qual, an injury is a more
grievous sin according as it affects more persons; and hence it is
that it is a more grievous sin to strike or injure a person in
authority than a private individual, because it conduces to the
injury of the whole community, as stated above (I-II, Q. 73, A. 9).
Now when an injury is inflicted on one who is connected in any way
with another, that injury affects two persons, so that, other things
being equal, the sin is aggravated by this very fact. It may happen,
however, that in view of certain circumstances, a sin committed
against one who is not connected with any other person, is more
grievous, on account of either the dignity of the person, or the
greatness of the injury.

Reply Obj. 1: An injury inflicted on a person connected with others
is less harmful to the persons with whom he is connected, than if it
were perpetrated immediately on them, and from this point of view it
is a less grievous sin. But all that belongs to the injury of the
person with whom he is connected, is added to the sin of which a man
is guilty through injuring the other one in himself.

Reply Obj. 2: Injuries done to widows and orphans are more insisted
upon both through being more opposed to mercy, and because the same
injury done to such persons is more grievous to them since they have
no one to turn to for relief.

Reply Obj. 3: The fact that the wife voluntarily consents to the
adultery, lessens the sin and injury, so far as the woman is
concerned, for it would be more grievous, if the adulterer oppressed
her by violence. But this does not remove the injury as affecting her
husband, since "the wife hath not power of her own body; but the
husband" (1 Cor. 7:4). The same applies to similar cases. Of
adultery, however, as it is opposed not only to justice but also to
chastity, we shall speak in the treatise on Temperance (Q. 154, A. 8).
_______________________

QUESTION 66

OF THEFT AND ROBBERY
(In Nine Articles)

We must now consider the sins opposed to justice, whereby a man
injures his neighbor in his belongings; namely theft and robbery.

Under this head there are nine points of inquiry:

(1) Whether it is natural to man to possess external things?

(2) Whether it is lawful for a man to possess something as his own?

(3) Whether theft is the secret taking of another's property?

(4) Whether robbery is a species of sin distinct from theft?

(5) Whether every theft is a sin?

(6) Whether theft is