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ajrobinson
Guest
If a person intends to make a full confession and the priest grants absolution before a confession can be made, is it still valid?
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Cor_ad_Cor
Guest
I don’t know of any circumstance or understand why a priest would grant absolution before you confess. ???
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stpurl
Guest
How can a priest grant absolution before the penitent confesses?
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RolandThompsonGunner
Guest
The only thing I can think of is that the person is rambling on and confessing things that aren’t actually sins and the priest is sort of “playing them off”, like when the music starts during an overly long Academy Award acceptance speech.
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stpurl
Guest
The OP said “before a confession can be made’.
But I think you have a point, if a person has not FINISHED The confession and the priest stops them and starts giving absolution, what does one do? If one was just going with the small stuff to lead up to, “and by the way I had sex with my boss’ wife this week” and that did NOT get confessed, even if one felt startled, I think I would say, “Thanks, Father, but before I leave I’d better confess this mortal sin of adultery too”.
But if a person had basically venial sins and didn’t get to finish, “and I also felt anger when Lady Whoosiwhatsis snagged the prime time with my stylist and I was forced to wait an entire HOUR for my root retouch”, I think one could simply accept the absolution and say the act of contrition and move on!
But I think you have a point, if a person has not FINISHED The confession and the priest stops them and starts giving absolution, what does one do? If one was just going with the small stuff to lead up to, “and by the way I had sex with my boss’ wife this week” and that did NOT get confessed, even if one felt startled, I think I would say, “Thanks, Father, but before I leave I’d better confess this mortal sin of adultery too”.
But if a person had basically venial sins and didn’t get to finish, “and I also felt anger when Lady Whoosiwhatsis snagged the prime time with my stylist and I was forced to wait an entire HOUR for my root retouch”, I think one could simply accept the absolution and say the act of contrition and move on!
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RolandThompsonGunner
Guest
He specified “full confession” which is what made me think the priest maybe cut him off before he said everything he wanted to say. I don’t even know how absolution would be given before a confession is even attempted. You just pass a priest in the hallway and he goes, “by the way, i absolve you of your sins in the name…”
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Bird_lover
Guest
There was a time once when we were waiting for reconciliation and our pastor (our only priest) didn’t have enough time to meet with all of us before Mass. He gave us a general absolution and then said would open the confessional again after Mass for us to confess our sins (even if we already had absolution).
We had the intent and desire to confess our sins, but under the circumstances, we weren’t able to.
We had the intent and desire to confess our sins, but under the circumstances, we weren’t able to.
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mary77
Guest
well if the person wants to say it they have to let the priest know, they want to be listened to. and if the priest cant, well go to another priest.
Can. 961 §1. Absolution cannot be imparted in a general manner to many penitents at once without previous individual confession unless:
1/ danger of death is imminent and there is insufficient time for the priest or priests to hear the confessions of the individual penitents;
2/ there is grave necessity, that is, when in view of the number of penitents, there are not enough confessors available to hear the confessions of individuals properly within a suitable period of time in such a way that the penitents are forced to be deprived for a long while of sacramental grace or holy communion through no fault of their own. Sufficient necessity is not considered to exist when confessors cannot be present due only to the large number of penitents such as can occur on some great feast or pilgrimage.
I would like to see this applied as liberally as possible. I have noticed, in recent years, that the confessions during regularly scheduled times seem to be getting longer and longer. Don’t know why this is, but I would like to see priests come out after the last confession, absolve everyone who is standing in line, and urge them to get to confession at their earliest convenience.
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edward_george1
Guest
This would be a fantastically bad idea. You would have people who would deliberately get in line later to avoid having to actually go to confession.
This is meant for the most extreme situations, like in mission territory where a congregation of hundreds may have access to a priest only very sparingly. It is not meant to be for ordinary circumstances in the United States. What ought to be done is for priests to offer more confession times and to catechize on the proper way of going to confession, so time isn’t taken up unnecessarily.
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StudentMI
Guest
In seminary are priests told about scrupulosity?
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edward_george1
Guest
Assuming my experience of seminary isn’t out of the ordinary, and I have no reason to think that it is, yes we do. We take a confession practicum near time for priestly ordination, and we have classes in pastoral counseling.
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ajrobinson
Guest
To give a little more context, my friend is new to the Church and with the Covid stuff happening he went to a local parish to go to confession. The priest there is not from the country so he may have misunderstood when my friend asked for help doing the confession. From what I understand though, they gave them some words about Christ seeking the lost, pronounced the words of absolution and then asked to pray the Act of contrition.
Yes, and they would be fooling no one. Carried to its extreme, people would be accumulating massive amounts of unconfessed sins, and in any event, they have to go to confession — not just receive absolution — once a year. Perhaps have it on the honor system — “you can only do this once, be sure and get back here as soon as you can”?HomeschoolDad:
This would be a fantastically bad idea. You would have people who would deliberately get in line later to avoid having to actually go to confession.
I am just thinking of these situations where you have this confession that seems to go on forever. I have been in line behind this person more than once, and yes, I have missed being able to make my own confession on account of it. If someone foresees needing to make an exceptionally long confession, they really need to make an appointment.
Agreed wholeheartedly, and more young men need to be considering the priesthood.
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paperwight
Guest
To clarify for the sake of non-Catholic readers, you are just referring to mortal sins aren’t you… Annual confession isn’t a blanket requirement for all. Confession of venial sins is not an obligation although highly recommended. See Canon Law 989, IIRC.
Strictly speaking, yes, only mortal sins must be confessed. Venial sins can be confessed, many of them should be confessed, but they do not have to be.HomeschoolDad:
To clarify for the sake of non-Catholic readers, you are just referring to mortal sins aren’t you… Annual confession isn’t a blanket requirement for all. Confession of venial sins is not an obligation although highly recommended. See Canon Law 989, IIRC.
As far as the obligation for annual confession — mortal sins or not — there are two schools of thought, (a) confession is obligatory once a year for all Catholics regardless, or (b) if you have committed no mortal sins, then it is not obligatory. The consensus, here on this forum and elsewhere, is that annual confession is obligatory regardless. Even if it weren’t mandatory, it would be a horrible idea to go without confession that long. Once a month is not too often.
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RolandThompsonGunner
Guest
At a parish near me there’s a sign on the confessional door reminding people they only have to confess sins by type and number, and encouraging them to “be brief, be bold and be gone.” I think some people see the confessional as spiritual counseling, unfortunately.
I get that, but BBBB&BG isn’t always what is needed. There are some people who need spiritual counseling as well as repentance. (I’ve been one of those people.) They need to make an appointment with the priest, not monopolize the confession line during regular hours.HomeschoolDad:
At a parish near me there’s a sign on the confessional door reminding people they only have to confess sins by type and number, and encouraging them to “be brief, be bold and be gone.” I think some people see the confessional as spiritual counseling, unfortunately.
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RolandThompsonGunner
Guest
Totally agree. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to sit down with a priest and really hash stuff out. Just don’t do it when there are ten people waiting right outside.
My point exactly.HomeschoolDad:
Totally agree. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to sit down with a priest and really hash stuff out. Just don’t do it when there are ten people waiting right outside.
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