Absolution

[friardchips]

You’re welcome.

To further support St. Matthew, which I don’t believe he needs, another source is Father Charles Conner STL, Ph.D, In my region of the US (Southwest), EWTN has a half-hour show titled, “Grab Your Catechism” televised on Monday evenings which Fr. Charles Connor, STL, Ph.D., of Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary provides an insightful understanding of the Catholic Catechism. Last winter, 2015, he expounded on this issue, wholeheartedly endorsing the need of regular confession especially with reoccurring sins of addiction, emphasizing the 6th and 9th commandments, however, barring none of the other commandments.

Father Charles Conner quoted St. Matthew’s scripture statement.

God Bless and Peace to all.

Very insightful post. Just the ticket. This seems to support UpUpandAway’s post detailing Canon 980. So now we have a Canon Law source and a pastoral source from Fr. Connor.

 

[friardchips]

It may depend on the sin. Robbing a bank three times in a row may be problematic. ** Trying over come alcohol or drug addiction may need help over and over until one finally has the strength to overcome this problem**.

This is an interesting point. What this sounds as if you are suggesting, is that grace - in this case from continued confessing of sins - works upon our wounds at ever increasing depths, until finally the penitent is healed. Would this be your view?

 

[truetofaith]

Thank you Claire. What I mean by ‘consecutively’ is exactly what I said - ‘in a row’. This is not going to be one day after the other because in that case the penitent would need to discuss scruples and such like. What I mean by these terms, is one confession after the other, leaving a normal amount of time between each - say a week or two weeks. And is there anything in Canon Law or pastoral advice that would have the priest deny absolution after the same sin is confessed consecutively, three times, with a normal amount of time between each confession?

If someone has a habitual sin, it is not far fetched to say he will be confessing the same sin 3 weeks in a row.

A habit is hard to break, so the priest shouldn’t refuse absolution.

P.S. - I was just kidding about 3 consecutive murders.

 

[friardchips]

If someone has a habitual sin, it is not far fetched to say he will be confessing the same sin 3 weeks in a row.

A habit is hard to break, so the priest shouldn’t refuse absolution.

P.S. - I was just kidding about 3 consecutive murders.

Agreed. Some habits die hard, so still advisable to become a diehard wearing a clean habit, weekly.

I think if one committed three separate murders it might be advisable to just store them up and confess them later in one go; otherwise, when going to confess murder for the second time, one might find the priest hasn’t turned up!

.

 

[friardchips]

YES! to Jeannie and Gorgias.
Well stated.

Thank you for your contributions. :grouphug:

 

[friardchips]

It may depend on the sin. Robbing a bank three times in a row may be problematic. Trying over come alcohol or drug addiction may need help over and over until one finally has the strength to overcome this problem.

HelenRose, I am not sure in the history of bank robberies, whether anyone has ever got away with it, at least not in the West, so as well as obtaining absolution - if the priest doesn’t hold back the blessing - the robber might also soon find him/herself in the ‘Guiness Book of Records’. In such a situation, I do believe a priest would tell the penitent to give the money back, as part of the penance. Or pens. Whatever it is they stole.

 

[InThePew]

If a sinner attends the Sacrament of Reconciliation consecutively three times in a row, confessing the same sin, is the priest during the third visit, supposed to deny absolution, and instead prescribe remedial advice, to help the individual sin in a particular way no more?

Been there, done that (more than three times) and received absolution each and every time. Sometimes we struggle with sin and, although we resolve not to sin again, it still happens. That doesn’t mean that we cant’ receive absolution since god’s forgiveness is unlimited.

 

[Gorgias]

Hi. Three times in a row consecutively says twice what I am saying: three times in a row, consecutively!

LOL…!

OK, fair enough. It sounded like you were making some claim about the elapsed time between confessions…

Obviously I don’t mean three times in one day! How many people do you know go to confession more than “once a day”?!

You’d be surprised… :sad_yes:

I originally put this post up on the apologist section to no avail. Which is why I was hoping for some objective responses here.

OK – so, it’s a hypothetical question, then?

Who said this is a personal question? Did I? Please quote the part where i said this is personal? It is a very simple question in which the poster (me) desires a simple and straightforward answer.

The way that you put it… it sounded like a description of a personal experience.

But thank you anyway for your attempts at understanding.

OK: so, let’s suppose that all you meant was “a person goes to confession three times, and each time, he confesses the same sin; can the confessor refuse to absolve, at the third time?”

If that’s all you mean, then the answer is “it’s unlikely, but yes, he can.” If the confessor believes that the penitent isn’t truly repentant and doesn’t have the purpose of amending his life, then yes – he can withhold absolution.

If all you’re asking is a generic, hypothetical question, then the answer is ‘yes’.

In fact, the confessor doesn’t need to play “three strikes and you’re out” – if a penitent, in a single confession, seems insincere, a confessor can withhold absolution. It’s not at all common, but it’s possible.

 

[friardchips]

LOL…!

OK, fair enough. It sounded like you were making some claim about the elapsed time between confessions…

I suppose I could have added: “With a normal amount of time between each” as two others also questioned me further compelling me to add detail.

You’d be surprised… :sad_yes:

To be honest, not sure if there is a rule against going more than once a day. Possibly one can if one is truly sorry, but we still have to be careful not to abuse the Sacrament. I think it is difficult to abuse it. Because the very fact that people are going surely represents the desire to be reconciled. And if one is led to confession, then bar scruples, it must be the Holy Spirit who has put that desire in us. Without Him we wouldn’t want to.

OK – so, it’s a hypothetical question, then?

You’re picking again. For my peace of mind and for the sake of knowledge. Most people normally have a sin or two that seem to recur. To the question I posed, specifically the ‘three times and you’re out’ claim, I have heard otherwise, and when I heard otherwise, I wondered whether this information was indeed wrong. I questioned the legitimacy of the claim. And from being on here I now am fairly certain that the information I heard was incorrect. I did check with an apologist on this forum but my question was ignored.

The way that you put it… it sounded like a description of a personal experience.

I have not been denied absolution. Hopefully never will. However, I have wondered in the past about the need for remedial prayer advice being given at an earlier stage. Problem is a severe lack of spiritual directors and the lack of time there seems to be for those who need spiritual direction and therefore a lack of people being referred to these invisible spiritual directors. The spiritual direction and priestly advice could all be done at once and be the same thing. Absolution is the most important factor though, granted.

OK: so, let’s suppose that all you meant was “a person goes to confession three times, and each time, he confesses the same sin; can the confessor refuse to absolve, at the third time?”

If that’s all you mean, then the answer is “it’s unlikely, but yes, he can.” If the confessor believes that the penitent isn’t truly repentant and doesn’t have the purpose of amending his life, then yes – he can withhold absolution.

If all you’re asking is a generic, hypothetical question, then the answer is ‘yes’.

In fact, the confessor doesn’t need to play “three strikes and you’re out” – if a penitent, in a single confession, seems insincere, a confessor can withhold absolution. It’s not at all common, but it’s possible.

It was a more definite question than that. I do know that a priest can refuse absolution. My question was, is it an actual rule, written in stone, that states after the third time the priest is meant to refuse absolution and instead provide a course of remedial action for the penitent instead. But we got there. I suppose greater emphasis could be put on prayerful examination of conscience - maybe this requirement needs to be preached often.

 

[friardchips]

Been there, done that (more than three times) and received absolution each and every time. Sometimes we struggle with sin and, although we resolve not to sin again, it still happens. That doesn’t mean that we cant’ receive absolution since god’s forgiveness is unlimited.

Agreed. As St. Faustina recorded the Saviour saying: “The greater the sinner, the greater the right he has to My mercy”.

It is right to run to Him. Absolution and reconciliation is the reason for going. Thanks for this post.

 

[HelenRose]

HelenRose, I am not sure in the history of bank robberies, whether anyone has ever got away with it, at least not in the West, so as well as obtaining absolution - if the priest doesn’t hold back the blessing - the robber might also soon find him/herself in the ‘Guiness Book of Records’. In such a situation, I do believe a priest would tell the penitent to give the money back, as part of the penance. Or pens. Whatever it is they stole.

No doubt.