Canon 1344. Even though the law may use obligatory words, the judge may, according to his own conscience and prudence:

1° defer the imposition of the penalty to a more opportune time, if it is foreseen that greater evils may arise from a too hasty punishment of the offender, unless there is an urgent need to repair scandal;

2° abstain from imposing the penalty or substitute a milder penalty or a penance, if the offender has repented, as well as having repaired any scandal and harm caused, or if the offender has been or foreseeably will be sufficiently punished by the civil authority;

3° may suspend the obligation of observing an expiatory penalty, if the person is a first- offender after a hitherto blameless life, and there is no urgent need to repair scandal; this is, however, to be done in such a way that if the person again commits an offence within a time laid down by the judge, then that person must pay the penalty for both offences, unless in the meanwhile the time for prescription of a penal action in respect of the former offence has expired.

Etiamsi lex utatur verbis praeceptivis, iudex pro sua conscientia et prudentia potest:

1° poenae irrogationem in tempus magis opportunum differre, si ex praepropera rei punitione maiora mala eventura praevideantur, nisi necessitas urgeat scandalum reparandi;

2° a poena irroganda abstinere vel poenam mitiorem irrogare aut paenitentiam adhibere, si reus emendatus sit, necnon scandalum et damnum forte illatum reparaverit, aut si ipse satis a civili auctoritate punitus sit vel punitum iri praevideatur;

3° obligationem servandi poenam expiatoriam suspendere, si reus primum post vitam laudabiliter peractam deliquerit neque necessitas urgeat reparandi scandalum, ita tamen ut, si reus intra tempus ab ipso iudice determinatum rursus deliquerit, poenam utrique delicto debitam luat, nisi interim tempus decurrerit ad actionis poenalis pro priore delicto praescriptionem.