jetan (1496-1534), Sa (1530-1596), Azor
(1539-1603), Sanchez (1550-1610), Roncaglai (1677-1737), Concina
(1687-1756), and St. Alphonsus, the great Doctor of prayer (1696-1787).

According to the other opinion, external attention suffices always and
ever to satisfy substantially the obligation of reading the office and
for the avoidance of mortal sin which invalid recitation entails. For,

(1) To pray is to speak to God, to trust in Him, to manifest to Him the
wishes and wants of the soul; but this can be done by a person who has
voluntary distractions of mind, just as a man can read to his king an
address, setting forth the thanks and requests of his subjects, although
the reader's mind is far from dwelling on the words or the meaning of
the sentences before his eyes. But he is careful to read all the words
in a clear, intelligible manner. Now the theologians who maintain this
opinion say that, _a fortiori_, this method of reading the Hours should
be valid; for, in the reading the priest acts principally in the name of
the Church, as her minister, and offers up prayers to God in her name,
and they say that the irreverence of the servant does not render the
prayer of the Church unpleasing to Him,

(2) He who makes a vow, and resolves to do a certain act, fulfils his
vow, even when fulfilling it he acts with voluntary distractions; so, a
pari, with the recitation of the office,

(3) The administration of the sacraments--even the administration of
Extreme Unction, the form of which is a prayer--with full voluntary
distractions is valid; so, too, should be the recital of
Breviary prayers.

(4) In the other opinion it is hard to see how, if voluntary
distractions destroy the substance of prayer, involuntary distractions
do not produce similar effect, and hence, there can be no prayer if
there be distraction of any kind.

This opinion was held by Lugo (1583-1660), Gobat (1600-1679), Sporer
(1609-1683), St. Antonnius (1389-1459), and other eminent men. It is
quoted by St. Alphonsus, as _satis probabilis_. Of it, Lehmkuhl writes,
"Quae ad substantiam divini officii dicamus satis probabiliter
sufficere cum intentione orandi observasse attentionem externam"
(II. 635).

What are the divisions or kinds of internal attention?

I. Objectively they are (1) spiritual attention, (2) literal attention,
(3) superficial or material attention. Spiritual attention is that
advertence of soul which tends towards God, the Term of all p