My understanding is that in the USA most of the priests that have been granted the permission to hear confessions have also been granted the power to absolve from the sin of abortion. The power is conferred through the bishop and so some local changes are possible. I do not know how things are decided in other regions.I was told the abortion is grounds for ex-cuminication and that the Bishop is the one that can grant someone permission or absolution to stay in the Church. However if someone had an abortion will a non-Catholic then later converted, can a priest give absolution at there first confession or will it have go to the Bishop?? Thank you all and God Bless!!
In any event the priest who hears the confession will know whether it needs to be referred to the Bishop or not, and will advise the penitent if it is necessary to do so.My understanding is that in the USA most of the priests that have been granted the permission to hear confessions have also been granted the power to absolve from the sin of abortion. The power is conferred through the bishop and so some local changes are possible. I do not know how things are decided in other regions.
It is not as simple as that. Canon 1357 has: “… a confessor can remit in the internal sacramental forum an undeclared latae sententiae censure of excommunication or interdict if it is burdensome for the penitent to remain in the state of grave sin during the time necessary for the competent superior to make provision.in the US since abortion has become so common all priests are given the faculty to absolve this sin and to lift the automatic excommunication that results from the sin…
That is not something any penitant would know about. Whether the priest giving absolution does that is another matter but once the penitant is given absolution it is not conditional. The penitant is forgiven.It is not as simple as that. Canon 1357 has: “… a confessor can remit in the internal sacramental forum an undeclared latae sententiae censure of excommunication or interdict if it is burdensome for the penitent to remain in the state of grave sin during the time necessary for the competent superior to make provision.
§2. In granting the remission, the confessor is to impose on the penitent, under the penalty of reincidence, the obligation of making recourse within a month to the competent superior or to a priest endowed with the faculty and the obligation of obeying his mandates; in the meantime he is to impose a suitable penance and, insofar as it is demanded, reparation of any scandal and damage; however, recourse can also be made through the confessor, without mention of the name. …”.
Yes, there is the immediate absolution and lifting of excommunication. But there is still the requirement to make recourse to the more senior priest or bishop, within a month, or be excommunicated again.
Look at the first part of John’s post. We see the phrase “if it is burdensome”. The situation described by John is a case where the priest has not been granted faculties to lift the excommunication. If the priest believes it is too burdensome for the penitent to remain excommunicated, then he can give a temporary reprieve. If, on the other hand, a priest has been granted faculties to lift the excommunication for abortion, then there is no further need to go to the bishop.John Lilburne;1893984:
That is not something any penitant would know about. Whether the priest giving absolution does that is another matter but once the penitant is given absolution it is not conditional. The penitant is forgiven.It is not as simple as that. Canon 1357 has: “… a confessor can remit in the internal sacramental forum an undeclared latae sententiae censure of excommunication or interdict if it is burdensome for the penitent to remain in the state of grave sin during the time necessary for the competent superior to make provision.
§2. In granting the remission, the confessor is to impose on the penitent, under the penalty of reincidence, the obligation of making recourse within a month to the competent superior or to a priest endowed with the faculty and the obligation of obeying his mandates; in the meantime he is to impose a suitable penance and, insofar as it is demanded, reparation of any scandal and damage; however, recourse can also be made through the confessor, without mention of the name. …”.
Yes, there is the immediate absolution and lifting of excommunication. But there is still the requirement to make recourse to the more senior priest or bishop, within a month, or be excommunicated again.
I understand what you are saying but this is not down to the penitant who cannot know if the priest has this capacity or not.Look at the first part of John’s post. We see the phrase “if it is burdensome”. The situation described by John is a case where the priest has not been granted faculties to lift the excommunication. If the priest believes it is too burdensome for the penitent to remain excommunicated, then he can give a temporary reprieve. If, on the other hand, a priest has been granted faculties to lift the excommunication for abortion, then there is no further need to go to the bishop.
Thistle, this is a situation where mortal sin and excommunication do not necessarily coincide. As far as i know, and i could be wrong on this particular point, any priest who has been granted faculties to hear confessions automatically has the authority to grant absolution for any sin, including abortion. What the priest may not have is the faculties to lift the excommunication that is associated with it. So, in the situation described by John, the penitent is forgiven, and the excommunication is temporarily lifted (for a month), and the penitent has to go to the bishop, not for absolution, but to be re-communicated.
This situation is possible because mortal sin is a spiritual condition, while excommunication is a legal sanction.
[www.healingafterabortion.org
Check this out!