No Catholic can validly receive the sacrament of penance who refuses to assume the responsibility of restitution for injustices committed, and who does not at least promise sincerely to acquit himself at the first favorable opportunity and to the extent of his capacity.  This means that only on these conditions can the sin be forgiven by God.  That man is not disposed sufficiently to receive absolution who continually neglects opportunities to keep his promise; who refuses to pay any, because he cannot pay all; who decides to leave the burden of restitution to his heirs, even with the wherewith to do so.  It is better not to go to confession at all than to go with these dispositions; it is better to wait until you can make up your mind.

CHAPTER XCVII.  GETTING RID OF ILL-GOTTEN GOODS.

It may happen that a person discover among his legitimately acquired possessions something that does not in reality belong to him.  He may have come by it through purchase, donation, etc.; he kept it in good faith, thinking that he had a clear title to it.  He now finds that there was an error somewhere, and that it is the property of some one else.  Of course, he is not the lawful owner, and does not become such by virtue of his good faith; although, in certain given circumstances, if the good faith, or ignorance of error, last long enough, a title may be acquired by prescription, and the possessor become the lawful owner.  But we are not considering the question of prescription.

It is evident, then, that our friend must dispossess himself in favor of the real owner, as soon as the latter comes upon the scene and proves his claim.  But the possessor may in all innocence have alienated the goods, destroyed or consumed them; or they may have perished through accident or fatality.  In the latter case, nothing remains to refund, no one is to blame, and the owner must bear the loss.  Even in the former case, if the holder can say in conscience that he in nowise became richer by the possession and use of the goods in question, he is not bound to make restitution.  If, however, there be considerable profits, they rightly belong to the owner, and the possessor must refund the same.

But the question arises as to how the holder is to be compensated for the expenditure made in the beginning and in good faith when he purchased the goods which he is now obliged to hand over to another.  Impartial justice demands that when the rightful owner claims his goods, the holder relinquish them, and he may take what he gets, even if it be nothing.  He might claim a compensation if he purchased what he knew to be another’s property, acting in the interests of that other and with the intention of returning the same to its owner.  Otherwise, his claim is against the one from whom he obtained the article, and not against him to whom he is obliged to turn it over.