Those Who Have the Virtue of Penance

As a man is curable by reason of his sound health, even though he never had a disease, so a man may have the virtue of penance, even though he has never sinned actually. The virtue of penance is infused by God with the other supernaturalvirtues.

The virtue of penance is a part of justice,and justice will remain in the soul in heaven. Hence the virtue of penance also will remain in the soul. But in heaven the act of the virtue of penance will not be grief for sin, but joyousthanksgiving to God for his mercy in pardoning sin.

There can be no virtue of penance in the angels, forthe good angels have not committed sin, nor are they capable now of committing it. And the evil angels are fixed and determined in their sinful will, and cannot be repentant.