Let me propose a hypothetical situation for you. Say a man confesses to a priest that he murdered someone. The priest, obviously, cannot go to the police and, obviously, must forgive this contrite man. However, should not the priest give as a penance to this man that he turn himself in?
It just does not seem right to me that this man is forgiven without any justice.
You forget there are three parts to deal with here:
First, there is authentic and genuine contrition. You have said that the man is contrite, so OK.
Then there is confession. You have that covered.
Then there is also satisfaction. The CCC says the following about satisfaction:1459 Many sins wrong our neighbor. **One must do what is possible in order to repair the harm (e.g., return stolen goods, restore the reputation of someone slandered, pay compensation for injuries). **Simple justice requires as much. But sin also injures and weakens the sinner himself, as well as his relationships with God and neighbor. Absolution takes away sin, but it does not remedy all the disorders sin has caused. **Raised up from sin, the sinner must still recover his full spiritual health by doing something more to make amends for the sin: he must “make satisfaction for” or “expiate” his sins. **This satisfaction is also called “penance.”
1460 The penance the confessor imposes must take into account the penitent’s personal situation and must seek his spiritual good. **It must correspond as far as possible with the gravity and nature of the sins committed. It can consist of prayer, an offering, works of mercy, service of neighbor, voluntary self-denial, sacrifices, and above all the patient acceptance of the cross we must bear. **Such penances help configure us to Christ, who alone expiated our sins once for all. They allow us to become co-heirs with the risen Christ, “provided we suffer with him.”
The satisfaction that we make for our sins, however, is not so much ours as though it were not done through Jesus Christ. We who can do nothing ourselves, as if just by ourselves, can do all things with the cooperation of “him who strengthens” us. Thus man has nothing of which to boast, but all our boasting is in Christ . . . in whom we make satisfaction by bringing forth “fruits that befit repentance.” These fruits have their efficacy from him, by him they are offered to the Father, and through him they are accepted by the Father.
In addition, keep in mind the words of Canon 981:Can. 981 The confessor is to impose salutary and suitable penances in accord with the quality and number of sins, taking into account the condition of the penitent. The penitent is obliged to fulfill these personally.
Then the Rite of Penance in the Roman Ritual has the following to say:6c. True conversion is completed by expiation for the sins committed, by amendment of life,
and also by rectifying injuries done. [33]
The kind and extent of the expiation must be suited to the personal condition of penitents so that they may restore the order that they have upset and through the corresponding remedy be cured of the sickness from which they suffered. Therefore, it is necessary that the act of penance really be a remedy for sin and a help to renewal of life. Thus penitents, “forgetting the things that are behind” (Phil 3:13), again become part of the mystery of salvation and press on toward the things that are to come.
Paragraph 18 says:
A penitent who has been the cause of harm or scandal to others is to be led by the priest to resolve to make due restitution.
Next, the priest imposes an act of penance or expiation on the penitent; this should serve not only as atonement for past sins but also as an aid to a new life and an antidote for weakness. As far as possible, therefore, the penance should correspond to the seriousness and nature of the sins. This act of penance may suitably take the form of prayer, self-denial, and especially service to neighbor and works of mercy. These will underline the fact that sin and its forgiveness have a social aspect.
I would also refer you to the Council of Trent (cited in the 1974 Ritual) Session XIV Chapter 8, titled:
On the necessity and on the fruit of Satisfaction. (I won’t paste it in because it’s a bit long).
The problem with assigning a penance of turning oneself in to the Pagan courts is covered in Sacred Scriptures:[bibledrb]1 Cor 6:1-8[/bibledrb]
But this is not to say that the person who confesses a serious crime would not be assigned a satisfaction of making restitution…nor is it that he couldn’t be encouraged to turn himself in, as his eventual punishment would likely be less if he openly admits his guilt. But it wouldn’t be appropriate to
force him to do so.
Sorry for the long answer, but I always figure that it’s best to read what the Church has to say than to read the opinion of an anonymous Internet user.
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