Invalid confession and ignorance

[Neithan]

A friend of mine told me about a parish where a priest there did not say the proper words of absolution in confession (“I absolve you” etc.). The person to whom this happened knew the proper form and so knew that the confession was invalid, but what about other parishioners who maybe don’t know? If this happens and the penitent is ignorant or unaware that a confession was invalid, what does that mean for the state of their soul? And if they then receive communion?

 

[Goldrock]

Dear Neithan,

You should contact your archdiocese immediately and alert them to this grave situation. In Toronto the archdiocese has a chancellor of spiritual affairs and I have contacted this person via e-mail for similar issues. The person was always gracious and promised to work to resolve the issue.

The people who are ignorant that they are not absolved are not guilty of mortal sin if they receive Communion with the sincere assumption that they have been absolved. Mortal sin requires full knowledge and consent. Someone like you, though, who knows that the sacrament was invalidated by the priest’s negligence, needs to seek absolution from a priest who will perform it properly. Moreover, once this situation is made manifest, the people who received invalid absolutions should seek a proper one immediately. Hopefully your chancellor will figure out a way to alert them of their situation.

 

[Neithan]

Dear Neithan,

You should contact your archdiocese immediately and alert them to this grave situation. In Toronto the archdiocese has a chancellor of spiritual affairs and I have contacted this person via e-mail for similar issues. The person was always gracious and promised to work to resolve the issue.

The people who are ignorant that they are not absolved are not guilty of mortal sin if they receive Communion with the sincere assumption that they have been absolved. Mortal sin requires full knowledge and consent. Someone like you, though, who knows that the sacrament was invalidated by the priest’s negligence, needs to seek absolution from a priest who will perform it properly. Moreover, once this situation is made manifest, the people who received invalid absolutions should seek a proper one immediately. Hopefully your chancellor will figure out a way to alert them of their situation.

Thanks Goldrock. I believe the actual incident was reported.

 

[Digitonomy]

Simply because the words of absolution differed from those prescribed doesn’t automatically mean the absolution was invalid.

 

[puzzleannie]

A friend of mine told me about a parish where a priest there did not say the proper words of absolution in confession (“I absolve you” etc.). The person to whom this happened knew the proper form and so knew that the confession was invalid, but what about other parishioners who maybe don’t know? n?

the person who did have this experience needs to report it to the bishop immediately. nobody else can do this except someone who did witness this. if he does not report it, he accepts it.