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Cone
Guest
If the priest doesn’t explicitly say “I absolve you”, are you still absolved?
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WT1
Guest
If you were not absolved the priest would have told you and explained why you weren’t. If you were given a penance you are absolved so rejoice in being sin free (at least until you get in the parking lot and someone has parked too close!).
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rcwitness
Guest
Why wouldnt you ak your confessor this?
I would think it was a human mistake he made in forgetting to pronounce absolution.
I would think it was a human mistake he made in forgetting to pronounce absolution.
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Edmundus1581
Guest
Basically, no, your are not absolved. Confession is a sacrament which requires the right form, and an essential part of the form is the words “I absolve you”. If the priest hasn’t said that then one is not absolved.
You are not culpable for the priests mistake but if you are quite sure that he didn’t say “I absolve you” then you need to go to confession again (preferably with another priest), and tell that priest what happened in the previous confession. This happened to me once. At the end of the confession the priest simply said “I will pray for you”, but with no mention of withholding absolution either. So I went to another priest and told him, and he didn’t make me repeat that previous confession but did say that he would include it in the absolution this time.
It sometimes happens that people aren’t sure whether the priest absolved them (probably because they couldn’t hear the priest clearly, or the person was distracted at the time). The general advise I have seen in this case is to assume that form was correct, just as we assume that the consecration of the eucharist is correct, even if we don’t hear it, etc. We are not expected to police our own sacraments. One is only required to do something if you are quite sure of the incorrect form.
You are not culpable for the priests mistake but if you are quite sure that he didn’t say “I absolve you” then you need to go to confession again (preferably with another priest), and tell that priest what happened in the previous confession. This happened to me once. At the end of the confession the priest simply said “I will pray for you”, but with no mention of withholding absolution either. So I went to another priest and told him, and he didn’t make me repeat that previous confession but did say that he would include it in the absolution this time.
It sometimes happens that people aren’t sure whether the priest absolved them (probably because they couldn’t hear the priest clearly, or the person was distracted at the time). The general advise I have seen in this case is to assume that form was correct, just as we assume that the consecration of the eucharist is correct, even if we don’t hear it, etc. We are not expected to police our own sacraments. One is only required to do something if you are quite sure of the incorrect form.
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Edmundus1581
Guest
Is there any particular reason you posted in Traditional Catholicism?
This seems like a question for Liturgy and Sacraments.
This seems like a question for Liturgy and Sacraments.
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WT1
Guest
If the priest gave you a penance then you’re absolved and I wouldn’t worry about it. God does appreciate your obedience and thoughtfulness for sure but don’t stress it and don’t let some of these guys go legal eagle on you.
Jesus had some unkind words for “attorneys” in the bible:
…45One of the lawyers said to Him in reply, “Teacher, when You say this, You insult us too.” 46But He said, "Woe to you lawyers as well! For you weigh men down with burdens hard to bear, while you yourselves will not even touch the burdens with one of your fingers. Saint Luke 11:45-46.
Jesus had some unkind words for “attorneys” in the bible:
…45One of the lawyers said to Him in reply, “Teacher, when You say this, You insult us too.” 46But He said, "Woe to you lawyers as well! For you weigh men down with burdens hard to bear, while you yourselves will not even touch the burdens with one of your fingers. Saint Luke 11:45-46.
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Mary_Ellen
Guest
We had a new priest in our parish who said I “forgive” you, not I “absolve” you the first time I saw him in Confession. It startled me but didn’t worry me personally because I had only confessed venial sins. I was, however, worried about other penitents.
The next week when I went to Confession it was to the pastor. I mentioned that my last confession was a week ago, but that the priest had not used the proper form so the confession had been invalid, however I would not be re-confessing those venial sins. The new priest has used the proper form ever since.
The next week when I went to Confession it was to the pastor. I mentioned that my last confession was a week ago, but that the priest had not used the proper form so the confession had been invalid, however I would not be re-confessing those venial sins. The new priest has used the proper form ever since.
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Edmundus1581
Guest
I won’t try and guess what God thinks of it. I just go by the Catholic teaching, and the church teaches that the sacraments require the correct form to be valid.
Confession without the words “I absolve you” is invalid. Just as baptism, marriage, eucharist, etc. are invalid if the form is incorrect. We may not be culpable, but we haven’t received the sacrament either.
If we know that we have not received valid absolution after confessing mortal sins, then we are obliged to seek absolution again. This may not involved re-confessing our sins - it would be up to the priest who heard the second confession.
If the sacraments don’t require the correct form, then why have them? We might as well bypass the Church and take everything direct to God.
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WT1
Guest
God is merciful and won’t withhold absolution of that I have zero doubt. This person obviously is very stressed about the situation and I think we could all follow God’s example and show mercy ourselves. Anyone that is truly repentant in their heart and has expressed this to God will not be denied forgiveness through a technicality that might or might not have happened.
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Edmundus1581
Guest
Until the OP gives us more information we can’t guess about what happened, or how they feel about it.
The sacraments are administered by the Church and in answering questions about them we follow Church teaching. For any sacrament the correct form is not a “technicality” - it is essential to the validity of the sacrament.
In what way have I been unmerciful? I didn’t criticise him/her at all - on the contrary I said that they were not culpable for the priest’s error. However, from the information we have, the sacrament didn’t happen. I also mentioned that there is only a problem if he/she is quite sure that the priest didn’t say “I absolve you”. If in doubt, then assume he did. We are not obliged to police our own sacraments.
Fr Z…
When the priest confessor doesn’t use the proper Form of Absolution. Wherein Fr. Z advises
(emphasis added).
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Lui
Guest
I had a discussion about confession with former Catholics.
I mentioned as a Catholic you have to confess and then the priest gives you a penance.
They argued that that is old fashioned and nowadays Catholics don’t have to confess anymore. My Catholicism view is conservative.
I was pretty sure up until now that ALL Catholics have to confess and it doesn’t depend on where you live and what kind of Catholic you are. Am I missing something?
I mentioned as a Catholic you have to confess and then the priest gives you a penance.
They argued that that is old fashioned and nowadays Catholics don’t have to confess anymore. My Catholicism view is conservative.
I was pretty sure up until now that ALL Catholics have to confess and it doesn’t depend on where you live and what kind of Catholic you are. Am I missing something?
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JimG
Guest
Two things always startle me when this sort of question arises:
The first is, as was noted earlier, why should the penitent have to act as the sacramental police, ensuring that the priest does it right? It’s not our job. We confess our sins. The priest gives absolution.
The second thing that startles me though, arises, when I read of strange wordings by the priest, lack of proper form in giving the sacrament. Why would a priest mess with the form of a sacrament? It’s not his sacrament to mess with. The Church provides the proper form. No ad libbing is needed.
This sort of question never arose when the absolution was given in Latin! The penitent couldn’t really make out the words, and the priest, having memorized the words, was not tempted to ad lib!
The first is, as was noted earlier, why should the penitent have to act as the sacramental police, ensuring that the priest does it right? It’s not our job. We confess our sins. The priest gives absolution.
The second thing that startles me though, arises, when I read of strange wordings by the priest, lack of proper form in giving the sacrament. Why would a priest mess with the form of a sacrament? It’s not his sacrament to mess with. The Church provides the proper form. No ad libbing is needed.
This sort of question never arose when the absolution was given in Latin! The penitent couldn’t really make out the words, and the priest, having memorized the words, was not tempted to ad lib!
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ChadS
Guest
Jim, I agree completely with you. When I go to confession I shouldn’t have to worry if the absolution is in the correct form or not. If the priest does not have the proper form memorized (which I find inconceivable) why can’t he have the proper form typed out on a piece of paper or have their manual with them, that way they can be sure it’s being done correctly.
ChadS
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Edmundus1581
Guest
:yup:
As Jim said, it’s not his (the priest’s) sacrament to mess with.
There is no joy in this world like confessing our worst, most intimate and difficult stuff, receiving our penance and then hearing the rote repetition…
“God, the Father of Mercies, through the death and resurrection of his son, has reconciled the world to himself…I absolve you from your sins…”
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