Can I Confess to a Nun?

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SuS33

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I attened few classes pf RCIA years ago in a church (a roman catholic church) just to learn more about the faith. I learned that Nuns can preform the Sacrament of Reconciliation. And I’ve seen a nun go to the confessional before or during Mass, I assum it’s for poeple who couldn’t go on Saturday. I’ve never confessed to a Nun personally, but I found it very strange. Does the Church allow Nuns to preform this Sacrament? And what other Sacrements can they preform?

Thank you
 
SuS33 said:
I attened few classes pf RCIA years ago in a church (a roman catholic church) just to learn more about the faith. I learned that Nuns can preform the Sacrament of Reconciliation. And I’ve seen a nun go to the confessional before or during Mass, I assum it’s for poeple who couldn’t go on Saturday. I’ve never confessed to a Nun personally, but I found it very strange. Does the Church allow Nuns to preform this Sacrament? And what other Sacrements can they preform?

Thank you
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No, Nuns absolutely cannot perform the Sacrament of Reconciliation. They can perform no Sacraments, as they are not ordained. No woman is ordained, even if she is a sister or nun.

There is only one exception for all Catholics, and that is if a person is dying and wishes to be baptized, any baptized Catholic can baptize them. However, this applies to everyone, not just nuns.

I highly recommend you notify your bishop that such things are being taught at RCIA and that there may be a nun “performing” the sacrament of reconciliation.
 
SuS33 said:
I attened few classes pf RCIA years ago in a church (a roman catholic church) just to learn more about the faith. I learned that Nuns can preform the Sacrament of Reconciliation. And I’ve seen a nun go to the confessional before or during Mass, I assum it’s for poeple who couldn’t go on Saturday. I’ve never confessed to a Nun personally, but I found it very strange. Does the Church allow Nuns to preform this Sacrament? And what other Sacrements can they preform?

Thank you
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No, only a priest can provide absolution, and without absolution there is no sacrament.

Nuns don’t act as the minister of any sacraments, with the exception of an emergency baptism (lay people can do that, too.)
 
I would be very surprised to hear that it were possible for anyone who is not an ordained priest to hear confessions. According to canon law:
Canon 965:
A priest alone is the minister of the sacrament of penance.
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I don’t think that sounds like something that allows for loopholes.

But I don’t know everything.

–Jen
 
SuS33 said:
I attened few classes pf RCIA years ago in a church (a roman catholic church) just to learn more about the faith. I learned that Nuns can preform the Sacrament of Reconciliation. And I’ve seen a nun go to the confessional before or during Mass, I assum it’s for poeple who couldn’t go on Saturday. I’ve never confessed to a Nun personally, but I found it very strange. Does the Church allow Nuns to preform this Sacrament? And what other Sacrements can they preform?

Thank you
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You must have misunderstood. No one but a priest may hear a confession. Nuns are not “ordained” and can only preform a sacrament that any layperson could preform. i.e. Baptism.

If indeed that was taught, the Church needs to be contacted and it needs to be corrected. But most likely I think it was probably just some miscommunication.
 
SuS33 said:
I attened few classes pf RCIA years ago in a church (a roman catholic church) just to learn more about the faith. I learned that Nuns can preform the Sacrament of Reconciliation. And I’ve seen a nun go to the confessional before or during Mass, I assum it’s for poeple who couldn’t go on Saturday. I’ve never confessed to a Nun personally, but I found it very strange. Does the Church allow Nuns to preform this Sacrament? And what other Sacrements can they preform?

Thank you
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Before you go running to the bishop to tattletale, as was hastily suggested in this thread. I’d suggest you get your facts straight, and make sure you aren’t misinterpreting the situation.

You said you saw “a nun go to the confessional”. Is it a face-to-face confessional with one door, or a screen confessional with two doors?

If it is a face to face confessional with one door, the nun might be going to receive confession herself, or there may not be any priest in there at all and she is just fixing up some plants or getting something from a drawer. You have no evidence that she went in to actually hear confessions unless you see her go in, and penitents go in in turn with all the appearances of receiving confession. IF this is the case, then jump down to the bottom and see my suggestion for your next action.

On the other hand, if it is a screen confessional with two doors, then double check that the nun isn’t just going into the penitents’ side. If she is going in the priest’s side, stay to see if she immediately comes out or if she actually stays there and penitents go into the other side to receive “confession”.
If you have examined the situation and ascertained that it does, indeed, appear that this nun is giving “confession”, I would suggest you speak to her. Ask her if she has been receiving confessions. If she responds in the affirmative, then it’s time to speak to the pastor and find out what’s going on. Then, if the pastor too seems to be agreeable with the situation, go on to the bishop. Send a letter or make a call, and try to explain the situation in the most succinct and temper-free manner.
 
I am inclined to think that you simply misunderstood something, and truly hope that you and others were not mislead or misinformed by the RCIA team/instructor. A nun cannot grant absolution (forgive sins), so she would not be able to perform the Sacrament of Reconciliation (aka Confession).

If the nun was simply entering the Confessional because she’s going to Confession (yes nuns need the Sacrament, too), and she’s not hearing/attempting to absolve the confessions of other penitents, that would be fine. Otherwise, I would ask the pastor about it, and if necessary, contact the Bishop as well. But I would suggest we don’t jump to conclusions, either. There may be another explanation for what’s going on.

For instance, some nuns and Sisters are Spiritual Directors/Advisors, and from the outside, that may “look like” confessing to a nun. However, they are not the same thing.

Hope you get this cleared up and hopefully it’s just a misunderstanding! :gopray2:
 
You could confess to a nun. But she couldn’t give you absolution. Only Priest and Bishops can give the sacrament. It has to do with apostolic succession. I do know that in Ireland people would confess to nuns but wouldn’t receive absolution from them. They would do it just for spiritual help. But I don’t think any church nowadays offers nuns as people who can give you spiritual advice. Now it’s just Priests.
 
SuS33 said:
I attened few classes pf RCIA years ago in a church (a roman catholic church) just to learn more about the faith. I learned that Nuns can preform the Sacrament of Reconciliation. And I’ve seen a nun go to the confessional before or during Mass, I assum it’s for poeple who couldn’t go on Saturday. I’ve never confessed to a Nun personally, but I found it very strange. Does the Church allow Nuns to preform this Sacrament? And what other Sacrements can they preform?

Thank you
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No
 
=SuS33;12338273]I attened few classes pf RCIA years ago in a church (a roman catholic church) just to learn more about the faith. I learned that Nuns can preform the Sacrament of Reconciliation. And I’ve seen a nun go to the confessional before or during Mass, I assum it’s for poeple who couldn’t go on Saturday. I’ve never confessed to a Nun personally, but I found it very strange. Does the Church allow Nuns to preform this Sacrament? And what other Sacrements can they preform?
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Thank you
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The answer is NO! Not if you actually expect God to forgive your sins.

Take out your bible and READ:
1:John 1:8-10
1 John 5:16-17
JOHN 20:19-23:thumbsup:

God Bless you
 
SuS33 said:
I attened few classes pf RCIA years ago in a church (a roman catholic church) just to learn more about the faith. I learned that Nuns can preform the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
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That is absolutely false.
 
Hi there you have been given good advice here but since you do not seem to know yourself would you think of rejoining for another Course of RCIA and buying the Book, Catholicism for Dummies, as a Convert I have one myself, its great as well as the Catechism of the Church .

God Bless.

That is why its so important to keep reading on what the Catholic Church teaches, your not done when RCIA is finished, you still have to keep progressing.
 
You can confess your sins to whomever you want.

But only a priest can give you absolution.

Confessing to a nun is considered confession, but it is not the Sacrament of Reconciliation. I suppose if someone has done something so wrong that it’s preventing him from sleeping at night, and getting it off his chest will be helpful to his state of mind, and the only person available to listen is a nun, confessing the sin to the nun is probably a good idea. But he then needs to confess to a priest at the next opportunity to be absolved.
 
SuS33 said:
I attened few classes pf RCIA years ago in a church (a roman catholic church) just to learn more about the faith. I learned that Nuns can preform the Sacrament of Reconciliation. And I’ve seen a nun go to the confessional before or during Mass, I assum it’s for poeple who couldn’t go on Saturday. I’ve never confessed to a Nun personally, but I found it very strange. Does the Church allow Nuns to preform this Sacrament? And what other Sacrements can they preform?

Thank you
Click to expand...
Only priests (who have the faculties to do so) can administer the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Whoever told you that Nuns can do so is wrong. You may have seen Nuns go to receive the sacrament.
 
SuS33 said:
I attened few classes pf RCIA years ago in a church (a roman catholic church) just to learn more about the faith. I learned that Nuns can preform the Sacrament of Reconciliation. And I’ve seen a nun go to the confessional before or during Mass, I assum it’s for poeple who couldn’t go on Saturday. I’ve never confessed to a Nun personally, but I found it very strange. Does the Church allow Nuns to preform this Sacrament? And what other Sacrements can they preform?

Thank you
Click to expand...
A sister could potentially lead the communal examination of conscience as part of a reconciliation service followed by individual confession.

But a sister cannot absolve anyone of his sins. For that matter, neither can a deacon.
 
Nuns cannot perform the sacrament because they are not men and thus cannot be priests. If they were men, they would have more powers and potential. I know it’s not their fault they were born that way, I’m just saying.
 
One more thing to consider…

When you confess your sins to someone other than a priest within the framework of the Sacrament of Penance (Confession/Reconciliation), they are NOT bound to secrecy in the same way a priest is. He cannot reveal your confession, or whether even you came to confession at all.
 
I think it likely that you didn’t understand what was happening, particularly since, as I understand it, a Catholic simulating a sacrament is automatically excommunicated from the Catholic Church.

If this troubles you at all, you might to the the parish and talk with the priest about it to see if you understood what happened. If you are reluctant to make an appointment about it, you could talk to the priest after mass.
 
Reclaim said:
One more thing to consider…

When you confess your sins to someone other than a priest within the framework of the Sacrament of Penance (Confession/Reconciliation), they are NOT bound to secrecy in the same way a priest is. He cannot reveal your confession, or whether even you came to confession at all.
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And your sins are not forgiven either :D. Also, there is no " framwork of the Sacrament of Penance " unless it is an ordained priest who is hearing the confession!

Linus2nd
 
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