This is one of things I am wondering about. This was an otherwise great confession. I have gone to him before and he didn’t say ‘forgive’.If the priest slipped and said the wrong word, would it make the absolution invalid since his intention was to forgive the sins?
What are the exact words supposed to be?
Ecclesia supplet refers to jurisdiction, it cannot make an invalid sacrament, due to lack of form, valid. Jurisdiction essentially means that one has the permission or is granted the faculty to hear confessions in this case. So, if there is doubt as to whether or not a priest has the jurisdiction to hear a confession, ecclesia supplet may come into play.In the event of correct intention but (perhaps) inadvertent use of an incorrect word, wouldn’t the principle of ecclesia supplet apply to render the absolution valid?
Not exactly …Only God can forgive.
… you can take that for whatever it’s worth.The fact that your priests say, “You are forgiven” instead of the entire formula does not invalidate the sacrament.
Thanks for digging that up!For everyone’s benefit, I asked this very question several years ago in the Ask an Apologist forum and received the following reply … … you can take that for whatever it’s worth.
I completely agree. My plan is to assume it was not valid and do it again asap. I hope to do it before Mass, but if I can’t then I won’t compound the problem by receiving when I am not sure.Just because this is a reply offered by an Apologist, does not mean that it is correct. It could be correct. It mostlikely is correct but without supporting Church references, we can not be completely certain that it it correct. That is something to keep in mind. I would recommend the following:
The best example that I can give is if there was a possibility that you were highly contagious with something, you would not want to come in contact with a loved one until you were sure that it was safe.
- Do as you said and bring this up at your next confession. Hopefully it will be with a priest that uses the correct words and mention to him that at your previous confession the priest did not use the words of absolution that you normally hear and merely said that he forgave you and you were wondering if that was a valid confession or not and let him take it from there.
- Secondly, I would RECOMMEND that you do not receive the Eucharist until this matter is cleared up one way or the other. Remember, that in the Eucharist, we invite our God, to Whom sin is greatly offensive, to enter into our soul. If we truly love Jesus, we would not invite Him to come into a place that was filled with sin that was offensive to Him.
The same logic applies here. If there is a possibility that we might be in a state of sin, we do not want to expose our Lord to something that is offensive to Him.
… This is merely my OPINION. You are obviously free to do whatever you think is right. Additionally, I am sure that there are folks who will disagree with this and that is fine. They are also entitled to their OPINION.
Sacraments require the proper form for validity. If one can prove that “I forgive you” is the same as “I absolve you” then there could be a case for it. Personally, I think a re-confession should be in order to be safe. Forgive and absolve are not exactly the same.For everyone’s benefit, I asked this very question several years ago in the Ask an Apologist forum and received the following reply … … you can take that for whatever it’s worth.
Sorry, but that is INCORRECT! As in the words of consecration, the absolution formula MUST be said correctly. We’re talking sacramental form here, and it cannot be changed by a priest.Thanks for digging that up!
I went to confession on Wednesday because I can’t make it to the Saturday time at my parish and I didn’t want to have to miss communion. If the sacrament was invalid, then I would have to wait until next Saturday to go, I don’t like feeling seperated from Christ for that long. Or any amount of time whatsoever.
The next time I at confession I am going to bring this up just to be sure, but at least now I some comfort that if I get hit by a bus…
So you are saying that a CAF Apologist is wrong? Do you have support church references to support your position? Because absence of that, we can’t be sure who is correct and I personally would like to know as well.Sorry, but that is INCORRECT! As in the words of consecration, the absolution formula MUST be said correctly. We’re talking sacramental form here, and it cannot be changed by a priest.
Yes. Father Serpa indicates in his answer here that the use of “forgive” in place of “absolve” while illicit, is valid. It does not invalidate the confession.Oh my goodness. “Absolve” and “forgive” mean the same in English
P.S. Absolve is, after all not the original but a translation from the Latin.
Interesting. I total agree with the Latin comment. He could say, ‘Vestri matris gero exercitus tabernus’ and I wouldn’t know the difference.Yes. Father Serpa indicates in his answer here that the use of “forgive” in place of “absolve” while illicit, is valid. It does not invalidate the confession.
Sometimes I miss the days when the absolution was recited in Latin by the priest. I don’t recall many who second-guessed validity in those days.