What is meant by contrition?
It is that sorrow, of the supernatural order, which the sinner has in thinking of the sins he has committed; thereon he resolves to go to the priest, the minister of God, in order to confess them and to receive some penalty in satisfaction which he resolves to perform faithfully (Supplement, I. 1).
What is necessary for this sorrow to be supernatural?
In order to be supernatural it is necessary for this sorrow to be caused by some motive which refers to the order of grace; this motive may commence with the fear of punishment with which, as one knows by faith, God threatens the sinner; so with the hope of obtaining pardon one does penance, whereby one comes to detest the sin in itself which threatens death to the soul, or at least in so far as it is contrary to one's supernatural good and perfect life, and above all, by reason that it offends God, the supreme object of our love (I. 1, 2).
If one detest sin for the sole reason of the punishment which God will inflict for sin either in this life or the next, would one have contrition?
No, for to have contrition it is necessary to detest sin because of the evil it does the soul; this evil is the loss of God, who can be possessed by us in this life through grace, and in the next life by glory (I. 2).
What then is that sorrow called which consists in detesting sin only because of the fear of punishment?
It is called attrition (I. 2, Obj. 2).
What then is the precise difference between attrition and contrition?
The first is sorrow for sin caused by a motive of servile fear; whereas contrition is caused by a motive of filial fear or of the pure love of God (I. 2).
Does attrition suffice in order to obtain pardon of one's sins in the sacrament of Penance?
With attrition one may approach the sacrament of Penance; at the moment, however, of receiving the grace of the sacrament by the absolution of the priest, this attrition is succeeded in the soul by contrition (I. 3).
Must contrition be directed to all sins committed?
Yes, and in particular at the beginning of the movement of sorrow for sins, especially if the sins be mortal; but at the end of this movement of sorrow it is sufficient that sorrow be directed in a general way towards the sins committed by detesting sin as an offence against God (II. 3,6).
Next - The Catechism of the Summa - Tertia Pars - XXXIX. OF THE PART OF THE PENITENT IN THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE; OF CONTRITION, CONFESSION, AND SATISFACTION (C)
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