THE "SUMMA THEOLOGICA" THIRD PART. QUESTION LXXXIV. OF THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. (In Ten Articles.) We must now consider the Sacrament of Penance. We shall consider (i) Penance itself: (2) Its effect: (3) Its parts: (4) The recipients of this sacrament: (5) The power of the ministers, which pertains to the keys : (6) The solemnization of this sacrament. The first of these considerations will be twofold: (i) Penance as a sacrament: (2) Penance as a virtue. Under the first head there are ten points of inquiry: (i) Whether Penance is a sacrament ? (2) Of its proper matter. (3) Of its form. (4) Whether imposition of hands is necessary for this sacrament ? (5) Whether this sacrament is necessary for salvation ? (6) Of its relation to the other sacraments. (7) Of its institution. (8) Of its duration. (9) Of its continuance. (10) Whether it can be repeated ? First Article, whether penance is a sacrament ? We proceed thus to the First Article : — Objection i. It seems that Penance is not a sacrament. For Gregory says (cf. Isidor., — Etym. vi., ch. 19): The sacraments are Baptism, Chrism, and the Body and Blood of Christ ; which are called sacraments because under the veil
