DELAZIONE. — The disclosure of a person’s actions to another, with the aim of arousing or nourishing in the latter’s mind feelings of hatred and vengeance against the former. Thus, d. is inspired by the hatred or personal interest of the informer; it aims at hatred toward the person denounced and often at harming him in his good name or possessions; it employs every means, even the basest, such as detraction, calumny, and violation of secrets, which should instead be respected. Denunciation is something quite different.
The morality of d. is deduced from the general principles of morality. Because of the hatred which it always seeks to arouse and by which it is often inspired, d. is always a fault against charity and is generally a grave fault, since it wounds one’s neighbor’s feelings by causing serious distress. Almost always it is also a fault against the virtue of justice, both because of the unjust means it employs and because of the harm it directly inflicts or indirectly causes. Where injustice is present, in addition to the moral offense there is an obligation to make reparation for the harm. The gravity of this harm determines the gravity of the injustice and of the corresponding obligation of reparation.
Anonymous d. must never be taken into consideration; but this does not thereby exempt the informer from his moral responsibilities. These responsibilities, at least by reason of cooperation, are also shared by anyone who accepts the d., in addition to any other responsibilities he may incur through acts undertaken on his own initiative.