A.A.Hodge's Understanding of Penance

[SojournerOnEarth]

[Catholics] distinguish penance-(1) As a virtue, which is internal, including sorrow for sin and a turning from sin unto God. (2) As a sacrament, which is the external
expression of the internal state. This sacrament consists of (a) Contrition-i.e., sorrow and detesting of past
sins, with a purpose of sinning no more; (b) Confession or self-accusation to a priest having jurisdiction and
the power of the keys; (c) Satisfaction or some painful work, imposed by the priest and performed by the
penitent, to satisfy divine justice for sins committed; and (d) Absolution, pronounced by the priest judicially,
and not merely declaratively. They hold that the element of satisfaction included in this sacrament makes a
real satisfaction for sin, and is an efficient cause of pardon, absolutely essential-the only means whereby the
pardon of sins committed after baptism can be secured. (Cat. Rom., part 2., ch. 5., qs. 12, 13.)

This is from https://theologue.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/commentaryonthewestminsterconfession-aahodge.pdf page 99 and I am wondering if it is an accurate description of Catholic belief on this.

 

[Todd_Easton]

(c) Satisfaction or some painful work, imposed by the priest and performed by the
penitent, to satisfy divine justice for sins committed; and (d) Absolution, pronounced by the priest judicially,
and not merely declaratively. They hold that the element of satisfaction included in this sacrament makes a
real satisfaction for sin, and is an efficient cause of pardon, absolutely essential-the only means whereby the
pardon of sins committed after baptism can be secured. (Cat. Rom., part 2., ch. 5., qs. 12, 13.)

The sacrament of Penance is the only ordinary means whereby the pardon of sins committed after baptism can be secured.
There are different degrees of satisfaction. The pre-eminent satisfaction above all the rest is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross which, applied in the sacrament of Penance, satisfies divine justice for sins with respect to all their eternal punishment; the canonical satisfaction imposed by the priest and performed by the penitent satisfies divine justice for sins with respect to at least part of their temporal punishment. By the way, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross is the only satisfaction able to satisfy divine justice for sins with respect to their eternal punishment.

 

[SojournerOnEarth]

The sacrament of Penance is the only ordinary means whereby the pardon of sins committed after baptism can be secured.
There are different degrees of satisfaction. The pre-eminent satisfaction above all the rest is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross which, applied in the sacrament of Penance, satisfies divine justice for sins with respect to all their eternal punishment; the canonical satisfaction imposed by the priest and performed by the penitent satisfies divine justice for sins with respect to at least part of their temporal punishment. By the way, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross is the only satisfaction able to satisfy divine justice for sins with respect to their eternal punishment.

Is this considered effective in itself or is its effectiveness rooted in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross?

I think the Reformed critique is that Catholics place satisfaction between man and God in things other than Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. My suspicion is that this is a communication problem. Christ is the sole mediator and all satisfaction is through His finished work. Mary, for example, in Catholic theology is only a mediatrix in a subsidiary role and derives all her mediation from her Son’s sacrifice on the cross. All mediation, such as via penance, is similarly a secondary penance, the primary one being the finished work of Christ on the cross. Is this an accurate statement of Catholic theology?

 

[Vico]

…They hold that the element of satisfaction included in this sacrament makes a real satisfaction for sin, and is an efficient cause of pardon, absolutely essential-the only means whereby the pardon of sins committed after baptism can be secured. (Cat. Rom., part 2., ch. 5., qs. 12, 13.) …

There are two effects of mortal sin: eternal and temporal. Some temporal punishment may remain after absolution in the sacrament of penance, which remain to be satisfied through penance in this life or in purgatory. Also there may remain temporal punishment for venial sin (but not eternal punishment).

As stated above, the absolution given by the priest to a penitent who confesses his sins with the proper dispositions remits both the guilt and the eternal punishment (of mortal sin). There remains, however, some indebtedness to Divine justice which must be cancelled here or hereafter (see PURGATORY). In order to have it cancelled here, the penitent receives from his confessor what is usually called his “penance”, usually in the form of certain prayers which he is to say, or of certain actions which he is to perform, such as visits to a church, the Stations of the Cross, etc. Alms deeds, fasting, and prayer are the chief means of satisfaction, but other penitential works may also be enjoined. The quality and extent of the penance is determined by the confessor according to the nature of the sins revealed, the special circumstances of the penitent, his liability to relapse, and the need of eradicating evil habits. Sometimes the penance is such that it may be performed at once; in other cases it may require a more or less considerable period, as, e.g., where it is prescribed for each day during a week or a month. But even then the penitent may receive another sacrament (e.g., Holy Communion) immediately after confession, since absolution restores him to the state of grace. He is nevertheless under obligation to continue the performance of his penance until it is completed. …

Satisfaction is not, like contrition and confession, an essential part of the sacrament, because the primary effect, i.e., remission of guilt and eternal punishment — is obtained without satisfaction; but it is an integral part, because it is requisite for obtaining the secondary effect — i.e., remission of the temporal punishment.

Hanna, E. (1911). The Sacrament of Penance. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11618c.htm

 

[SojournerOnEarth]

Thank you for your responses. I need to look at this in some depth before attempting any more of a response than that this is one of those places where Catholics and Reformed are in strong disagreement.

 

[Vico]

Thank you for your responses. I need to look at this in some depth before attempting any more of a response than that this is one of those places where Catholics and Reformed are in strong disagreement.

Also one more to consider. From Modern Catholic Dictionary

ORIGINAL JUSTICE.
The state of Adam and Eve before they sinned. It was the simultaneous possession of sanctifying grace, with its right to enter heaven, and the preternatural gifts. Had Adam not sinned, original justice would have been transmitted to all his descendants. Later, through repentance, he personally recovered sanctifying grace but not the other prerogatives of original justice. Since Adam, human beings are said to be deprived of original justice. Jesus Christ, the new head of the human race, by his passion and death expiated human sin and regained what Adam had lost. Sanctifying grace is restored at justification, but the preternatural gifts are returned only as capacities (such as the ability to overcome concupiscence) or only eventually (such as bodily immortality after the final resurrection).

 

[SojournerOnEarth]

Penance incorporates a number of concepts that we disagree on: before we can really discuss this we need to work through some more basic issues that come together in penance. Those include grace, priest/elder distinction, and the ground for repentance.

Thanks again.

 

[Todd_Easton]

I suggest you read the section on “The Third Part of Penance: Satisfaction” in the part of the Roman Catechism that talks about “The Sacrament of Penance”. This Roman Catechism does not appear to be the exact source cited in your original posting, as it is not in a question and answer format suggested by the citation, but the source cited in your original posting was probably based on this version of the Roman Catechism.

This part of the Roman Catechism seems to address your question:

Source of the Efficacy of Satisfactory Works

Of the great efficacy of penance we may form some idea, if we reflect that it arises entirely from the merits of the Passion of Christ our Lord. It is His Passion that imparts to our good actions two greatest advantages: the first, that we may merit the rewards of eternal glory, so that a cup of cold water given in His name shall not be without its reward; the second, that we may be able to satisfy for our sins.

Nor does this lessen the most perfect and superabundant satisfaction of Christ our Lord, but, on the contrary, renders it still more conspicuous and illustrious. For the grace of Christ is seen to abound more, inasmuch as it communicates to us not only what He merited and paid of Himself alone, but also what, as Head, He merited and paid in His members, that is, in holy and just men. Hence it can be seen how such great weight and dignity belong to the good actions of the pious. For Christ our Lord continually infuses His grace into the devout soul united to Him by charity, as the head to the members, or as the vine through the branches. This grace always precedes, accompanies and follows our good works, and without it we can have no merit, nor can we at all satisfy God.

Hence it is that nothing seems wanting to the just. Through their works done by the power of God, they are able, on the one hand, to satisfy God’s law, as far as their human and mortal condition will allow; and, on the other hand, they can merit eternal life, to the fruition of which they will be admitted if they die in the state of God’s grace. Well known are the words of the Saviour: He that shall drink of the water that I will give him shall not thirst for ever; but the water that I will give him shall become in him a fountain of water, springing up into life everlasting.

 

[SojournerOnEarth]

I think so.

Thanks again.