Two Concepts of Attrition and Contrition - Theological Studies

16 THEOLOGICAL STUDIES
The difference between the imperfect and perfect grief for sin is
viewed here on the objective or ontological level of reality; its psychological
revelation in the penitent's consciousness is only a secondary
consideration, in so far as our human consciousness can reflect the
ontological reality within our souls. 50 Do not then the motives of fear
and love and the reasons which motivate the sorrow and detestation
of sin constitute the differentiating factor of attrition and contrition?
No, St. Thomas does not distinguish attrition and contrition (primarily,
at any rate) from their respective motives. 51 This appears particularly
from his study on the role of fear, timor, and its connection
with charity. 52 His conclusions can be put briefly as follows.
First, a filial fear, that is, a fear of the guilt involved in sin and not
of the punishment due, necessarily goes together with charity; nor can
charity exist without it. 53
Second, the servile fear is twofold. Either it is a fear of the penalty
and not of the guilt. After St. Thomas this came to be called timor
serviliter servilis; this cannot coexist with charity; it is sinful and in
any case insufficient to motivate a salutary repentance. 54 Or it is
primarily a fear of the punishment but also secondarily a fear of the
guilt; what we now call timor simpliciter senilis; this can exist both
together with charity or without it. Charity does not of its nature
exclude this fear. 55
of Moos, Scriptum super Sententiis, vol. 4, Paris, 1947, p. 861)... . Et ideo significat attritio
in spiritualibus quamdam displicentiam de peccatis commissis, sed non perfectam;
contritio autem perfectam." Cf. Dondaine, op. cit., pp. 7 ff.
60
Cf. De Vooght, op. cit., p. 231: "La raison profonde qui di£f6rencie l'attrition et la
contrition et qui est la cause de toutes les autres, c'est qu'elle n'est pas un acte de la vertu
infuse; elle n'est pas informee par la grace."
61
Except only in a secondary way and as conjectural sign. It is true (cf. De Vooght,
op. cit., p. 231; Dondaine, op. cit, p. 9) that for St. Thomas also ordinarily the motive
or better the principle of attrition is servile fear, whilst contrition proceeds from charity.
Yet the presence or absence of the motive of fear is not the chief differentiating sign of
attrition and contrition. Cf. De Blic, op. cit., pp. 339 f., 350. For fear as principle of initial
contrition (or attrition) cf. In IV Sent., d. 14, q. 1, a. 2, sol. 1: "ut in pluribus ex timore
paenitentia initium sumit."
62
Sum. Theol., II-II, q. 19, De dono timoris.
63
Loc. cit., a. 2 et passim.
u
Loc. cit., a. 4: "Timor servilis, in quantum servilis est, caritati contrariatur"; a. 6:
"contrariatur caritati secundum quod aliquis refugit poenam contrariam bono suo naturali
sicut principale malum contrarium bono quod diligitur ut finis."
65
Loc. cit., a. 6: "Timor inquantum servilis non manet cum caritate; sed substantia