Can all Baptized Christians go to confession?

[smile791]

I heard a priest on EWTN.com today say he can hear all legitimately baptized Christian’s confessions. I was wondering if a Catholic priest can absolve the sins of all baptized Christians not only Catholic Christians?

 

[beth40n2]

I heard a priest on EWTN.com today say he can hear all legitimately baptized Christian’s confessions. I was wondering if a Catholic priest can absolve the sins of all baptized Christians not only Catholic Christians?

No, here is the details. greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=00Bxln

 

[smile791]

No, here is the details. greenspun.com/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=00Bxln

Thanks. Sounds like one would have to be Catholic or in the RCIA program to recieve absolution or in some extreme circumstance. I found another thread on the same topic.
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=345528&highlight=non+catholic+recieve+absolution

 

[ConstantineTG]

Technically, yes. But here’s the thing, since Confession not only restores the relationship we have with God, it also restores our relationship with the Church. If one is not Catholic and sought Confession, isn’t that restoration of relationship with the Church a lie? Therefore the Sacrament is profaned and thus another big sin is committed.

 

[newyorkcatholic]

Though any baptized Christian could confess and be absolved in danger of death, right?

If not in danger of death, then he or she should formally intend to reconcile with the Church and then confess (it could be before the formal public reconciliation, e.g. at the Easter Vigil before confirmation).

 

[puzzleannie]

ordinarily Catholic sacraments after baptism are open only to Catholics. any priest can absolve any baptized Christian who is in danger of death, or any baptized Christian who asks for it in the context of seeking full communion with the Catholic Church, who in fact must confess before receiving the other sacraments of initiation.

 

[joandarc2008]

For what it is worth and I don’t tell this story often - I received my first confession before I was Catholic - but I was baptized. I was in Iraq. It started my conversion to Catholicism and two and half years later I was in RCIA. It took a bit but I do feel the Grace I received there was the reason for my conversion. Was I in danger of death - we all were. Our area wasn’t really high incident but we did have a pretty close call a few weeks later that solidified some things in my mind. So yes it does happen. Yes, my baptism was inquired about. Would I have changed it for anything? Absolutely not. Does God know exactly what he is doing - yes. But I think in this case it was about intent - there was no intent when I went to go speak to the Chaplain that day to misuse the Sacrament - it was offered in the spirit of what Christ gave it to us for and accepted in the same spirit even if there was not all of the understanding. God bless.