Act of Contrition or Sacrilege

[Deacon2006]

A deacon I know said to our class that once he came across a practicing Homosexual on his deathbed. The Deacon would not be there for his death and he only had a few minutes to spend with the dying man. As they talked the dying man mentioned that he was unsure of God’s love for him. The deacon got him talking about the love in his life and inevitably it can around to his partner. The deacon suggested that he examine the love he felt for this man and see where God is in that relationship.

The man died shortly after the deacon’s visit.

Clearly the man felt better and found some comfort in the deacons words but many of us who heard this story were deeply hurt because the deacon seemed to make no effort to help this man reconcile his disordered life.

Do you think that helping people see God in there lives at that moment is the best pastoral approach or should he have spent more time helping the man perform an act of contrition.

God Bless

 

[puzzleannie]

Deacon2006:

AClearly the man felt better and found some comfort in the deacons words but many of us who heard this story were deeply hurt because the deacon seemed to make no effort to help this man reconcile his disordered life.

Do you think that helping people see God in there lives at that moment is the best pastoral approach or should he have spent more time helping the man perform an act of contrition.

God Bless

a deacon (or anybody else) has no business inquiring about or discussing a person’s sins, only a priest can do that, a deacon cannot give absolution so such a discussion would be pointless. an act of contrition would not absolve grave sin anyhow, and the deacon would be wrong to give any assurance that it could. The deacon answered the question he was asked, to the best of his ability. He would have better served the patient by getting a priest to him. Unfortunately, many deacons and also lay chaplains (a title given by hospitals, not by the Church) find they often are unable to locate a priest in these situations.

 

[Jim_ov_Cov]

He should’ve used the time given him to call the man to repentance, using traditional prayers and examins. He didn’t need to enquire after the nature and quantity of the man’s sins, nor pretend he could give him absolution. He should have used the prayers for the dying, the Divine Mercy chaplet and an act of perfect contrition. That is the very least any Catholic should do.

 

[Deacon2006]

Thank you for your comments.

I noticed that absolution came up in both comments. I hope you don’t think that I was implying that deacons administer sacramental confession. But that brings up an interesting point.

Many sick people do confess their sins to deacons or even lay pastoral visitors. These deacons act in christain charity and let the sick unburden themselves on them. Deacons who hear these act of repentance are bound by secrecy the same as a priest. The deacons may pray with them an act of contrition and offerring blessings, holy water, viaticum, the prayers for the dying etc. My pastor has even suggested that I get a vial of blessed oil, not the scared chrism, so I could provide a non scaramental annointing for those on their deathbed because. His logic, while not sacaramental, in faith and charity we allow the Holy Spirit to make it so at His discretion.

Do you think these actions are to much for a deacon to undertake in his ministry?

God Bless

 

[asquared]

Deacon2006:

Many sick people do confess their sins to deacons or even lay pastoral visitors. These deacons act in christain charity and let the sick unburden themselves on them. Deacons who hear these act of repentance are bound by secrecy the same as a priest.

I was taught that if this ever arises with a dying person, I would be bound to contact a priest and “relay” the confession I heard, remaining bound of course by the secrecy of the confessional (this was always a hot topic in high school religion class)

The deacons may pray with them an act of contrition and offerring blessings, holy water, viaticum, the prayers for the dying etc. My pastor has even suggested that I get a vial of blessed oil, not the scared chrism, so I could provide a non scaramental annointing for those on their deathbed because.

in our diocese, deacons and others who visit the sick and bring them communion have been expressly forbidden to use oil of any kind, due to confusion since patients and families apparently have been assuming that the sacrament of anointing has been administered. as a side note, those who hold charismatic healing services are also prohibited from using oil, and there are new, stricter rules in administering the sacrament of anointing in the context of Mass