Is a Confession Valid if the Priest Doesn't Know Your Language?

[Barricade]

Here’s a question I can’t seem to find a definitive answer on.

Suppose you speak English and go to a priest who doesn’t know English for confession. Can one validly receive the sacrament in such a setting if the priest doesn’t really understand what specific sins are being said, but at the very least understands that the person is intending to receive the sacrament and is expressing sorrow for their sins?

As someone who lives in a very bilingual area, often times a certain priest will be in the confessional at assigned times and from my experience this native Spanish speaking priest doesn’t seem to understand English very much. For example I’ve been to confession with this priest three times and every time, he doesn’t give any specific advice or counsel, but seems to have a scripted encouraging statement in English (which seems to exact same every time I’ve gone) and then says the words of absolution in English and I often wonder if he understands what I am saying at all. Would this priest’s lack of understanding what my sins actually are invalidate the confession?

I’m assuming that maybe this priest can at least understand the common english words for certain sins but doesn’t have a mastery of the language that would enable him to address specific situations on the spot in the confessional booth.

 

[adamhovey1988]

Here’s a question I can’t seem to find a definitive answer on.

Suppose you speak English and go to a priest who doesn’t know English for confession. Can one validly receive the sacrament in such a setting if the priest doesn’t really understand what specific sins are being said, but at the very least understands that the person is intending to receive the sacrament and is expressing sorrow for their sins?

As someone who lives in a very bilingual area, often times a certain priest will be in the confessional at assigned times and from my experience this native Spanish speaking priest doesn’t seem to understand English very much. For example I’ve been to confession with this priest three times and every time, he doesn’t give any specific advice or counsel, but seems to have a scripted encouraging statement in English (which seems to exact same every time I’ve gone) and then says the words of absolution in English and I often wonder if he understands what I am saying at all. Would this priest’s lack of understanding what my sins actually are invalidate the confession?

I’m assuming that maybe this priest can at least understand the common english words for certain sins but doesn’t have a mastery of the language that would enable him to address specific situations on the spot in the confessional booth.

You confessed in name and number, no? He gave you the words of absolution, no? Then it’s valid. I actually intend on studying abroad, possibly in a French or Italian speaking country, and I was looking for local Catholic churches that had Mass in English, then I realised something important: I’ll have to learn those languages anyway (and I already do speak some French and Italian). If you’re unsure, learn Spanish. I don’t mean to make that a sarcastic answer, but I know priests that don’t seem to speak English very well, and if I knew that speaking their native language would help them (although I’d have to ask them to speak slower when speaking to me, which you may also want to learn how to ask). Most priests I know that don’t speak English as a first language, still seem to be rather good at giving advice in English, even if not always grammatically accurate (which must be how I sound speaking French)

 

[Isca]

I have the same problem when I’m in Italy (we go there for two or three months twice a year). The priest in our village is elderly and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t speak English - you don’t have a chance to talk to him, as he disappears immediately after the Mass.

As a result, I don’t go to Confession when we’re in Italy. I really wouldn’t know where to start. In any case, I’ve seen him hearing Confessions before Mass, and he stands in a corner with the person who’s confessing. It’s a very speedy process and I doubt if he offers appointments. It’'s not really the way things work in backwaters-Italy!

 

[eamonnroma]

I have the same problem when I’m in Italy (we go there for two or three months twice a year). The priest in our village is elderly and I’m pretty sure he doesn’t speak English - you don’t have a chance to talk to him, as he disappears immediately after the Mass.

As a result, I don’t go to Confession when we’re in Italy. I really wouldn’t know where to start. In any case, I’ve seen him hearing Confessions before Mass, and he stands in a corner with the person who’s confessing. It’s a very speedy process and I doubt if he offers appointments. It’'s not really the way things work in backwaters-Italy!

If you are in Italy for that amount of time each year, why have you not learnt Italian?

 

[Isca]

If you are in Italy for that amount of time each year, why have you not learnt Italian?

I have tried and have had lessons, but the older you get, the more difficult it seems to be, and I don’t have opportunities for regular conversation. We don’t go out of the house much as my husband has health problems, so for every-day life (shopping, passing the time of day), the small smattering I know is sufficient. I attend Mass and am familiar with the responses.

To attempt a confession would be another thing completely.

 

[UpUpAndAway]

Yes, confession is valid even if penitent and confessor don’t speak a common language, as long as all other criteria for a valid confession are met.

If you’re going to attempt confession with a confessor who does not speak your language at all, however, I advise you to find a way to warn him about this first. If you speak enough of the language to ask him yourself, do so before starting the confession. If not, perhaps there is a person in the church who can communicate the situation to him before you enter the confessional. Be aware that Father may refuse; if so, it is nothing personal. I have approached priests under this circumstance, when I spoke basic French but nowhere near well enough to confess in the language (proficiency at the level of “I would like one baguette, please” won’t get one very far in the confessional ), and a few declined my request due to their own discomfort with the idea.

I have tried and have had lessons, but the older you get, the more difficult it seems to be, and I don’t have opportunities for regular conversation. We don’t go out of the house much as my husband has health problems, so for every-day life (shopping, passing the time of day), the small smattering I know is sufficient. I attend Mass and am familiar with the responses.

To attempt a confession would be another thing completely.

I understand this completely. I speak three languages; the one I learned when I was 18 sunk in pretty quickly, about five months, while I started learning French in my early 30s and it still hasn’t quite taken hold after almost fifteen years.

Given the circumstances, you might still want to ask for an appointment to confess if you desire the sacrament while you’re in Italy. You don’t know if Father would agree to this or not unless you try! :yup:

 

[phil19034]

I have tried and have had lessons, but the older you get, the more difficult it seems to be, and I don’t have opportunities for regular conversation. We don’t go out of the house much as my husband has health problems, so for every-day life (shopping, passing the time of day), the small smattering I know is sufficient. I attend Mass and am familiar with the responses.

To attempt a confession would be another thing completely.

You can confess in English… The priest doesn’t have to understand you. Only God has to understand you for it to be valid.

Language barrier might make it difficult to assign a penance (but not impossible) and would most likely remove the counciling part of confession, but it would still be valid.

In regards to learning Italian, I’m terrible at languages, I should know at least one other language, but I only speak English. Try pimsleur.com or Rosetta Stone

 

[Mary_Ellen]

As long as you are not using the situation to avoid confessing to someone who does fluently speak your language I don’t see a problem here.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

If a priest had to determine your sorrow how can he do that I he can’t understand you. How can he decide to give absolution?
This doesn’t make sense.

Besides everyone knows English…

 

[Mary_Ellen]

The priest in the OP’s given scenario speaks at least some English. He may or may not understand fully what is confessed in English (understanding a spoken language is not the same as speaking said language) but the Bishop has given the priest faculties to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation within his diocese and presumably the pastor of the place knows of his language capabilities and has entrusted his flock to this priest’s ministrations.

I would trust that the Sacrament is valid.

 

[FrDavid96]

Here’s a question I can’t seem to find a definitive answer on.

Suppose you speak English and go to a priest who doesn’t know English for confession. Can one validly receive the sacrament in such a setting if the priest doesn’t really understand what specific sins are being said, but at the very least understands that the person is intending to receive the sacrament and is expressing sorrow for their sins?

As someone who lives in a very bilingual area, often times a certain priest will be in the confessional at assigned times and from my experience this native Spanish speaking priest doesn’t seem to understand English very much. For example I’ve been to confession with this priest three times and every time, he doesn’t give any specific advice or counsel, but seems to have a scripted encouraging statement in English (which seems to exact same every time I’ve gone) and then says the words of absolution in English and I often wonder if he understands what I am saying at all. Would this priest’s lack of understanding what my sins actually are invalidate the confession?

I’m assuming that maybe this priest can at least understand the common english words for certain sins but doesn’t have a mastery of the language that would enable him to address specific situations on the spot in the confessional booth.

Yes it is valid.

The bigger concern is this: given the fact that this priest is actually doing what you describe, why are you coming to an internet forum to ask if what he is doing is valid?

How can strangers on the internet know better than the priest himself who has had years of training and who has been sent by the bishop to hear confessions and absolve sinners?

 

[e_c]

If a priest had to determine your sorrow how can he do that [if] he can’t understand you. How can he decide to give absolution?

This doesn’t make sense.

This raises an interesting point. It’s certainly a valid confession if the penitent does his or her part and the absolution is given, but how wise is it for a confessor to hear confessions outside his linguistic comfort zone except in cases of real urgency? Redemptionis Sacramentum dissuades from the practice of concelebration of mass in an unfamiliar language, how much more important is it for the confessor as a judge-father-physician-teacher to know what’s being said?

I suppose he would have to decide in accord with his conscience, but it would seem reckless to hear confessions habitually in a language with which he had very little familiarity. Thoughts, Father David? What’s your experience with this? I don’t see a canon on this, but my guess is there’s a document somewhere.

 

[Norseman82]

This might actually be a good question in the Ask an Apologist section. Another problem would be if he assigned the penance in a language that you did not understand.

I remember on one occasion that shortly after I had started confessing in English the priest stopped me and communicated to me that he did not speak English (he was from Poland, and the parish is a mixture of Polish and English, like many parishes in my part of Chicago), so I came back another night when there was a priest that knew English.

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

This raises an interesting point. It’s certainly a valid confession if the penitent does his or her part and the absolution is given, but how wise is it for a confessor to hear confessions outside his linguistic comfort zone except in cases of real urgency? Redemptionis Sacramentum dissuades from the practice of concelebration of mass in an unfamiliar language, how much more important is it for the confessor as a judge-father-physician-teacher to know what’s being said?

I suppose he would have to decide in accord with his conscience, but it would seem reckless to hear confessions habitually in a language with which he had very little familiarity. Thoughts, Father David? What’s your experience with this? I don’t see a canon on this, but my guess is there’s a document somewhere.

I don’t think there is certainty it is a valid confession.

Let’s time travel back a year and change our location to a country in South America. The sin of abortion or procuring one was reserved for a bishop. It did ( and still does) carry and automatic excommunication. So if someone confessed this in a confessional how would the priest know? Also a priest has a duty to know if repentance is there and what to forgive specifically. A priest can withhold or grant absolution. How can he do that if he cannot understand? There are specific rules on why you cannot confess by phone email or video too. I think there are specific rules regarding the deaf as well. All of this plays a part in the discussion. Though I can’t cite why, this does not pass the smell test.

 

[UpUpAndAway]

If a priest had to determine your sorrow how can he do that I he can’t understand you. How can he decide to give absolution?
This doesn’t make sense.

I agree—it isn’t ideal. That’s why I had no problem with the priests who declined to hear my confession due to the lack of a common language between us.

Still, AFAIK it isn’t forbidden for priests to hear confessions in languages they don’t understand. I wouldn’t encourage anyone, priest or penitent, to make a habit of being in this situation. Given that it’s a rare occurrence in a global sense, that should be easy for the vast majority of us. I know from experience, however, that it isn’t totally avoidable for everyone everywhere at all times.

Besides everyone knows English…

 

[buc_fan33]

I’m going to echo what my brother priest, Fr. David, said above. Trust the priest, who’s had at least seven or eight years of formation, plus the approval of his bishop.

There seems to me to be a very unhealthy suspicion around priestly formation on these forae. I assure you…we know what we’re doing.

it’s a rare occurrence in a global sense

I would argue that it’s actually not a rare occurrence at all. I hear confessions in Spanish all the time. It’s not my first language. I’m proficient at the language, but hardly fluent. This is quite common in areas of the United States who have a large amount of immigration from Hispanic countries, but have few native-Spanish speaking priests. When I was first starting out, I didn’t recognize some words. There are still things I don’t 100% understand, but my bishop has given me faculties, and assigned me to a parish with an Hispanic population. Surely he wouldn’t do this if my absolutions weren’t valid.

The sin of abortion or procuring one was reserved for a bishop. It did ( and still does) carry and automatic excommunication.

Be careful with this. It’s technically true, but in reality, it rarely, if ever, applies. I’ve never encountered anyone who would be excommunicated for an abortion. I don’t have time to get into it now, and it would also derail the thread, but there are a number of conditions that must be met for the excommunication to take place. Again, few people, if any, actually meet all of the conditions. My fear is that someone may read this and think he/she has been excommunicated from the Church, when, in fact, such is not the case.

 

[Bookcat]

If such occasion occurred and a Priest who did not know your language and did not know what you were confessing and he absolved you- and it was a mortal sin …

then mention that mortal sin at next opportunity of confession that you have in your language or a language that you and the Priest know (noting that it was confessed to a Priest who did not understand your language).

(note I am not saying such a confession to a Priest without him knowing the language would be invalid)

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

I’m going to echo what my brother priest, Fr. David, said above. Trust the priest, who’s had at least seven or eight years of formation, plus the approval of his bishop.

There seems to me to be a very unhealthy suspicion around priestly formation on these forae. I assure you…we know what we’re doing.

I would argue that it’s actually not a rare occurrence at all. I hear confessions in Spanish all the time. It’s not my first language. I’m proficient at the language, but hardly fluent. This is quite common in areas of the United States who have a large amount of immigration from Hispanic countries, but have few native-Spanish speaking priests. When I was first starting out, I didn’t recognize some words. There are still things I don’t 100% understand, but my bishop has given me faculties, and assigned me to a parish with an Hispanic population. Surely he wouldn’t do this if my absolutions weren’t valid.

Be careful with this. It’s technically true, but in reality, it rarely, if ever, applies. I’ve never encountered anyone who would be excommunicated for an abortion. I don’t have time to get into it now, and it would also derail the thread, but there are a number of conditions that must be met for the excommunication to take place. Again, few people, if any, actually meet all of the conditions. My fear is that someone may read this and think he/she has been excommunicated from the Church, when, in fact, such is not the case.

Why would the excommunication rarely if ever apply?

 

[Lormar]

I’m going to echo what my brother priest, Fr. David, said above. Trust the priest, who’s had at least seven or eight years of formation, plus the approval of his bishop.

There seems to me to be a very unhealthy suspicion around priestly formation on these forae. I assure you…we know what we’re doing.
…

.

Not to defend those whom you suspect of having “a very unhealthy suspicion around priestly formation on these forae,” but some of us, myself included, have throughout the years been given advice by priests that is contrary to Church teaching. Unfortunately, that has led to what you are seeing here and elsewhere.

Please don’t let that stop either you or Father David from posting here. We need your expert advice. Too many arm chair theologians on here and elsewhere in cyberspace.

 

[buc_fan33]

Why would the excommunication rarely if ever apply?

I’m not a canon lawyer…my canon law “expertise” (if you can even call it that) is limited to the six credit hours I took in seminary, and most of that dealt with marriage law. But, here goes…

Canon 1398 does affirm that procuring a direct abortion incurs a latae sententiae excommunication.

However…, that must be read in light of Canon 1323, which outlines when a person is NOT subject to penalty (in this case, excommunication) for violation of a law or precept. Those restrictions are:

1. Anyone under 16
2. Was ignorant of having violated a law or precept
3. Not be forced to violate said law/precept
4. A person who acted coerced by grave fear, “even if only relatively grave.”
5. A person who acted with moderation against an unjust aggressor
6. A person who lacked the use of reason (except for reason of drunkenness or influence of drugs)
7. A person who, without negligence, thought a circumstance mentioned in #'s 4-5 was present

So, practically speaking, what does this mean? It means for someone to be excommunicated for the sin of abortion, the person MUST, at one and the same time: be at least 16 years old AND know that this particular action was wrong AND know that it carried with it the penalty of excommunication AND not have anyone forcing her to have the abortion AND not be coerced by fear from a boyfriend, parents, missing work, missing school, boyfriend’s parents, etc. AND have full use of her reason AND not even THINK there was reason to be afraid.

I can’t think of any girl or young woman who WOULDN’T be afraid after learning of an unexpected pregnancy. I can’t think of one who would be of sound mind. Basically, to incur the excommunication, you have to pretty much say, “I’m getting this abortion for the sole purpose of being excommunicated from the Catholic Church. I’m making this decision on my own, without any outside influence. I don’t have any fear of being cut off by my parents, my boyfriend dumping me, missing out on school work, losing out on a promotion, etc. I’m having this abortion simply because I want to.”

Now, I suspect some might think I’m too loosely interpreting this canon. In that case, I would also note Canon 36, Section 1, which says, “In a case of doubt, those [administrative acts] which…restrict the rights of a person…are subject to a strict interpretation; all others are subject to a broad interpretation.” (emphasis mine)

In other words, the above criteria should be read broadly. For instance, is missing class and being the subject of gossip a source of “grave fear” for a 16 year old girl? Certainly, yes, in most cases. Therefore, no excommunication.