A Revealing Penance?

[CatholicCid]

Hello,

I have been entering this post on AAA for a couple of weeks to see if they would have time to reply. They haven’t yet so I decided to turn to the forums for some help. Thanks!

I was wondering if you could expand on a statement from an issue of “This Rock” and several responses to past questions in this forum.

The following is a Question and Answer from an issue of “This Rock” on a Priest withholding absolution for a murderer.
catholic.com/thisrock/2004/0405qq.asp

This sentiment is also restated a few times in previously answered Questions in this forum.
Notably: forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=131208 and forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=79561
Could you expand on this answer as to why a Priest cannot assign a penance that includes, say, turning oneself in for murder?
Canon Law states
This segment seems to only bind the Priest from revealing information from the Confessional. Would not turning oneself in from crimes such as murder be necessary to make reparation for the sin?

If the Priest is assigning a Penance such as “turning oneself in to the proper authorities”, it does not seem he would be conditioning “absolution upon the murderer’s confession to civil authorities”, as he can absolve the penitant, but then give him such a Penance “to repair the harm caused by sin and to re-establish habits befitting a disciple of Christ” (CCC 1494).
If possible could you please cite any Church documents you might be refering to when responding.

Thank you and God Bless,

CatholicCid

 

[TheDoctor]

Hi Cid. It may help to remember that there are two separate actions the Priest takes at the end of the Sacrament: Absolution and Penance.

Absolution is covered under Canon 980: “If the confessor has no doubt about the disposition of the penitent, and the penitent seeks absolution, absolution is to be neither refused nor deferred.” So, if I go in and confess to murder and Father has no reason to doubt I am sorry for it, he must absolve me under the canon. He cannot impose any terms, rules or conditions like “you must turn yourself in or I won’t absolve you” because it would violate the canon. Absolution is, well, absolute.

The seal of the confessional is covered by Canon 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.” This applies not only to what the Priest says like “Hey, let me tell you what Cid told me”, but also what he does “Hey, I don’t shake hands with The Doc because he told me about some kinky stuff”.

Penance is covered under Can. 981 “The confessor is to impose salutary and suitable penances in accord with the quality and number of sins, taking into account the condition of the penitent. The penitent is obliged to fulfill these personally.” Note that penance has nothing to do with absolution. I don’t have to do my penance to be absolved.

As to that CCC 1494 quote, you are quoting from the “In Brief” section of the CCC. Here is what 1494 refers to:

1459 Many sins wrong our neighbor. One must do what is possible in order to repair the harm (e.g., return stolen goods, restore the reputation of someone slandered, pay compensation for injuries). Simple justice requires as much. But sin also injures and weakens the sinner himself, as well as his relationships with God and neighbor. Absolution takes away sin, but it does not remedy all the disorders sin has caused. Raised up from sin, the sinner must still recover his full spiritual health by doing something more to make amends for the sin: he must “make satisfaction for” or “expiate” his sins. This satisfaction is also called “penance.”

1460 The penance the confessor imposes must take into account the penitent’s personal situation and must seek his spiritual good. It must correspond as far as possible with the gravity and nature of the sins committed. It can consist of prayer, an offering, works of mercy, service of neighbor, voluntary self-denial, sacrifices, and above all the patient acceptance of the cross we must bear. Such penances help configure us to Christ, who alone expiated our sins once for all. They allow us to become co-heirs with the risen Christ, "provided we suffer with him."63

The bolded part is mine. Penance is meant to help the sinner regain the strength to try and not sin again. But, the penance assigned cannot force the seal to be broken. Forcing me to reveal what I said in confession by assigning it as penance is the same as if the Priest reveals it himself. He is forcing me to reveal something I would not have revealed had it not been for the sacrament.