SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION

n the teaching of the Catholic Church, the Sacrament of Penance (commonly called
Confession, Reconciliation or Penance) is the method given by Christ to the Church by which
individual men and women may be freed from sins committed after receiving Baptism. (It is not
necessary to confess sins committed before baptism, as baptism itself is considered to remove
the guilt of all prior sins.) The sacrament is known by many names, including penance,
reconciliation, and confession (Catechism of the Catholic Church, Sections 1423-1442). Official
Church publications of the Latin-rite always refer to the sacrament as "Penance," or
"Reconciliation" or "Penance and Reconciliation." However, many lay Catholics continue to use
the term "confession" in reference to the sacrament.In 1215, a requirement that every Catholic
Christian receive this sacrament at least once a year was instituted in Canon 21, the famous
"Omnis utriusque sexus", of the Canon Law at the Fourth Council of the Lateran. [1]

In the 20th century, Pope John Paul II began a program of fostering and renewing the focus on
this sacrament.[2] In 1984 he issued Reconciliatio et Paenitentia which began by recalling from the
Gospel of Mark 1:15, the very words with which Jesus began his preaching: "Repent, and believe
in the Gospel".[3] And in 2002 he issued Misericordia Dei which began by quoting the Gospel of
Matthew 26:73-75 that Jesus was born to "save his people from their sins" and emphasized the
fervent and energetic summons with which Saint John the Baptist called for repentance. Quoting
the Epistle to the Romans 8:21, he stated that "Salvation is therefore and above all redemption
from sin, which hinders friendship with God."[4]

History of the Sacrament

The history of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, also known as Confession dates back to the time
of the New Testament and the time of Jesus. Roman Catholics believe that it was instituted by
Jesus, himself.[5][6] Although the issue of the institution of this sacrament by Jesus himself had
been debated since the Council of Trent, in 1907 in Lamentabili Sane Exitu (items 46 and 47)
Pope Pius X specifically reaffirmed the relevance of Gospel of John 20:22-23 to this sacrament,
over-riding any previous assertions. In Lamentabili Sane Exitu he quoted John 20:22-23:
"Receive the Holy Spirit; whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; and whose sins
you shall retain, they are retained".[7]

In the early Church, publicly known sins were often confessed openly or publicly in church[8]. However,
private confession was still used for private sins[9]. Also, penance was often done before absolution rather
than after absolution[10]. In the early Church, penances were much more harsh. For example, it would not
have been unusual for someone to receive a 10 year penance[11] for committing the sin of abortion which the
Catholic Church considers to be a grave or mortal sin[1

Minister of the Sacrament

Catholics believe that no priest, as an individual man, however pious or learned, has the
power to forgive sins apart from God. However, the priest does not merely announce that
the penitent has received God's forgiveness. Rather, it is in fact the priest himself who, by
reciting the formula of absolution, forgives the sins of the penitent in God's place.[13]
Thus, God can and does accomplish the forgiveness of sins through the Catholic priesthood
in the Sacrament of Penance, which is validly administered by any validly ordained priest
or bishop having jurisdiction to absolve the penitent. In cases of mortal danger, any priest,
even if laicised or without faculties to hear confessions, is obliged to hear confessions. It
is also true that even if a person has unconfessed mortal sins remaining when he or she
dies, they may still hope to be forgiven if before they died, they expressed true contrition
(sorrow) for each of their mortal sins and if, having done so, they expressed a desire
(even if not possible) to go to sacramental confession and do proper penance and
restitution. This exception is based on the belief that God, in his love and mercy and in
his utmost desire for all to be saved, knowing that they are sorry will allow them to
formally apologize and make reparation (in some way) when they are judged. However,
if they are able to make a valid sacramental confession before death, they are required to
do so, as that is the ordinary way to be reconciled to God.

Form of the Sacrament

The form of Penance has not changed for centuries, although at one time confessions were made
publicly. The role of the priest is as a minister of Christ's mercy. He acts in persona Christi. In the
Catholic tradition, after making an examination of conscience that often involves review of the
Ten Commandments, the penitent confesses mortal sins in order to restore his relationship to
God and to receive the fullness of God's grace and salvation. The sinner may as a pious matter
confess venial sins, especially if the sinner has no mortal sins to confess. The intent of this
sacrament is to provide healing for the soul as well as to regain the grace of God, lost by sin. The
Council of Trent (Session Fourteen, Chapter I) quoted John 20:22-23 as the primary Scriptural
proof for the doctrine concerning this sacrament, but Catholics also consider Matthew 9:2-8 and 2
Corinthians 5:17-20 to be among the Scriptural bases for the sacrament.

The words of Absolution in the Latin Rite take this form:

God the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of his Son, has reconciled the
world 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.

The essential words, however, are: "I absolve you from your sins."

In traditional Catholic churches, the pre-Vatican II form of absolution said by the priest is:

"Misereatur tui omnipotens Deus, et dimissis peccatis tuis, perducat te ad vitam æternam. Amen.

"Indulgentiam, absolutionem, et remissionem peccatorum tuorum tribuat tibi omnipotens et

misericors Dominus. Amen.

"Dominus noster Jesus Christus te absolvat: et ego auctoritate ipsìus te absolvo ab omni vinculo
excommunicationis, (suspensionis), et interdicti, in quantum possum, et tu indiges. Deinde ego te
absolvo a peccatis tuis, in nomine Patris, et Filii, + et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.

"Passio Domini nostri Jesu Christi, merita beatæ Mariæ Virginis, et omnium Sanctorum, quidquid
boni feceris, et mali sustinueris, sint tibi in remissionem peccatorum, augmentum gratiæ, et
præmium vitæ æternæ. Amen."

The penitent makes an act of contrition, a prayer acknowledging his/her faults before God. It
typically commences: O my God, I am heartily sorry... Reconciliation is necessary before
receiving the sacrament of Eucharist for the first time. The Catholic Church teaches that the
Sacrament of Reconciliation is the only ordinary way in which a person can receive forgiveness
for mortal sins committed after baptism.[15] However, perfect contrition (a sorrow motivated by love
of God rather than of fear of punishment) is an extraordinary way of removing the guilt of mortal
sin before or without confession (if there is no opportunity of confessing to a priest). Such
contrition would include the intention of confessing.

Making an act of contrition (and receiving absolution and performing the penance) to one's confessor or
another priest, even if he gives advice during the sacrament, is separate from pastoral counseling or
psychotherapy given by the priest- even if he is the confessor or spiritual director of the client or is a
member of the pastoral team at the client's parish church. The members of the hierarchy of the Catholic
Church have insisted on this point in order to avoid confusion, as both confidential processes have distinct
and important roles in church life.

.For Validity of the Sacrament: Matter and form

According to St. Thomas (Summa Theologiæ III.74.2) "the acts of the penitent(namely contrition,
confession, and satisfaction) are the proximate matter of this sacrament". This is also the
teaching of Eugenius IV in the "Decretum pro Armenis" (Council of Florence, 1439) which calls
the act's "quasi materia" of penance and enumerates them as contrition, confession, and
satisfaction (Denzinger-Bannwart, "Enchir.", 699).

The Thomists in general and other eminent theologians, e.g., Bellarmine, Toletus, Francisco
Suárez, and De Lugo, hold the same opinion. According to Scotus (In IV Sent., d. 16, q. 1, n. 7)
"the Sacrament of Penance is the absolution imparted with certain words" while the acts of the
penitent are required for the worthy reception of the sacrament.

The absolution as an external ceremony is the matter, and, as possessing significant force, the
form.

The Council of Trent (Sess. XIV, c. 3) declares: "the acts of the penitent, namely contrition,
confession, and satisfaction, are the quasi materia of this sacrament". The Roman Catechism
used in 1913 (II, v, 13) says: "These actions are called by the Council quasi materia not because
they have not the nature of true matter, but because they are not the sort of matter which is
employed externally as water in baptism and chrism in confirmation".

Regarding the form of the sacrament, both the Council of Florence and the Council of Trent teach
that it consists in the words of absolution. "The form of the Sacrament of penance, wherein its
force principally consists, is placed in those words of the minister: "I absolve thee, etc."; to these
words indeed, in accordance with the usage of Holy Church, certain prayers are laudably added,
but they do not pertain to the essence of the form nor are they necessary for the administration of
the sacrament" (Council of Trent, Sess. XIV, c. 3). Concerning these additional prayers, the use
of the Eastern and Western Churches, and the question whether the form is deprecatory or
indicative and personal

Frequency of reception

The Code of Canon Law requires all Catholics to confess mortal sins at least once a year,[16]
although frequent reception of the sacrament is recommended. Traditionally, the sacrament has
been received during the liturgical seasons of Lent or Advent, or prior to special times in life such
as confirmation or marriage. While some branches of the Catholic Church do not require
confession to be completed on any set schedule, the Latin rite requires that its practitioners
confess serious sins at least once a year. This is commonly known as the second precept of the
Church.[17] There is evidence from the UK[18] and USA[19] that at least three-quarters of professed
Catholics who commit serious sins do not adhere to this requirement of canon law.
Frequent confession has been recommended by Popes. Confession of everyday faults is
"strongly recommended by the Church." (CCC 1458) According to Pius XII and Pope John XXIII,
"We particularly recommend the pious practice of frequent confession, which the Church has
introduced, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, as a means of swifter daily progress along the
road of virtue." Paul VI said that frequent confession is "of great value."

John Paul II who went to confession weekly and who stressed the universal call to holiness as a
characteristic mark of Vatican II, enumerated these advantages of frequent confession:

• we are renewed in fervor,

• strengthened in our resolutions, and
• supported by divine encouragement

Because of what he considered misinformation on this topic, he strongly recommended

this practice and warned that those who discourage frequent confession "are lying."

Seal of confession

For Catholic priests, the confidentiality of all statements made by penitents during the course of confession
is absolute. This strict confidentiality is known as the Seal of the Confessional. According to the Code of
Canon Law, 983 §1, "The sacramental seal is inviolable; therefore it is absolutely forbidden for a confessor
to betray in any way a penitent in words or in any manner and for any reason." Priests may not reveal what
they have learned during confession to anyone, even under the threat of their own death or that of others.
This is unique to the Seal of the Confessional. Many other forms of confidentiality, including in most states
attorney-client privilege, allow ethical breaches of the confidence to save the life of another. A priest who
breaks that confidentiality incurs latae sententiae (automatic) excommunication reserved to the Holy See
(Code of Canon Law, 1388 §1). In a criminal matter, a priest may encourage the penitent to surrender to
authorities; however, this is the extent of the leverage he wields; he may not directly or indirectly disclose
the matter to civil authorities himself.

There are limited cases where portions of a confession may be revealed to others, but always
with the penitent's permission and always without actually revealing the penitent's identity. This is
the case, for example, with unusually serious offenses, as some excommunicable offenses are
reserved to the bishop or even to the Holy See, and their permission to grant absolution would
first have to be obtained. There are certain procedures that have been formally set by the Church
and civil governments that apply, without violating the seal of confession, if the penitent is a priest
or other church official and is guilty of a civil crime involving the sexual exploitation or abuse of
minors. These were instituted out of necessity during the sex abuse crises in the American
church and in other countries.

It is worth noting that the Sacramental seal can bring penalties if misuse is attempted.

With due regard for c.1388, whoever by any technical instrument records or publishes in the
mass media what was said in the sacramental confession by the confessor or the penitent, real or
feigned, by him/herself or another person, incurs a latae sententiae excommunication. This
decree goes into effect the day of promulgation.[21]

Civil authorities in the United States are usually respectful of this confidentiality. However, in
1996, an attorney in Portland, Oregon secretly recorded a confession without the knowledge of
the priest or the penitent involved. This led to official protests by then local Archbishop Francis
George and the Holy See. The tape has since been sealed (and later destroyed), and the Federal
Court has since ruled that the taping was in violation of the Fourth Amendment to the United
States Constitution, and ordered an injunction against any further tapings.