RECONCILIATION FINAL EXAM REVIEWER

Thomas Aquinas admitted the value of contrition and penitential works at the same time the
words of absolution as essential part of the rites.

The matter considered in the actions of the penitent and the priest: penitent confesses and feels
sorrow for sins, the priest listens and pronounces the words of absolution, the penitent performed
the assigned penance. The form was formed in the words “I absolve you from your sins…”

As sacrament, penance is necessary not absolutely

Contrition was needed for the sacrament to be effective, as without it, it’s a mere formality
effecting no real remission of sins. It has to be a perfect contrition - the love of God would lead to
true repentance and remission of sin.

John Duns Scotus (d. 1308)

• Observed that though there can be degrees in contrition, no one is sure it was intense
enough. He sees the sacrament as a sure way to transform imperfect contrition to a
perfect one.
• Theologians began to see the purpose of penance as means
o To forgive those who are not perfectly contrite and
o To remit part of the temporal punishment through the act of absolution.
• Ex opere operato is defined not the effectiveness as independent of the holiness of the
minister, but the effectiveness was automatic with the words of the priest. God forgives sins
by absolution rather than by requiring everyone to have perfect contrition
• Scotus conceived of sin in legal terms, as sin as a violation of divine commandments. The
sinner incurred a liability to punishement which remained even after receiving absolution
and this was meant by “remnants” of sin. God’s justice demanded that every fault be
punished, either in this life, or after death.
• The purpose of penance was to forgive sins of those who did not have perfect contrition
for their sins and to remit part of the temporal punishment that was due, and it worked
primarily through the act of absolution. Confession, contrition, and assigned penance was
non-essential (though needed for the sacrament to be fruitful).
• Penances were quite mild and gave no guarantee that they remitted more than part of the
temporal punishment that was due for sins that had been confessed. Most had to look
forward to spend at least part of eternity in purgatory and since there was no longer any
sacramental means to escape God’s punishment, they turned to legal means: indulgences.

The patristic practice of substitution or equivalents of penances was seen as an act of indulgencia
i.e. compassion.

In the 11th century some French bishops allowed the contributions for the support of churches or
monasteries as a substitute for penance.

In 1095, Pope Urban II offered “plenary” indulgences to all those who fought in the crusade.
Later, the grant extended to all those who financially supported the campaign.

Peter Abelard in the 12th century denounced these as excuses for greed on the part o the bishops
and laziness on the part of penitents. Bishops asserted the power of the keys and the practice
continued.

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Hugh of St. Cher, OP, taught that donations were not substitutions for penances at all but simply
prerequisites for gaining indulgences.

The popularity of indulgences was partially a result of the belief that they can be applied even to
departed relatives who might still be in purgatory. This led to abuses that reduced clerics to “street
vendors” who invite people to contribute by saying “When the coin in the coffer rings, the soul
from purgatory springs.”

In the hands of the uneducated clergy, this penitential practice led to abuses e.g., selling of
indulgences.

OCTOBER 24, 2023

In 1515 Pope Leo X reiterated the granting of induglences for the rebuilding of the St. Peter’s
Basilica. Martin Luther, a monk at that time, discovered that the Archbishop of Mainz was zealous
in preaching it in exchange for an ecclesiastical office. He denounced it in his 95 theses.

Martin Luther denounced this practice and the theology behind them. He announced that he was
willing to debate publicly no less than ninety-five points on the topic.

Leo X excommunicated Luther in 1520 and condemned forty-one of his ideas including those of
indulgences and twelve on penance. Luther denied the existence of any treasury of merits out of
which the Church could pay penalties due for sins, and caricatured indulgences as “pious frauds”
that duped the gullible.

Luther was ambivalent about the sacramentality of confession.

At the beginning, he still believed that it was a sacrament in the Catholic sense, but towards the
end of his life, he no longer considered it as a sacrament similar to Baptism and Eucharist; only a
sacrament in the broad sense, one instituted by the Church.

“Yes, I would rather bear the pope’s tyranny of fasting, ceremony, vestments, serving trays, capes,
and whatever else I could stand without doing violence to my faith, than have confession taken
from Christians.” Letter to Osiander

NOVEMBER 7, 2023

No “ex opere operato.” Only an intense experience of contrition that brought true forgiveness of
sins.

“Christ placed absolution in the mouth of his Church and commended it to release us from our
sins. Therefore, when our heart feels the burden of our sins and aches for consolation, we who are
Christians, find an undeniable refuge when we hear the word of God and learn that God, through
the ministry of a human being, releases us and absolves us from our sins.” (Large Catechism,
“Short Exhortation to Confession.”

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Only with active faith and confidence in God’s mercy; without faith, going through the ritual
would be mere formality, thus ineffective.

Sinners did not merit God’s forgiveness by the degree of contrition; Christ’s redemptive death on
the cross had earned God’s forgiveness once and for all.

The effect did not do any metaphysical cleansing of the soul but an experinece peace and joy that
came from the faith in God’s mercy. No fear of punishment in purgatory.

Simul justus et peccator, simultaneously just and a sinner, justified by the grace of God but still
sinful despite one’s best attempt to be good.

Confession is a sacramental way of realizing that sins were forgiven and of being freed from the
fear of punishment. Words of absolution as sacramental sign of God’s forgiveness but not
exclusive to the priests alone.

The words are effective because of the faith of the person who heard them. Christian could confess
their sins to one antoher, receive assurance of divine forgiveness from any layperson.

In 1567, the Dominican Pope (St.) Pius V ordered the cancellation of every indulgence for which
money had to be offered in order not to mislead people into believing that one can buy a place in
heaven.

Indulgence
Whether an indulgence can remit any part of the punishment due for the satisfaction of sins?

It is written (2 Cor 2:10): “For, what I have planned, if I have pardoned anything, for your sakes
have I done it in the person of Christ,” and a gloss adds: i.e. “as though Christ Himself had
pardoned.”

But Christ could remit the punishment of a sin without any satisfaction, as evidenced in the case of
the adulterous woman (John 8). Therefore Paul could do so likewise. Therefore the Pope can too,
since his power in the Church is not less than Paul’s. ST supp. Q25 A1

Further, the universal Church cannot err; since He who “was heard for His reverence” (Heb 5:7)
said to Peter, on whose profession of faith the Church was founded (Lk 22:32): “I have prayed for
thee that thy faith fail not.” Now the universal Church approves and grants indulgences.

Indulgences hold good both in the Church’s court and in the judgement of God, for the remission
of the punishment which remains after contrition, absolution, and confession… The reason why
they so avail is the oneness of the mystical body in which many have performed works of
satisfaction exceeding the requirements of their debts…

And this is especially due to the merits of Christ. For though He acts through the sacraments, yet
His efficacy is nowise restricted to them, but indefinitely surpasses their efficacy.

Council of Trent (1545)

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Canon VI - If any one denieth, either that sacramental confession was instituted, or is necessary to
salvation, of divine right; or saith, that the manner of confessing secretly to a priest alone, which
the Church hath ever observed from the beginning, and doth observe, is alien from the institution
and command of Christ, and is a human invention; let him be anathema. The Fourteenth Session.
November 25, 1551.

Canon VII - If any one saith, that, in the sacrament of Penance, it is not necessary, of divine right,
for the remission of sins, to confess all and singular the mortal sins which after due and diligent
previous meditation are remembered, even those (mortal sins) which are secret, and those which
are opposed to the two last commandments of the Decalogue, as also the circumstances which
change the species of a sin; but (saith) that such confession is only useful to instruct and console
the penitent, and that it was of old only observed in order to impose a canonical satisfaction or
saith that they, who strive to confess all their sins, wish to leave nothing to the divine mercy to
pardon; or, finally, that is not lawful to confess venial sins; let him be anathema.

The Necessity of the Sacrament

Penance is a moderated grief for past sins inasmuch as they offended God, with the intention of
removing them.

A true penitent is one moved by divine grace or a supernatural virtue to detest and to grieve over
sin, as an injury and offense to God, to correct and satisfy his sins.

The precept of penance does not oblige immediately after the commission of serious sin, though
one should desist immediately from sin and actual affection for it.

The precept urges at the moment of death or in danger of death or perpetual loss of reason. A
notable delay is reprobated in Scripture (Eccles 5:8-9; Rom 2:4-5) as it indicated a neglect of God
and failure in looking after one’s ultimate end.

The precept obliges accidentally: a. when a sacrament is celebrated or received; b. when another
precept or virtue (charity) requires a previous act of penance; c. when it is necessary to overcome
a serious temptation; d. when on wishes to evidence penance externally.

There is no special precept for slight sins, they may even be expiated in the next.

A deliberate will not to do penance repent is a special sin of impenitence; omission of penance is
not a special sin unless the obligation binds of itself. Sinners are to make sorrow for their sins as
soon as they are aware of them.

Penance embraces all personal sins.

The proper and principal material of penance are all actual serious sins that fully offend God and
render the sinner perfectly turned away from God.

The proper but secondary material is all slight sins, since they in some way offend God.

Mere imperfection are not generally material for penance but for the zeal of charity and motivation
for perfection.

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The Role of the Sacrament

The exteriorly manifested acts of penance have been raised by Christ to the sacramental level; as
mental of an effective sign of grace.

The sacrament must by necessity be received in actuality (in re) or at least in desire (in voto).
Perfect contrition alone is no longer able to destroy sin, except it is related to the sacrament. An
exploit desire is not required, an implicit desire suffices.

Whether Penance should last till the end of life?

I answer that, Penance is twofold, internal and external. Internal Penance is that whereby one
grieves for a sin one has committed, and this penance should last until the end of life. Because
man should always be displeased at having sinned, for if he were to be pleased thereat, he would
for this very reason fall into sin and lose the fruit of pardon. External penance is that whereby a
man shows external signs of sorrow, confesses his sins verbally to the priest who absolves him,
and makes satisfaction for his sins according to the judgment of the priest. Such penance need not
last until the end of life, but only for a fixed time according to the measure of the sin. ST III, Q 84,
A8

The sacrament is repeatable. It obliges seriously at the moment of death, and probable danger of
death or permanent loss of reason.

The omission is not a sin in itself but a violation of the other obligation which requires confession.
The precept does not require immediate confession.

The positive precept obliges those conscious of mortal sin to an actual confession.

NOVEMBER 14, 2023

Divine judgement is more merciful than human judgement.

The sacrament is administered in the manner of a judgement, or by a judicial act - the sinner is the
culprit, witness and accuser; the priest is the judge rendering sentence. The sacramental
judgement is directed to the absolution of the sinner and his reconciliation with God.

Essential Aspect of Penance

In Penance also, there is something which is sacrament only, sacramentum tantum, viz. the acts
performed outwardly both by the repentant sinner, and by the priest in giving absolution;

That which is reality and sacrament, res et sacramentum, is the sinner’s inward repentance; while
that which is reality, and not sacrament, res tantum, is the forgiveness of sin. ST III Q85 A.1

The sacrament has the power to remit through the infusion of sanctifying grace all sins however
grievous and repeated and restore the state of divine friendship. It takes away the eternal debt or
punishment, diminishes the temporal punishment, revives previous meritorious works, lessens evil
dispositions.

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CCC 1468-1469
1. Restoration to God’s grace and intimate friendship
2. Peace and serenity of conscience with strong spiritual consolation
3. A true Spiritual Resurrection, restoration of the dignity and blessings of the life of the
children of men
4. Reconciliation with the Church
5. Revitalization of the life of the Church which suffered from the sin of one of her
members.
6. Strengthening of the sinner by the exchange of spiritual goods (communion of saints)
among all the living members of the Body of Christ.
7. Those who committed grave sin are called back to the life they have lost (restoration). And
those who committed venial sins draw strength (reinvigoration) from a repeated
celebration of penance.

Possible compre questions:

1. What happens in purgatory?
a. Purgation of temporal punishment, not sins.
2. Why is redemption of Christ is more significant than creation for man?
a. Redemption is significant since creation is God’s masterpiece, yet in redemption,
not only he becomes close to God, but he is also elevated to supernatural degree.
Death becomes a means, not an end, to encounter eternal life.

NOVEMBER 21 2023

II. REQUIREMENTS for the Celebration of Penance

A. Requisite Material

The remote and necessary material of the sacrament is all serious sin committed after Baptism and
not yet duly submitted to the power of keys.

The remote, free, and sufficient material of the sacrament is the slight sins not yet confessed and
all actual sins already confessed and remitted.

The proximate material of the sacrament is the three acts of the penitent: contrition, confession,
and satisfaction.

Matter is twofold, viz. proximate and remote:

Now it has been stated (1, ad 1, ad 2), that the proximate matter of this sacrament consists in the
acts of the penitent, the matter of which acts are the sins over which he grieves, which he
confesses, and for which he satisfies.
Hence it follows that sins are the remote matter of Penance, as a matter, not for approval, but for
detestation, and destruction. ST III Q 84 A. 2

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B. Prescribed Words or Formula

Individual Absolution
The formula is the words by which the priest as judge passes sentence or absolution on sins. It
signifies the use and effect of the power of the keys. It expresses the exercise of the judicial power
given to the ministers and the actual effect.

I answer that, the perfection of a thing is ascribed to its form. Now it has been stated above (1, ad
2) that this sacrament is perfected by that which is done by the priest.
Wherefore the part taken by the penitent, whether it consist of words or deeds, must needs be the
matter of this sacrament, while the part taken by the priest, takes the place of the form. ST III Q 84
A. 3

Formula:
God, the Father of mercies, through death and resurrection of His Son has reconciled the world
the to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of
the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. (R. Amen)

Shorter form:
I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. (R.
Amen)

The words I absolve you are required for a valid formula.

The voluntary omission of the essential words is a serious sin. It invalidates the sacrament, or at
least exposes it to the danger of nullity.

Although the additional prayers are not necessary for absolution, in the absence of a justifying
cause, they should not be ommitted.

When grave necessity urges in danger of death, the priest may say the shorter form: I absolve you
from your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. (R. Amen)

Remission of Canonical Censures (e.g. Abortion)

For the celebration of the sacrament of penance for one who is also under canonical censure

REMISSION of CANONICAL CENSURES (e.g. abortion)

For the celebration of the sacrament of penance for one who is also under canonical censure, two
possibilities are envisioned:

1. The minister of the sacrament, if the law permits him to do so, remits the censure in the very act
of absolving from sin.

2. Alternatively, the minister, again if permitted by law, first remits the canonical censure in a
distinct act --- using extra sacramental formula -- before the absolution from sin.

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If sins are of themselves (ratione sui) reserved or to which a censure is attached (ratione censurae),
it suffices to intend to absolve a disposed penitent. He may, before absolving sins, absolve from a
censure with the formula.

By the power granted me, I absolve you from the bond of excommunication (or suspension or
interdict). In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

If a penitent has incurred an irregularity, the priest may dispense from the same, in confession and
after absolution, or outside the sacrament:

By the power granted me, I dispense you from the irregularity you have incurred. In the name of
the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

2. GENERAL ABSOLUTION
"Individual, integral confession and absolution remain the only ordinary way for the faithful to
reconcile themselves with God and the Church, unless physical or moral impossibility excuses
from this kind of confession." Decree on the Rite of Penance (1973)

However, legitimate, grave circumstances may arise which may impede private confession and
necessitate the granting of general absolution.

PASTORAL NORMS CONCERNING the ADMINISTRATION of GENERAL SACRAMENTAL

ABSOLUTION
Issued by the Sacred Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Approved by His Holiness Pope
Paul VI on June 16, 1972.

Pertinent Declarations:

2. when there is imminent danger of death and even though a priest or priests are present, they
have no time to hear the confession of each penitent. Any priest has the faculty to give general
absolution. If there is time, the priest exhorts them to make an act of contrition.

3. when there is serious necessity: (1) there are not enough confessors to hear properly the
confessions of each within an appropriate time, with the result that (2) the penitents through no
fault of their own would be forced to do without sacramental grace or Holy Communion for a long
time.

4. Local Ordinaries should see that the number of confessors should not be reduced because
some priests neglect this noble ministry (cf. Presbyterorum Ordinis, 5, 13, Christus Dominus, 30).

5. the decision as to when it is lawful to grant general sacramental absolution are reserved to the
local Ordinary after he has conferred with other members of the episcopal conference.

the priest is obliged to have previous recourse to the local Ordinary in order to grant the
absolution lawfully.

6. The faithful should be suitably disposed: each should

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(a) repent of the sins committed, (b) have the purpose of keeping from sin, (c) intend to repair any
scandal or loss caused, and also (d) have the purpose of confessing in due time each serious sin
that he is at present unable to confess.

11. If one who is in a situation causing actual scandal to the faithful is penitent and proposes to
remove the scandal, he can receive general sacramental absolution but he is not to go to Holy
Communion until he has removed the scandal.

CIRCULAR LETTER CONCERNING the INTEGRITY of the SACRAMENT of PENANCE

Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, 20 March, the Solemnity
of Saint Joseph in the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000

2. In accord with the law and practice of the Church, the faithful must orally confess their sins
(auricular confession), except in cases of true physical or moral impossibility (e.g., extreme illness
or physical condition inhibiting speech, speech impediment, etc.).
This disposition would exclude communal celebrations of the sacrament in which penitents are
invited to present a written list of sins to the priest confessor. It should be noted that such
innovations also risk compromising the inviolable seal of sacramental confession.

4. With respect to the administration of "general absolution", the exclusive authority enjoyed by
Diocesan Bishops to determine whether a grave necessity is truly present does not permit them "to
change the required conditions, to substitute other conditions, or to determine grave necessity
according to their personal criteria however worthy."

6. The Holy Father has pointed to the personal nature of sin, conversion, forgiveness and
reconciliation as the reason why the Rite of Reconciliation of several penitents with individual
confession and absolution "demands the personal confession of sins and individual absolution".

any innovation which would interfere with their fulfillment of this obligation, such as when
penitents are invited or otherwise encouraged to name just one sin or to name a representative sin,
is to be eliminated.

7. "Penitential celebrations", as gatherings of the people of God to hear the proclamation of God's
word.
"Care should be taken that the faithful do not confuse these celebrations with the celebration of
the Sacrament of Penance", as they are preparatory in nature and do not include the sacramental
forgiveness of sins.

8. Neither the Rite of Reconciliation, nor the Penitential celebrations may be integrated into the
celebration of the Mass. Such abuses run the risk of creating confusion in the minds of the faithful
as to whether a sacramental absolution may or may not have taken place.

9. the "Eucharist is not ordered to the forgiveness of mortal sins - that is proper to the Sacrament
of Reconciliation. The Eucharist is properly the sacrament of those who are in full communion
with the Church."

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COMPLEMENTARY NORMS APPROVED by the CBCP for the IMPLEMENTATION of the CIC
Approved by Congregation for Bishops, September 27, 1985.

Can. 961 § 2: General Absolution (Amended)

1. General Absolution can be given outside the danger of death, whenever there exists a grave
necessity; that is given the number of penitents, there are not enough confessors available to
properly hear individual confessions at a given time, so that, without fault of their own, the
penitents are deprived of the sacramental grace of Holy Communion for a lengthy period of time.

These conditions may be verified in the cases that follow, according to the judgment of the
diocesan Bishop:

a. When priests go, once a year, or very seldom during the year, to remote barrios or islets, or to
other places where there is a serious difficulty in the access to the Sacrament of Confession on the
part of the faithful on account of distance, or for geographical and climatological reasons;

b. On Christmas, Paschal Triduum, local religious fiestas, popular missions and school
graduations, whenever the conditions set above exist.

2. On these occasions, the priests may be granted to give the General Absolution, only after
having undertaken all means to give opportunity to the penitents to make their individual
confession. For example, making a schedule for individual confession during some fixed hours
before the Mass; in such a way that the priests who are available can help one another in hearing
individual confession and when the time for Mass comes, still many penitents have not made yet
their individual confession, and so, are being deprived of the sacramental grace of Holy
Communion.

MINISTER of the SACRAMENT of PENANCE

"The grace in the sacrament comes from the head to the members. Only those who exercise a
ministry over Christ's true body are ministers of the sacrament wherein grace is given. " Supp, Q.8,
a. l

SACERDOTAL POWER
The ministry requires both the power of the priesthood and jurisdiction or governance—the power
of binding and loosing, of forgiving and retaining sins. The power of Orders (ordination) is the
efficacious instrument of the conferral of grace, bestowing proximate aptitude and disposition to
receive jurisdiction.

MINISTER of the SACRAMENT of PENANCE (RITE)

9. a. The Church exercises the ministry of the sacrament of penance through bishops and priests...
they call the faithful to conversion; ... they declare and grant the forgiveness of sins.

... priests act in communion with the bishop and share in his power and office

b. The competent minister is a priest who has the faculty to absolve in accordance with canon
law. All priests, however, even though not approved to hear confessions, absolve validly and
lawfully any penitents without exception who are in danger of death.

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PENITENTIAL JURISDICTION
Ecclesiastical jurisdiction is the public power to rule, to judge, to coerce the baptized, as subjects
of Church. This includes penitential jurisdiction having judicial power to remit or to retain sins.

NECESSITY of JURISDICTION
Absolution is a judiciary sentence given by the priest. Jurisdiction is received by commission,
which may be increased or lessened, suspended or limited as to persons, places, times, cases, sins.
To validly impart absolution, the priest must possess penitential jurisdiction in the Church.

QUALITIES of a CONFESSOR
"There is nothing more excellent, or more useful for the Church of God and the welfare of souls,
than the office of confessor" Il Plenary of Baltimore, n. 278.

"Next to the Holy Sacrifice, the most important and serious act of the priest is the administration of
the Sacrament of Penance." Pius XII, Discourse to the Parish Priests and Lenten Preachers of Rome,
1940.

The priest must remember that in hearing confessions he enjoys not the function of a judge but
also the role of a physician, as a minister both of divine justice and of divine mercy. The
penitential judgment is not condemnatory and vindictive but liberative and curative the purpose is
to heal the wounds of sin.

The integrity of the confessor's office demands certain qualities:

1. Goodness - the confessor should be free from all unchristian harshness and severity, impatience
and hastiness, human respect and sentimental familiarity, vanity and self-adulation. Virtues such as
zeal and love for souls, sinners especially, must be his principal imitation of the Master. Apostolate
without distinction or favoritism, and without reluctance to accept the burdens of ministry, uniting
kindness and gentlemanliness with necessary firmness.
Patience, constancy, and long-suffering. Humility and purity.

2. Knowledge - the confessor should have the necessary knowledge that will secure the substance,
validity and lawfulness, integrity and effect of the sacrament, obligations of the penitent's state of
life, the species and changing circumstances of sins, discernment between serious and slight sins,
validity and lawfulness of acts, principles of justice, reserved sins and censures, matrimonial
impediments, sinful occasions, remedies for sins, fitting and salutary penances, obligations to
impose, spiritual direction.

3. Prudence - the practical wisdom which directs the best means to the end is necessary for the
confessor, applying the principles and precepts, remedies and obligations to the conditions of
individual persons and circumstances, avoiding excess and defect, laxity and rigorism.

His remarks to the concise problem, difficulty or need of the penitent, not to guess at an answer,
not to send the penitent to another confessor unless necessary. In perplexing cases, he should
follow a safe and sane norm.

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PASTORAL EXERCISE of THE MINISTRY (RITE)

10. a. In order that he may fulfill his ministry properly and faithfully... the confessor must acquire
the needed knowledge and prudence by constant study under the guidance of the Church's
Magisterium and especially by praying fervently to God.

b. The confessor should always show himself to be ready and willing to hear the confessions
whenever they reasonably request this.

c. By receiving repentant sinners and leading them to the light of the truth, the confessor fulfills a
paternal function: he reveals the heart of the Father and reflects the image of Christ the Good
Shepherd.

d. Conscious that he has come to know the secrets of another's conscience only because he is
God's minister, the confessor is bound by the obligation of preserving the seal of confession
absolutely unbroken.

E. DUTIES in the CELEBRATION of PENANCE

a. With the care of souls

The minister are bound by a serious obligation in justice to hear, either in person or through
another, the confession of those entrusted to them. In extreme spiritual necessity, a priest must
hear his confession, e.g. a dying sinner. In grave spiritual necessity. i.e, in a serious danger which
the penitent strictly can overcome himself, priest must hear his confession without risking their
lives, e.g., if the sinner has serious disease which is not endangering his life. In a common spiritual
necessity, i.e., when the sacrament is reasonably requested.

b. Without the care of souls

Confessors are bound by obligation in charity. Every priest has serious obligation to provide for
extreme spiritual necessity of his neighbor. In grave necessity, every confessor has a serious duty to
hear the confession of the sinner, but not to extent of endangering his life. In common necessity,
there is also a common obligation if the sinner reasonably requests the sacrament as long as there
is no inconvenience and no other confessor is opportunely available.

2. ATTITUDE of the CONFESSOR

By nature, the minister is a spiritual judge. As judge, the minister must know the penitent's case
and thus obliged to question things concerning the penitent to form a prudent judgment.

The priest must always be prudent in his interrogation, especially the sixth commandment. He
should not interrupt the penitent. Questions should be clear and understandable. The confessor
must be gentle, benign, and gentlemanly in his questions, aiding and encouraging penitents.

The confessor must make a prudent and probable judgment; complete certitude is not always
possible nor required.

To absolve a certainly well-disposed penitent guilty of serious sin obliges the confessor seriously in
justice, absolution cannot be denied or deferred. The general rule is to impart absolution.

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Signs of sufficient dispositions: spontaneous, sincere, humble confession and contrition; a

confession made despite great difficulties; positive reversal of former sinful practices; sincere
resolution; great sorrow shown.

Absolution should be denied to those who give no signs of sorrow; unwilling to reform their lives.
The confessor should inform the reason in a kind and fatherly manner, the penitent must search his
soul again.

DECEMBER 5, 2023

SEAL OF CONFESSION

Can 981: The sacramental seal is inviolable. It is absolutely wrong for a confessor in any way to
betray the penitent, for any reason whatsoever, whether by word or in any other fashion.

Everything disclosed to the priest in the sacrament of penance, whether absolution is given or not,
comes under the “seal of confession.” The use of the Latin word, nefas (absolutely wrong) shows
how seriously the norm of this canon is regarded. The priest is strictly forbidden to reveal by any
means, anything the penitent may have disclosed to him.

Obligation of the Seal

The seal of confession is the most strict obligation of observing secrecy about the things declared
by the penitent in the sacramental confession, whose revelation would in some way identify the
sin and the sinner.

Whether the confession was valid or invalid, merely begun or completed or sacrilegious, whether
absolution was deferred or denied. IT allows no exception whatsoever, no dispensation, no use of
extra-legal equity. It does not permit the use of probabilism; probability of law or probability of
fact.

The penitent has a right to be free from all injury, burden and grievance on the occasion of his
confession of his sins. Even under oath, the confessor must state that he knows nothing or has
heard nothing - which means he has no communicable knowledge.

The obligation arises from the natural law of secrecy and of a quasi contract from the divine law of
reverence for the sacrament, from inquiry to the recipient and from ecclesiastical law. The
obligation binds even after the death of the penitent. Every direct violation is a grievous sin and
admits no lightness of matter. Indirect violation is serious sin but allows lightness of matter.

Can 983 An interpreter, if there is one, is also observe this secret, as are others who in any way
whatever come to a knowledge of sins from a confession. An interpreter is bound to the same
secrecy as that of the priest. The very same obligation binds all others who have in any way got to
know of sins from a confession.; Although the obligation to secrecy is the same as that on the
confessor and its violation is also subject to a penalty (See Can 1388, S2), technically it is not
referred to as the “seal” but simply as a “secret.”

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The obligation is binding also on an interpreter and on all others to whom knowledge of the
confession shall have come in any way, whether by chance or design, lawfully or otherwise,
immediately or mediately.

The penitent is not bound by the seal but rather by the obligation of a natural and committed
secret concerning the things spoken of or done by the confessor in confession.

Outside the confessional, even the priest may not lawfully speak to the penitent about the
confessional matter without receiving first the free, express, and certain consent of the penitent.
When the penitent of his own initiative, speaks of his sins outside of confession, implicitly he is
giving the confessor the permission to speak.

In any case, the confessor is always bound by a natural and committed secret and must avoid
scandal and the suspicion of violating the seal.

Material Under the Seal

Subject to the seal directly and of themselves are all and only those things which have been
revealed for the purpose of sacramental confession.
1. All sins confessed, however slight and even material sins; sins even though only thought of
or proposed, but not accomplished or fulfilled; internal or external sins; serious sin, slight
sins, secret and public sins.
2. The object of sins inasmuch as these are sins of another; the circumstances of sins which
are useful in clarifying the case.

Of themselves and indirectly under the seal are all those things which of themselves can lead to a
knowledge of the sin declared by the sinner or to an identification of the penitent.

Even the penitent cannot release him from this obligation. The confessor, as God’s minister,
knowing the secret conscience, is under a most sacred obligation to maintain the sacrametnal seal.

If a confessor needs to consult an expert in moral theology or in canon law, he must be careful not
in any way to connect the sin with the sinner. If there is a real danger, he must either forego the
consultation or receive the penitent’s permission to disclose the matter in the limited fashion
necessary.

So serious that in many civil jurisdictions it is recognized as technically a privileged

Types of Violation of the Seal

1. Direct - if the priest explicitly or equivalently reveals the sin and the sinner. Thus, e.g. he
might name the person and tell what he or she had confessed, or he might mention the sin
only but in such circumstances that his hearers can easily determine who the sinner is.
2. Indirect - if there is a lesser danger of the sin and the sinner being identified. The
distinction is of importance in relation to the penalties prescribed.

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Penalties

A confessor who presumes to violate directly the sacramental seal incurs automatically (latae
sententiae) an excommunication reserved in a most special way to the Holy See. There must be a
matter of the seal, directly revealed, with full advertence and will, with deliberation. Ignorance,
slight fear, imperfect advertence, not fully deliberate consent, imprudence, will excuse from this
penalty.

A confessor who rashly violates the seal indirectly is liable to ferendae sententiae: suspension
from celebrating Mass and hearing confession (if serious, the incapacity to hear confession ever
again(.

1988 the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a decree which provided for the
extreme excommunication latae sententiae on anyone who recorded on an instrument or
otherwise published anything, whether true or false, said in sacramental confession.

Rite of Penance for Individual Penitents

1. Welcoming of Penitent
2. Reading of the Word of God
3. Confession of Sins and the act of Penance
4. Prayer of the Penitent and Absolution of the Priest
5. Proclamation of Praise and Dismissal of the Penitent

Shorter Rite (if pastoral need dictates)

The Priest may omit some parts except:
1. Confession of sins
2. Act of Penance
3. Invitation to Contrition
4. Form of Absolution and Dismissal

Guide
• Seriousness and gravity
• Circumstances
• No useless question
• Clarity in advice
• Well enough penance
• Penance as firm with tone of mercy

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