Confession in a foreign language

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Sirach_43

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I’m currently living in a country where I am not fluent in the local language. Would it be a valid confession if I go to a priest that speaks the local language? How about if I locate a prayer book with the correct form and then translate my sins. Of course any counsel the priest would attempt to give would quickly exhaust my limited vocabulary.
 
English is basically the new Latin…it is quite often one can find a priest who knows enough.

If for example though you have no mortal sins but want to go to confession…get a dictionary and look up the word for one venial sin you are sorry for…that can be enough so long as he can give you a penance and absolution … (know the words too for not knowing the language…)

I have been to confession to a priest while traveling who did not know much…but enough …several times…

If you do have a mortal sin …still of course try to find a priest who knows some English and bring a dictionary…

You can also confess via a translator if need be…

But re-reading your post it seems you might know enough anyhow of the language.
 
Sirach_43 said:
I’m currently living in a country where I am not fluent in the local language. Would it be a valid confession if I go to a priest that speaks the local language? How about if I locate a prayer book with the correct form and then translate my sins. Of course any counsel the priest would attempt to give would quickly exhaust my limited vocabulary.
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I’m sure you could work something out. I’d ask for some Latin prayers as penance, though, so there’s no misunderstanding there. I went to one priest once who had such a heavy accent I had to verify the penance in that fashion.
 
God speaks both languages, it will not be the most helpful confession you ever make but you will still be absolved of your sins.

If only Latin was still well known, it seems just as the need for a universal language was at its highest we abandoned it.
 
MarkThompson said:
Don’t be silly, laymen have never confessed in Latin.
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Silly would be believing that you could possibly know that in the 2000 years the Church has existed a layman has never anywhere in the world ever confessed in Latin.

And I never said they ever did by the way, though since you mention it I believe the laws of probability are in my favor.
 
Aren’t there websites or electronic gadgets that translate?

From late antiquity through the Middle Ages, many laymen
spoke Latin, some as a primary language. Others travelled.
 
I went to confession in a small village where the CAtholic priest could not speak any English at all. However, I started to say the beginning prayer and noticed he was looking at me rather strangely so I asked “Anglais”? as this was the only spanish word I cou;d think of. He shook his head no, but waved hs hands and gave the OK sign and pointed to his head and the sky saying “Dios” and pointing over again at his head with a smile. I understood that God could understand what I said and Jesus would absolve my sins. He motioned for me to continue with my confession, so I did. Even though he could not understand my words, he listened intently, then when I stopped talking, he absolved me from my sins, I made an act of contrition and he told me with ten fingers “Ave Maria” so I knew the penance I should pray. I know this was a valid confession. I then attended Mass in Spanish and knew exactly what was happening. I prayed in English The Confetior and the Gloria and the Holy, Holy Holy and Lamb of God. No problem. There was no one present that spoke English as far as I could tell but it was a beautful witness to our one holy Catholic church. The Mass was still just as beautiful and reminded me a lot of my youthful days when Mass was all in Latin.
 
Brendan_McCabe said:
Silly would be believing that you could possibly know that in the 2000 years the Church has existed a layman has never anywhere in the world ever confessed in Latin.
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Oh, I didn’t realize you were referring to Catholics in the catacombs of Rome in 150 AD, Brendan. Sure, they probably confessed in Latin. I deeply regret the error.
And I never said they ever did by the way, though since you mention it I believe the laws of probability are in my favor.
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I know exactly what you were saying: that the modern Church has “abandoned” Latin – which was until recently “well known” (or are we talking about 150 AD here? didn’t think so) – and that’s why laymen cannot confess to foreign priests like they used to.

Again, not in the last millennium, or more like the last 1700 years really, have we lived in a world in which ordinary Catholic laymen and women might have conversational fluency in Latin. “Until Vatican II, most everyone knew Latin” – keep dreaming.
 
As a matter of fact in 150 AD the spoken language in the Roman empire was Greek. The reason was easy: Romans wanted to Govern, not to enforce their tradition on others, and since Alexander the Great the Greek was the official language on the more developed East. The Latin (which was the language only on a small part of the Empire) was revived only in the 4th century.

In other end even until the 18th century learned men spoke Latin, and probably made their confessions in Latin. In Hungary Latin was official Language of the Parliament until 1836.

As for the question, the comment in the Law, that confession can be made by interpreter suggest that the priest should understand you. When we moved here I suggested to my children to use a bilingual list (any bilingual friend can make it) and select from that what they want to confess. Soon they did not needed.
 
Brendan_McCabe said:
If only Latin was still well known, it seems just as the need for a universal language was at its highest we abandoned it.
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Actually it’s good that it’s not that well known, because illiterates and half-literates aren’t tempted to corrupt it. That’s probably why Latin has been around for so long. Experts have predicted that spoken English won’t be very recognizable to today’s English speaker within 100 years. When you hear some foreigners attempt it, you already realize this. When I get phone calls from some of these guys, I just say “Nie rozumiem angielski” and hang up. Learning other languages, Latin or otherwise, should be encouraged in our society, IMO.
 
Sirach_43 said:
I’m currently living in a country where I am not fluent in the local language. Would it be a valid confession if I go to a priest that speaks the local language? .
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in any country with any priest if you begin with the form, cross yourself, and start talking, confess all your mortal sins, he will get enough to absolve you, even if he does not understand one word the Holy Spirit will take over. If you don’t understand the penance just say a rosary. The absolution is what counts and that can be in any language. How many of us understand when it is in Latin?
 
puzzleannie said:
in any country with any priest if you begin with the form, cross yourself, and start talking, confess all your mortal sins, he will get enough to absolve you, even if he does not understand one word the Holy Spirit will take over. If you don’t understand the penance just say a rosary. The absolution is what counts and that can be in any language. How many of us understand when it is in Latin?
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Rather…seek out a priest with whom one can communicate (in english or what you know of his language etc). Ordinarily one need to be able to confess ones mortal sins in a way that can be understood. For the Priest is also a *judge *and such are required to be confessed etc and then he can give the penance etc.

(and even in the cases where general absolution without confession can be given…one is obliged to confess all mortal sins “as soon as possible”)
 
Canon Law:

Can. 990 No one is prohibited from confessing through an interpreter as long as abuses and scandals are avoided and without prejudice to the prescript of ⇒ can. 983, §2.
Can. 983 §1. The sacramental seal is inviolable; therefore it is absolutely forbidden for a confessor to betray in any way a penitent in words or in any manner and for any reason.

§2. The interpreter, if there is one, and all others who in any way have knowledge of sins from confession are also obliged to observe secrecy.
Can. 988 §1. A member of the Christian faithful is obliged to confess in kind and number all grave sins committed after baptism and not yet remitted directly through the keys of the Church nor acknowledged in individual confession, of which the person has knowledge after diligent examination of conscience.

§2. It is recommended to the Christian faithful that they also confess venial sins.
 
MarkThompson said:
Don’t be silly, laymen have never confessed in Latin.
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Yes they did and yes they do. I have confessed in Latin on a number of occasions when no other common language was present between priest and myself.
 
Langbank said:
Yes they did and yes they do. I have confessed in Latin on a number of occasions when no other common language was present between priest and myself.
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Good to know that this is still done. 👍

Perhaps in this jet age we live in, it may not be a bad idea to come up with a Latin form of confession (with a Latin list of sins) those who travel a lot can study. I personally don’t like the idea of interpreters.
 
MarkThompson said:
Oh, I didn’t realize you were referring to Catholics in the catacombs of Rome in 150 AD, Brendan. Sure, they probably confessed in Latin. I deeply regret the error.

I know exactly what you were saying: that the modern Church has “abandoned” Latin – which was until recently “well known” (or are we talking about 150 AD here? didn’t think so) – and that’s why laymen cannot confess to foreign priests like they used to.

Again, not in the last millennium, or more like the last 1700 years really, have we lived in a world in which ordinary Catholic laymen and women might have conversational fluency in Latin. “Until Vatican II, most everyone knew Latin” – keep dreaming.
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I seem to have upset you for some reason, you have my apologies.
 
MarkThompson said:
Oh, I didn’t realize you were referring to Catholics in the catacombs of Rome in 150 AD, Brendan. Sure, they probably confessed in Latin. I deeply regret the error.

I know exactly what you were saying: that the modern Church has “abandoned” Latin – which was until recently “well known” (or are we talking about 150 AD here? didn’t think so) – and that’s why laymen cannot confess to foreign priests like they used to.

Again, not in the last millennium, or more like the last 1700 years really, have we lived in a world in which ordinary Catholic laymen and women might have conversational fluency in Latin. “Until Vatican II, most everyone knew Latin” – keep dreaming.
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Really, hit that snark lock key again and chill out.
 
MarkThompson said:
Oh, I didn’t realize you were referring to Catholics in the catacombs of Rome in 150 AD, Brendan. Sure, they probably confessed in Latin. I deeply regret the error.

I know exactly what you were saying: that the modern Church has “abandoned” Latin – which was until recently “well known” (or are we talking about 150 AD here? didn’t think so) – and that’s why laymen cannot confess to foreign priests like they used to.

Again, not in the last millennium, or more like the last 1700 years really, have we lived in a world in which ordinary Catholic laymen and women might have conversational fluency in Latin. “Until Vatican II, most everyone knew Latin” – keep dreaming.
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Mark you have not understood what I was saying you have jumped to a assumption just so you can insult me it seems.

What did or did not occur in the past is irrelevant to a much simpler point I was making.

The point I was actually making is the simple indisputable fact that if all priests knew Latin then the catholic who is an international traveler would only need to learn one language rather than multiple languages. Even if Catholics had never made confessions in Latin in the past it would not mean we could not do so in the present or the future.

Re-read what I wrote:
Brendan_McCabe said:
If only Latin was still well known, it seems just as the need for a universal language was at its highest we abandoned it.
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Note there was no mention of how Catholics confessed in the past, I was not referring to Catholics in the catacombs or at any other point in history, that is what you did not me. Nor did I make a judgement of how well known Latin was in any particular period of time. You are arguing against your own imaginings.
 
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