Confession directions for absolution?

[Yeoman]

Can a priest require a confessing person to do something in order to obtain absolution, or as their penance.

I’ve often wondered about this. Could, for example, a Priest require a person confessing a crime to go to the police? Or could a Priest require, say, a politician who confessing an immoral position they’ve taken to publicly retract it?

I’ve heard (on Catholic Answers Radio, I think) that a Priest may not do that, but I’ve wondered if that’s correct.

 

[Gorgias]

Can a priest require a confessing person to do something in order to obtain absolution, or as their penance.

I’ve often wondered about this. Could, for example, a Priest require a person confessing a crime to go to the police? Or could a Priest require, say, a politician who confessing an immoral position they’ve taken to publicly retract it?

I’ve heard (on Catholic Answers Radio, I think) that a Priest may not do that, but I’ve wondered if that’s correct.

A priest may offer a penance that’s an action rather than a prayer. However, a priest cannot require a person to publicly profess his sin as a condition for absolution or as a penance.

The politician example is a different matter, however. If a person is confessing an action taken publicly, as a public figure, it would seem that his confessor might recommend that he recant his public sin. However, again, it would seem that withholding absolution until he do so, would be forbidden.

p.s., just curious: why would you mistrust what you heard on Catholic Answers Live, but believe it if some person unknown to you here affirmed what a CAL host said?

 

[Yeoman]

p.s., just curious: why would you mistrust what you heard on Catholic Answers Live, but believe it if some person unknown to you here affirmed what a CAL host said?

Good question. I’m not entirely sure I heard it accurately. I.e., I might be recalling it incorrectly, and I don’t want to say they said something, when in fact I might have heard it incorrectly.

 

[pianistclare]

A priest can advise someone to turn himself in, but cannot compel them to do it.

 

[Jennifoo]

The answer to your question is no. A priest can, however, request a penitent’s permission to speak about the matter outside of Confession if he feels that more in-depth counseling is needed. This can only happen if the penitent agrees and gives permission, and cannot be presented as a condition for absolution.

I know there are some instances where absolution can be refused. This is a very serious matter for a priest to decide.

Hope this helps somehow. God bless you.

 

[Yeoman]

The answer to your question is no. A priest can, however, request a penitent’s permission to speak about the matter outside of Confession if he feels that more in-depth counseling is needed. This can only happen if the penitent agrees and gives permission, and cannot be presented as a condition for absolution.

I know there are some instances where absolution can be refused. This is a very serious matter for a priest to decide.

Hope this helps somehow. God bless you.

I should note that this is merely a curiosity question. I have no crimes I’ve wondered about, I’ve just always wondered.

I wonder about the instances it can be refused too. My guess is that there would of course be some, but I don’t know what they are.

 

[Gorgias]

I wonder about the instances it can be refused too. My guess is that there would of course be some, but I don’t know what they are.

Canon law stipulates that if a penitent presents himself for absolution, and is contrite, then that absolution cannot be denied or delayed.

So, then, that points us in the direction of the question you’re asking: if a person enters the confessional and is not contrite (or does not intend to even attempt to avoid the sin in the future), then the priest may decline to absolve (or, IIRC, even bind the penitent to the sin, until he returns to him and confesses to him with contrition and resolve).

Here’s a hypothetical example: let’s suppose that you and I are both married, and one evening we both happen to go out to a bar and hook up with people we find there. The next day, we both go to confession. You enter the confessional and tell the confessor “I’m sorry – I committed adultery last night. It was wrong and I never will do it again!” On the other hand, I enter the confessional and say, “well… I did go to the bar, and I did pick up a woman and sleep with her. My wife just isn’t fulfilling my needs, though, Father! I mean, what am I supposed to do? When I get home tonight, she’s still not going to be fulfilling my needs. I’ll tell ya the truth: I’d make the same decision all over again…”

In this case, you’d receive absolution; but, it wouldn’t be surprising at all if I heard the confessor say, “since you are not contrite for your sin, I cannot absolve you of it.”

 

[Yeoman]

Canon law stipulates that if a penitent presents himself for absolution, and is contrite, then that absolution cannot be denied or delayed.

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I was totally unaware of that. That more than answers my question.