re to
his children or heirs, and if these cannot be found we may give alms to
the poor.

Q. 1303. What must one do who cannot pay his debts and yet wishes to
receive the Sacraments?
A. One who cannot pay his debts and yet wishes to receive the Sacraments
must sincerely promise and intend to pay them as soon as possible, and
must without delay make every effort to do so.

Q. 1304. {377} Are we obliged to repair the damage we have unjustly
caused?
A. We are bound to repair the damage we have unjustly caused.

Q. 1305. {378} What is the eighth Commandment?
A. The eighth Commandment is: Thou shalt not bear false witness against
thy neighbor.

Q. 1306. {379} What are we commanded by the eighth Commandment?
A. We are commanded by the eighth Commandment to speak the truth in all
things, and to be careful of the honor and reputation of every one.

Q. 1307. What is a lie?
A. A lie is a sin committed by knowingly saying what is untrue with the
intention of deceiving. To swear to a lie makes the sin greater, and
such swearing is called perjury. Pretense, hypocrisy, false praise,
boasting, &c., are similar to lies.

Q. 1308. How can we know the degree of sinfulness in a lie?
A. We can know the degree of sinfulness in a lie by the amount of harm
it does and from the intention we had in telling it.

Q. 1309. Will a good reason for telling a lie excuse it?
A. No reason, however good, will excuse the telling of a lie, because a
lie is always bad in itself. It is never allowed, even for a good
intention to do a thing that is bad in itself.

Q. 1310. {380} What is forbidden by the eighth Commandment?
A. The eighth Commandment forbids all rash judgments, backbiting,
slanders, and lies.

Q. 1311. What are rash judgment, backbiting, slander and detraction?
A. Rash judgment is believing a person guilty of sin without a
sufficient cause. Backbiting is saying evil things of another in his
absence. Slander is telling lies about another with the intention of
injuring him. Detraction is revealing the sins of another without
necessity.

Q. 1312. Is it ever allowed to tell the faults of another?
A. It is allowed to tell the faults of another when it is necessary to
make them known to his parents or superiors, that the faults may be
corrected and the wrong doer prevented from greater sin.

Q. 1313. What is tale-bearing, and why is it wrong?
A. Tale-bearing is the act of telling persons what others have said
about them, especially i