The Truth about Mental Reservations Part 1: Introduction and Reference

JMJ

Introduction

The truth matters to me and there are few things that trigger me as strongly as the truth of a matter (pun). This may be due to my Mother's ability to always catch me in a lie or my inability to lie well :-). Nonetheless, I am strongly triggered by falsehood and being who I am, I don't back down in an argument as I believe that by having discussions we can drive towards the truth of a matter ... at least as close to it as possible in this life.

However, being the the son of a man who escaped a communist regime, I also realize that speaking the truth in an imprudent manner could lead to unpleasantries.

This is the reason why I decided to study the Catholic principles of mental reservations. The fruit of my labours will be this new series.

Mental reservations are the act of withholding some information when answering a question without directly lying. There are conditions where it is unlawful to conceal the truth, there are times when it is allowed and then there are the times when it is necessary.

Understanding how to recognize and react to these three conditions is the purpose of this series.

P^3

Tags: Series - Church Teaching,Series - Mental Reservations,Collection - Moral Theology,

The Truth about Mental Reservations Part 1: Introduction and Reference

The Truth about Mental Reservations Part 2: Defining Mental Reservations

The Truth about Mental Reservations Part 3: Employing Mental Reservations

The Truth about Mental Reservations Part 4: Conclusion

Reference

For this series, I used the following reference:

MORAL THEOLOGY - A Complete Course Based on St. Thomas Aquinas and the Best Modern Authorities

BY JOHN A. MCHUGH, O.P. and CHARLES J. CALLAN, O.P.
REVISED AND ENLARGED BY EDWARD P. FARRELL, O.P.

Publisher

NEW YORK CITY JOSEPH F. WAGNER, INC.
LONDON: B. HERDER
All Rights Reserved by Joseph F. Wagner, Inc., New York
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Approvals

Nihil Obstat: ELWOOD FERRER SMITH, O.P., S.T.M. and BENJAMIN URBAN FAY, O.P., S.T.LR.
Imprimi Potest: VERY REV. WILLIAM D. MARRIN, O.P., P.G., S.T.M., Provincial
Nihil Obstat: JOHN A. GOODWINE, J.C.D., Censor Librorum
Imprimatur: + FRANCIS CARDINAL SPELLMAN
The nihil obstat and imprimatur are official declarations that a book or pamphlet is free of doctrinal or moral error. No implication is contained therein that those who have granted the nihil obstat and imprimatur agree with the contents, opinions or statements expressed.

[Transcriber's note: References to the Code of Canon Law in this work are to the 1917 version of the Code, later superseded by the 1983 version.]

Comments

News Roundup: October 19, 2026

+ JMJ Well ... I was looking in my blog drafts and found this list from after my News is an Addiction post. So ... yep ... not totally able to disconnect from the news world at this point. Frankly, I haven't read all of these articles - they catch my eye as I check for SSPX news regarding the exco's etc. So let's consider these topics as part of a higher level chronicle. They may not be key inflection points but helps to understand the flow of the world as perceived by the authors and myself who captured them as a snapshot in time. P^3 1 Popes Past Present and Future Benedict XVI and the Reforms of the Second Vatican Council: Re-Catholicizing the Liturgy—Part I - Adoremus RORATE CÆLI: France: Pope Lays Down the Law on Euthanasia RORATE CÆLI: "I went to France to preach the Gospel -- the Defense of Life is something that the Church believes very deeply" RORATE CÆLI: Image of the Day: the Pope at the Rebuilt Notre-Dame de Paris RORATE CÆLI: Leo XIV and the Place...

A Reply to Martin Blackshaw’s FLAWED Remnant article titled: FLAWED: SSPX Advice on Abortion-tainted Vaccines

+ JMJ An article has appeared in the Remnant (link to article) and I am afraid that there are a number of flaws in it that need to be addressed. The author, Martin Blackshaw, believes that both the Church and the SSPX are misapplying the principle of Moral Theology called 'Cooperation In Evil'. Unfortunately, Mr. Blackshaw rests most of his arguments on citing authors that support his position, without considering the possibility that they are wrong. This highlights a key factor in this crisis: ignorance of the faith and its application . I don't am not singling out Mr. Blackshaw for this criticism, I have observed that it applies to laity and religious, superior and subject a like. No one seems immune in this enduring crisis, myself included. I further believe that this ignorance is why so many Catholics, both traditional and non, rely on their gut feeling or "Catholic conscience" for charting their way through this crisis of the faith. While...

Infovaticana: Fernández resists correcting the legal ambiguities of the excommunication decree against the FSSPX (Be Careful What You Ask For!)

+ JMJ Well this is ... as always ... interesting... The Dicastery for Legislative Texts has attempted on several occasions to collaborate with the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith to resolve the legal contradictions that arose following the decree of excommunication against the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X (FSSPX), published on July 2. However, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, Prefect of the Doctrine of the Faith, does not appear willing to accept such collaboration, according to journalist Guido Horst in the German Catholic newspaper Die Tagespost. Infovaticana: Fernández resists correcting the legal ambiguities of the excommunication decree against the FSSPX I can see a few potential reasons for how we arrived with the obviously flawed decrees on the SSPX: Incompetence: The authors were so incompetent that they simply plagarized the 1988 declaration with the note from the 1990's. If this is the case, it makes sense that Cardinal CMF wouldn't want to be correc...

Morning and Evening and other sundry Prayers

+ JMJ Along the theme of P^3 (Prayer, Penance, Patience), and for my own reference ... here is a collection of Morning and Evening prayers from the Ideal Daily Missal along with some additional prayers. In this crisis of the Church, I do not think it is possible to do too much prayer, penance and have patience. P^3

Unhinged Catholics ... are they on the right path? How would you know? (Updated 2x with Response to Comments)

+ JMJ (Originally Published Sept 7, 2019, Updated July 30, 2022, Updated August 13, 2022) Based on Pope Francis' latest selections for Cardinals, the Church appears to be in deep winter. Just to be clear, I don't mean a Florida winter, I mean a Canadian winter. In the last 35+ years as a Trad, I've seen my fair share of Catholics suffering from, and dying of, mental and spiritual hypothermia. When a Catholic pours themselves into the 'fight', neglects their spiritual life, doesn't deepen their understanding of the Catholic Faith, then there is a good chance that they will become embittered, frustrated, and angry. With their narrowed perspectives they risk being blindsided and smacked in the head with a metaphorical 2x4. Just look at the headlines on canon212 for some examples. Here's some others: "Diabolically Disoriented" Michael Matt Reveals His True Colors as a Pied Piper Leading "Traditionalists" (i.e., real Cat...

Tradicat

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