Is There a Rule Book for Giving Penance to Penitents?

[Bullfighter]

Is There a Rule Book for Giving Penance to Penitents?

I asked this yesterday in the “Ask An Apologist” column but I thought I might try a more public forum today.

Is there a rule book or set of rules or guidelines for a priest to follow when giving penence to a penitent?

Like 3 Hail Marys for 2 lies, one rosary for one act of adultery, and so on. Was there ever a book written to guide a priest or are they just given a few rules to follow?

I once ran across a website that gave you an idea of how long your sentence might be in purgatory for various sins still on the soul when you die but I figured that was just someone’s imagination working overtime as how could anyone know that.

Thanks for your responses!!

 

[FrDavid96]

Is There a Rule Book for Giving Penance to Penitents?

I asked this yesterday in the “Ask An Apologist” column but I thought I might try a more public forum today.

Is there a rule book or set of rules or guidelines for a priest to follow when giving penence to a penitent?

Like 3 Hail Marys for 2 lies, one rosary for one act of adultery, and so on. Was there ever a book written to guide a priest or are they just given a few rules to follow?

I once ran across a website that gave you an idea of how long your sentence might be in purgatory for various sins still on the soul when you die but I figured that was just someone’s imagination working overtime as how could anyone know that.

Thanks for your responses!!

They haven’t been printed in a long time, but such books used to be rather popular (long long ago). They’re called “Penitentials”

The only place you MIGHT find one today would be in a Catholic university library or seminary library but only as historic books, not for practical use.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I have heard, and suspect it may be true, that these were developed after the Black Death. The casualty rate due to that scourge was particularly high among the clergy, due to their service to the dying. It was necessary to hasten ordinations and lower standards to replenish the ranks. These made up for some of the deficiencies in the newly ordained confessors.