FRATERNAL CORRECTION. — It is the private admonition given to a person to remove him from sin. The motive of fraternal correction is charity, its end the amendment of the sinner (Stum. Theol., 2a-2ae, q. 33, n. 1); hence it is distinguished from so-called judicial correction, which is carried out by a superior in his official capacity, with the primary aim of safeguarding the good of the community and only indirectly of restoring the erring person to the path of good.
Fraternal correction proceeds from natural law, being a special application of the love which we are bound to have for our neighbor; but it has also been reaffirmed and perfected by positive divine law (Mt 18:15). In order to be obliged to perform fraternal correction, however, certain conditions must be met, namely: 1) knowledge that the neighbor has fallen into a grave fault; 2) the belief that the correction will be effective; 3) the belief that the sinner will not rise again unless he is recalled; 4) that the correction is not excessively burdensome for the one who must perform it (Stum. Theol., 2a-2ae, q. 33, a. 3). The order to be observed in fraternal correction is that taught by Christ Himself (Mt 18:15): it should be done in secret; if this proves unavailing, the matter should be reported to the superiors. This order must be observed so as not to compromise the good name of the neighbor whom one is bound to recall; yet one may depart from it when the sin or evil is already public or is about to become unavoidably public; and one must depart from it when otherwise third parties or the community would suffer harm. Fraternal correction must always be done with mildness and charity, with humility and gentleness; never, therefore, with a spirit of vengeance or with ill will to humiliate the fallen and erring brother.