is a jocose lie? A. A jocose lie is that which is told in jest and without injury to anyone. 9 Q. What is an officious lie? A. An officious lie is a false statement to benefit oneself or another without injuring anyone else. 10 Q. What is a malicious lie? A. A malicious lie is a false statement made to the injury of another. 5

11 Q. Is it ever lawful to tell a lie? A. It is never lawful to tell a lie, neither in joke, nor for one's own benefit, nor for the benefit of another, because a lie is always bad in itself. 12 Q. What kind of sin is a lie? A. A lie when jocose or officious is a venial sin; but when malicious it is a mortal sin if the harm done is grave. 13 Q. Is it always necessary to say all one's mind? A. It is not always necessary, especially when he who questions you has no right to know what he demands. 14 Q. Is it enough for him who has sinned against the Eighth Commandment to confess the sin? A. It is not enough for him who has sinned against the Eighth Commandment to confess the sin; he is also obliged to retract whatever he said when calumniating another, and to repair as far as he can the harm he has done. 15 Q. What does the Eighth Commandment command us to do? A. The Eighth Commandment commands us to speak the truth at the proper time and place, and, as far as we can, to put a good interpretation upon the actions of our neighbour. Issued by Pope Michael, August 9, 1999.