Are non Catholics able to receive absolution?

[Kasia_63]

When I talk about the sacrament of Penance with Christians who are not Catholic, it seems that many are wanting to check it out and have asked me if they go, will they too receive absolution. I don’t want to steer anyone wrongly, but I seem to remember hearing that in special cases when one is seeking sincere interest, conversion or life emergency, one may confess and receive absolution with the promise to continue with instruction in the Catholic rite. Thank you for your clarification.

 

[Fr.Charles_Grondin]

There are a limited number of circumstances in which the Church allows non-Catholics to receive the sacrament of confession:

canon 844 §4 If the danger of death is present or if, in the judgment of the diocesan bishop or conference of bishops, some other grave necessity urges it, Catholic ministers administer these same sacraments licitly also to other Christians not having full communion with the Catholic Church, who cannot approach a minister of their own community and who seek such on their own accord, provided that they manifest Catholic faith in respect to these sacraments and are properly disposed.

As you can see, the only time that a priest can hear the confession of a non-Catholic is when the individual is in danger of death. At other times there must be some kind of grave necessity that the local Bishop or the conference of Bishops judge to be prudent to hear the confessions of non-Catholics.

The only other exception to this is if the non-Catholic is actually engaged in the process of becoming a Catholic:

The National Statutes for Catechumenate

1. The celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation with candidates for reception into full communion is to be carried out at a time prior to and distinct from the celebration of the rite of reception.