Alexander VII, 1655-1667

appropriated to the celebrant himself, and this after the decree of Urban VIII.¹

1109. 9. After the decree of Urban,² a priest, to whom Masses are given to be celebrated, can give satisfaction through another, by paying a smaller stipend to him and retaining the other part of the stipend for himself.

1110. 10. It is not contrary to justice to accept a stipend for several sacrifices and to offer one sacrifice. Nor, is it contrary to fidelity if I promise, with a promise confirmed also by an oath, to him who gives a stipend, what I offer for no one else.

1111. 11. We are not bound to express in a subsequent confession sins omitted in confession or forgotten because of the imminent danger of death or for some other reason.

1112. 12. Mendicants can absolve from cases reserved for bishops, when the faculty of the bishop was not obtained for this.

1113. 13. He satisfies the precept of an annual confession, who confesses to a regular, presented to a bishop, but unjustly reproved by him.

1114. 14. He who makes no confession voluntarily, satisfies the precept of the Church.

1115. 15. A penitent by his own authority can substitute another for himself, to fulfill the penance in his place.

1116. 16. Those who have provided a benefice can select as confessor for themselves a simple priest not approved by the ordinary.

1117. 17. It is permitted a religious or a cleric to kill a calumniator who threatens to spread grave crimes about him or his order, when no other means of defense is at hand; as it seems not to be, if a calumniator be ready to spread the aforesaid about the religious himself or his order publicly or among people of importance, unless he be killed.

1118. 18. It is permitted to kill a false accuser, false witnesses, and even a judge, from whom an unjust sentence threatens with certainty, if the innocent can avoid harm in no other way.

1119. 19. A husband does not sin by killing on his own authority a wife caught in adultery.

1120. 20. The restitution imposed by Pius V³ upon those who have received benefits but not reciting [the Divine Office in fulfillment of their obligation] is not due in conscience before the declaratory sentence of the judge, because it is a penalty.

1121. 21. He who has a collective chaplaincy, or any other ecclesiastical benefit, if he is busy with the study of letters, satisfies his obligation, if he recites the office through another.