Penitential Rite vs. Reconciliation

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I am a member of an RCIA team. One of our cathecumens has decided that the sacrament of Reconciliation is not necessary for her in the future because the Penitential Rite is said at the beginning of Mass. She feels this covers her sins and she believes in her heart that Jesus forgives her sins. How can we better explain the difference to her between the Penitential Rite and the sacrament of Reconciliation?

Thank you for your help. :bible1:
 
I am a member of an RCIA team. One of our cathecumens has decided that the sacrament of Reconciliation is not necessary for her in the future because the Penitential Rite is said at the beginning of Mass. She feels this covers her sins and she believes in her heart that Jesus forgives her sins. How can we better explain the difference to her between the Penitential Rite and the sacrament of Reconciliation?

Thank you for your help. :bible1:
It sounds like she decided to join the Lutherans instead of the Catholic Church. I think that she needs to better understand the concept of venial and mortal sin, after that probably she will better understand the difference between the Penitential Rite and the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

I would also ask her if the Sacrament of Reconciliation is necessary for her to enter into the Catholic Church. If she says yes, then she should apply the same argument to reconciliation from mortal sin. If she says no then she should go through the whole aspect of sacramental theology again. This to me is not a case of Rite of Penitence vs. Confession but a lack of understanding of the sacraments on a larger scale.
 
GIRM (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, the document on how to say Mass):

Paragraph 51:* Then the priest invites those present to take part in the Penitential Rite, which, after a brief pause for silence, the entire community carries out through a formula of general confession. The rite concludes with the priest’s absolution, which, however, lacks the efficacy of the Sacrament of Penance.*

If the Church says this prayer does not absolve from serious sin (only Sacramental Confession does this), then on what authority does she base her belief? If it is not the Catholic Church, then she cannot, in good conscience, become a Catholic if she holds to this position.

Ideally, she should work through this with the priest/RCIA director.
 
A little theology:

inside the sacrament of penance, imperfect contrition is sufficient for the forgiveness of sins. That means that a less than perfect love for God and perhaps an inkling of the fears of the Fires of Hell or loss of Heaven are involved.

Outside of the sacrament, perfect contrition is required for the forgiveness of sins. An act of perfect contrition consists of deep sorrow out of pure love of God–no other motives or strings attached. Naturally, an act of perfect contrition is very hard to make, and even when a person attempts to make one, they are never sure if it actually was perfect.

The Pennitential Rite is not Sacramental–there is only one sacrament offered during each Mass, the Eucharist, unless another, like a bapitsm or marriage, are inserted within the context of the Mass.

This means that unless your friend makes an act of perfection contrition (a rather fuzzy thing, and highly unlikely) at every Mass, she still has sins on her soul.

Also, regardless of what happens at the Pennitential Rite, many Holy people throughout history have reiterated the great benefits of confessing all venials sins, including Padre Pio, patron Saint to many here on the forum, who advocated weekly confession. Why so often? “Even a room that has been shut and has had no one in it for a week gathers dust.”

Also, Canon Law says that every Catholic must confess grave sins at least once a year, and if your friend is like most people, she commits at least one mortal sin in the run of the year.
 
I am a member of an RCIA team. One of our cathecumens has decided that the sacrament of Reconciliation is not necessary for her in the future because the Penitential Rite is said at the beginning of Mass. She feels this covers her sins and she believes in her heart that Jesus forgives her sins. How can we better explain the difference to her between the Penitential Rite and the sacrament of Reconciliation?

Thank you for your help. :bible1:
Have her read the Catechism section on Venial and Mortal sins and the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Simply the Penitential Rite at Mass forgives venial sins only. The only normal way for Mortal sins to be forgiven is in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Explain to her that she will be given the opportunity to go to Reconciliation before receiving the Sacraments. If there are any unrepented and unconfessed Mortal sins on her soul she will not receive any benefit from the Sacraments upon entering the Church. Doing so knowingly is another Mortal sin. (Except if she is receiving Baptism, then Reconciliation is not required)

Also explain to her that it is a precept of the Church that every Catholic who is aware of Mortal sin is required to go to Confession during the Lent/Easter Season, not doing so is another Mortal sin.

Tell her also that the pastor may not allow her to receive the Sacraments if he, the RCIA team or her Sponsor feel that she does not accept the Catholic teaching on the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
 
Code of Canon Law, canon 989: “After having attained the age of discretion, each of the faithful is bound by an obligation faithfully to confess serious sins at least once a year.”
(See vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_INDEX.HTM for the full Code of Canon Law.)

Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 2042 “… The second precept (“You shall confess your sins at least once a year.”) ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation, which continues Baptism’s work of conversion and forgiveness. footnote 83: Cf. CIC, can. 989; CCEO, can. 719).”

2005 Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “432. What are the precepts of the Church? … 2) to confess one’s sins, receiving the sacrament of Reconciliation at least once each year; …”.
 
Thank you for your assistance. The references to Canon Law are great. I shall pass on the info to the group.

Thanks again:blessyou:
 
I am a member of an RCIA team. One of our cathecumens has decided that the sacrament of Reconciliation is not necessary for her in the future because the Penitential Rite is said at the beginning of Mass. She feels this covers her sins and she believes in her heart that Jesus forgives her sins. How can we better explain the difference to her between the Penitential Rite and the sacrament of Reconciliation?

Thank you for your help. :bible1:
she and the rest of the class should be thoroughly instructed on the difference between mortal and venial sins, and led to meditate on the extreme unlikelihood that most adults will be able to make it through the year without at least one mortal sin that must be confessed. should she consider herself one of those saintly few, you might want to inform the Vatican so they can start working on her halo.
 
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