All sins forgiven by this Sacrament?

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Alma

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If a man looses his memory (because he has Alzheimer disease) and becomes gravely ill and receives the Sacrament for the sick (‘Unción de enfermos’ in Spanish, I do not know what it is called in English), are all his sins forgiven, even those he never repented from or even confessed?

Trusting in all Merciful God

Alma
 
In paragraph 1532 of the Catechism the “anointing of the sick” has, among other graces “the forgiveness of sins, if the sick person was not able to obtain it through the sacrament of penance.”

That is the best I can do.

Also, when Jesus healed a man of leprosy He said “Your sins are forgiven” without hearing a confession (though I don’t know if I am suited to address that verse correctly."

Hope that helped.

Aaron
 
Extreme Unction or Anointing of the Sick is the Sacrament to which you refer. Usually (especially when a person is near the point of death), the Sacrament of Confession is given along with Extreme Unction. These are also called the “Last Rites”.

In answer to your question, I would say the penitant who suffers from alzheimers (but who is capable of making a confession), like anyone, need only satisfy the requirements for a good confession for the remission of his past sins. This means confessing all mortal sins on his soul of which he is aware, a true sorrow for the sins committed, absolution by a priest, a firm desire to amend his life, and agreement to perform his penance.

While someone with alzheimers may not have the memory of all unconfessed mortal sins, as long as that person is still capable of an act of will through which he is sorry for all his sins, even those he cannot remember, he can make a good Confession.

One would hope that a person with alzheimers would make haste to the Sacrament of Confession long before reaching the point where he has no memory of his sins. I do not know whether alzheimers can progress to the point where a person is not capable of performing an act of will. There is certainly a danger if someone in mortal sin obstinately delays going to Confession until he reaches such a state (unable to make an act of will). But even in this case, we should never dispair of God’s mercy. One can certainly take heart in what Aaron posted from the Catechism above.

Remember that God does not ask us to perform tasks that are impossible for us. This said, nothing is impossible for God.
 
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Alma:
If a man looses his memory (because he has Alzheimer disease) and becomes gravely ill and receives the Sacrament for the sick (‘Unción de enfermos’ in Spanish, I do not know what it is called in English), are all his sins forgiven, even those he never repented from or even confessed?

Trusting in all Merciful God

Alma
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yes, all sins are forgiven in the sacrament of anointing of the sick. if the person is able to confess, he should do so, but if he is incapacitated it is not necessary.
 
Hi all if all sins are forgiven by this Sacrament it means the sacrament is not Christian ,for one reason only, Christ refuses to forgive those who harm children yours michaelmac ps these are not my words but from the bible
 
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michaelmac:
Hi all if all sins are forgiven by this Sacrament it means the sacrament is not Christian ,for one reason only, Christ refuses to forgive those who harm children yours michaelmac ps these are not my words but from the bible
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This is flat out wrong. Please indicate which verse you feel is saying this.
 
Hi Lazerlike 42 the verse is Matthew 18 ,it also says what those who harm children should do ,yours michaelmac
 
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michaelmac:
Hi Lazerlike 42 the verse is Matthew 18 ,it also says what those who harm children should do ,yours michaelmac
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Where in Matthew 18 does it say this? I just read the chapter, and there is no such verse. It says that causing a child to sin is a very grave sin. What I do not see is where Christ says that it is an unforgivable sin. In fact, elsewhere we are told that the only unforgivable sin is the sin against the Holy Spirit. However, if you think it does say He won’t forgive those who harm children, if you can tell me the specific verse or why you think it says that I’d love to take a look. 🙂
 
HI Lazerlike42, whoever receices one such child in my name receives me, but if a man is the cause of stumbling to one of these little ones who have faith in me ,it would be better for him to have a mill stone hung round his neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea, come they must but woe betide the man through whom they come , the Disciples asked Jesus who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven ,he called achild set him in front of them and said i tell you this unless you turn round and become like children you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven this is Matthew 18 yours michaelmac
 
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michaelmac:
HI Lazerlike42, whoever receices one such child in my name receives me, but if a man is the cause of stumbling to one of these little ones who have faith in me ,it would be better for him to have a mill stone hung round his neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea, come they must but woe betide the man through whom they come , the Disciples asked Jesus who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven ,he called achild set him in front of them and said i tell you this unless you turn round and become like children you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven this is Matthew 18 yours michaelmac
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And where in this does it say that such a sin is unforgivable?
 
Hi Lazerlike42 woe betide the man through whom they come ,if you read it you cannot mistake Jesus,s meaning for those who harm children ,in 1048 the Pope said a great mill stone should be put round there necks who harm children ,yours michaelmac ps i dont know any were else in the bible that Jesus says for some one to kill themselves
 
Jesus tells us very clearly that there is only one sin that is unforgivable. To interpret this verse to say that harming children is unforgivable contradicts that. Actually, the verse doesn’t even speak about harming children; it speaks about causing them to sin.

In fact, if you want to exegete the verse in context, it doesn’t even speak about children. The chapter begins with Christ saying that if we wish to come to Christ, we need to become like little children. In other words, we need to be able to have “blind” faith just like children have, and we need to be able to just listen to our Father and do His will just as children do the will of their fathers.

He then says woe to you who causes one of these little ones of mine to sin. Here Jesus isn’t talking about the children that are there, He is speaking about all those who follow Him. Those who follow Christ are as little children: they are His little ones. This is very clear because of the grammar. First Jesus says, if you want to come to me you must become like child. Then He says that whoever causes one of these little ones to sin will be worse off than to have a millstone hung on his neck. The these is an adjective which is being used to emphasize who the little ones are, and it is pointing at the people who have become like children.

So if Jesus is saying that anyone who causes the little ones to sin cannot be forgiven, then He is saying that anyone who causes any Christian to sin cannot be forgiven.

Remember, “if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6:15)
 
Hi Lazerlike42 the text i posted here is from the bible with no added words ,in 1048 Pope Leo said those who harm children should have a great mill stone hing round there necks and drowned in the depths of the sea ,he was talking about abuse of children by clergy , yours michaelmac
 
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michaelmac:
Hi Lazerlike42 the text i posted here is from the bible with no added words ,in 1048 Pope Leo said those who harm children should have a great mill stone hing round there necks and drowned in the depths of the sea ,he was talking about abuse of children by clergy , yours michaelmac
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Please provide a source for this information.
 
On top of one of those stacks is an obscure 11th-century text, the Book of Gomorrah. St. Peter Damian wrote the study in 1048 A.D. at the request of Pope Leo IX, who feared that priests were using their clerical power to solicit sex from parishioners. Although most of the book is a rant against the evils of homosexuality, the Book of Gomorrah has compelled the interest of medieval and theological scholars since it was one of the first acknowledgements by the Vatican that sexual abuse, especially against children, could irreparably harm Catholicism. Consider the following passage:

For Truth says, “Whoever scandalizes one of these little ones, it were better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Unless the strength of the Apostolic See intervenes as soon as possible, there is not doubt but that this unbridled wickedness, even though it should wish to be restrained, will be unable to stop on its headlong course."

“It was the first clear report to the Holy Father that there was a massive problem with priests soliciting sex,” Wall says of the Book of Gomorrah. “The Pope asked for a report, and St. Peter Damian came back with it. And what happened? They did not follow the recommendations. As Ecclesiastes once put it, there’s nothing new in history, so I hope that no one thinks these most recent sex-abuse allegations are something novel.”
 
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michaelmac:
On top of one of those stacks is an obscure 11th-century text, the Book of Gomorrah. St. Peter Damian wrote the study in 1048 A.D. at the request of Pope Leo IX, who feared that priests were using their clerical power to solicit sex from parishioners. Although most of the book is a rant against the evils of homosexuality, the Book of Gomorrah has compelled the interest of medieval and theological scholars since it was one of the first acknowledgements by the Vatican that sexual abuse, especially against children, could irreparably harm Catholicism. Consider the following passage:

For Truth says, “Whoever scandalizes one of these little ones, it were better for him to have a great millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Unless the strength of the Apostolic See intervenes as soon as possible, there is not doubt but that this unbridled wickedness, even though it should wish to be restrained, will be unable to stop on its headlong course."

“It was the first clear report to the Holy Father that there was a massive problem with priests soliciting sex,” Wall says of the Book of Gomorrah. “The Pope asked for a report, and St. Peter Damian came back with it. And what happened? They did not follow the recommendations. As Ecclesiastes once put it, there’s nothing new in history, so I hope that no one thinks these most recent sex-abuse allegations are something novel.”
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That person is merely quoting the Scriptures. He is not restating the idea, nor is he stating anything about forgiveness. For one thing it says it would be better for a person to have the mill stone hung, not that it was what should happen. Secondly, it makes no reference to forgiveness. The statement is referring to the state of a person if he does not receive absolution.
 
1552 another pope new about sexual abuse of children

The Catholic Church might appear to be facing its gravest and most desperate hour. Not so.

Historian JF Loughlin of Catholic Encyclopaedia fame wrote of the challenges that confronted Pope Adrian VI upon his investiture in 1522: “His Holiness had to reform a court that thrived on corruption and detested the name of reform.”

In his first major address to his Christian flock, Pope Adrian launched a scathing attack on the Church, which was rocked by scandals of all sorts. He declared: “So much had vice become the accepted norm that those who are polluted are no longer aware of the stench. I ask you, my brethren, where will it end?”

He warned that if God permitted the persecution of the Church it was because of the sins of men, and especially those of prelates and clergy. Among the sins that Adrian listed was sexual abuse of children by men of the cloth.

Hi Lazerlike42 in the bible i read why would Jesus say woe betide the man through whom they must come ,if it ment nothing and was not about not forgiving those who harm children ,and why would he talk about mill stones round the neck yours michaelmac
 
None of the references to popes have any statements about a lack of forgiveness. They are all simply about popes recognizing problems with sexual abuse.

What the passage refers to is the fact that if a person who leads people astray goes unrepentant, they are really gonna get it in hell. It is important to realize that there are different levels of punishment in hell. The passage is saying that these types of sins are going to carry a really heavy punishment in hell.
 
Hi Lazerlike42 a Question if Jesus told you its best for you to drown yourself ,because of what you have done to children ,simple logic says hes not forgiving you ,yours michaelmac
 
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michaelmac:
Hi Lazerlike42 a Question if Jesus told you its best for you to drown yourself ,because of what you have done to children ,simple logic says hes not forgiving you ,yours michaelmac
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God’s mercy is greater than all sins that can be committed. A sincerely repentant sinner will be forgiven anything at the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
 
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