Confession and Faculties

  • Thread starter Thread starter smad0142
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
S

smad0142

Guest
Roman Priests need faculties in order to validly hear Confessions. Is this needed in the East? Why or why not? Thanks!!
 
Yes there is. And their faculties extend through the territory of their Eparchy and they must use their own Rite.
 
smad0142 said:
Do the Orthodox have this too or just the EC?
Click to expand...
Within the Roman Rite and the Byzantine Rite (Both Catholic and Orthodox), the faculty to hear confessions is granted to pastors by virtue of their office.

Other priests need faculties from the bishop, or in the case of Byzantines, from the pastor of the parish where they are assigned.
 
Dear brother Constantine,
ConstantineTG said:
Yes there is. And their faculties extend through the territory of their Eparchy and they must use their own Rite.
Click to expand...
Are you sure about that? From what I understand, the faculty is normally specifically valid only in a priest’s own parish, unless the bishop grants him a plenary faculty. Perhaps brother Aramis can clarify.

Blessings,
Marduk
 
A summary is below.

Roman Pontiff, cardinals:
  • by law: valid and licit anywhere in the world
Bishops:
  • by law: valid and licit anywhere in the world, but not licit if restricted by a local bishop
Local hierarch/ordinaries, pastor, priest, priest substitute, canons penitentiary:
  • by law (office): valid and licit within their jurisdictions
  • by grant: valid and licit anywhere in the world, according to norms
Priest superior of institute of consecrated life or pontifical clerical society of apostolic life:
  • by law (office): valid and licit for members of his institute and others living in the religious house
  • by grant: valid and licit anywhere in the world, according to norms
Bishops CCEO 722, CIC 967
Priests CCEO 722, 723, 724 CIC 966, 967, 968, 969

Exceptions made in danger of death (CCEO 725, CIC 976)
 
mardukm said:
Dear brother Constantine,

Are you sure about that? From what I understand, the faculty is normally specifically valid only in a priest’s own parish, unless the bishop grants him a plenary faculty. Perhaps brother Aramis can clarify.

Blessings,
Marduk
Click to expand...
You and I both have the same understanding. A pastor’s inherent-as-pastor faculties are for his parish only. On the other hand, I know of no priests of the Archdiocese of Anchorage in good standing who do not have plenary absolution faculties from the bishop for throughout the archdiocese. And I suspect (from conversations with several priests of the Eparchy of Holy Protection of the Mother of God) that all have been granted eparchy-wide plenary faculties as well.

Note that, however, the Archdiocese has several incardinated priests not in good standing, and the Eparchy has at least one, as well. They have only emergency faculties as noted by canon.

I’ve heard, however, that such plenary faculties are rare in the OCA (from OCA laity and from GO and AO clergy).
 
Chaldean_Rite said:
What is meant by faculties?
Click to expand...
Faculties are, for lack of a better word, the permission of the bishop. The power to absolve is inherent in the reception Holy Orders, but permission to exercise that power is not. It’s the same for all Sacraments, actually. A validly ordained priest may offer Mass (or DL or whatever one wants to call it), but whether he is allowed to offer it publicly is dependent on whether or not he has faculties to do so.
 
malphono said:
Faculties are, for lack of a better word, the permission of the bishop. The power to absolve is inherent in the reception Holy Orders, but permission to exercise that power is not. It’s the same for all Sacraments, actually. A validly ordained priest may offer Mass (or DL or whatever one wants to call it), but whether he is allowed to offer it publicly is dependent on whether or not he has faculties to do so.
Click to expand...
It seems to me that the Holy Orders provides the power via extention of the Bishop but faculty or permission is a matter of pastoral obedience.
 
Chaldean_Rite said:
It seems to me that the Holy Orders provides the power via extention of the Bishop but faculty or permission is a matter of pastoral obedience.
Click to expand...
Not all priests are given faculties to hear confession or to preach. In the old country most married priest do NOT have faculties for confession.

When I lived in Greece may years ago I would go to a monk for confession…he was NOT a priest…he would hear the confession…give counsel and send you to a priest for the prayers of absolution to be read over you.
 
I think the same with the Orthodox, although I have no idea regarding the mechanism.

The priest of one Orthodox Church that I frequently visit (under Ecumenical Patriarchate), do not have power to hear confession. So his faithful confess only several times a year, that is when another priest who have faculty come by.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top