That is quite accurate. For confessions to be valid, the priest administering the sacrament must have faculties from the local bishop:
Can. 969
§1. The local ordinary alone is competent to confer upon any presbyters whatsoever the faculty to hear the confessions of any of the faithful.
Now, if the faithful are genuinely ignorant of this, the confession would be valid. (See canon 144)
y.
Regarding confession the new code of canon law states '*Can. 965 A priest alone is the minister of the sacrament of penance.
Can. 966 §1. The valid absolution of sins requires that the minister have, in addition to the power of orders, the faculty of exercising it for the faithful to whom he imparts absolution.
§2. A priest can be given this faculty either by the law itself or by a grant made by the competent authority according to the norm of ⇒ can. 969*.’
A priest can therefore be granted faculties either by a bishop (the more normal route) OR the law itself.
The canon then lists three circumstances in which a confessions can be valid even if the confessor has not been granted faculties by the diocesan bishop:
'*Can. 144 §1. In factual or legal common error and in positive and probable doubt of law or of fact, the Church supplies executive power of governance for both the external and internal forum.
§2. The same norm is applied to the faculties mentioned in cann. ⇒ 882, ⇒ 883, ⇒ 966, and ⇒ 1111, §1*.’ So this canon not only means that those who are not aware of the canonical penalties imposed on the society are validly absolved but also where there is common either factural or legal common error i.e they truly believe the society priests have facultires and when there is either positive OR probable doubt. Considering the mixed messages coming from the Vatican, different bishops and priests over the years as well as the law itself it is clear that one can have at least probable if not positive doubt concering the idea that the Society priests do not have faculties. In any of these cases the church itself supplies jurisdiction and faculties.
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Can. 976 Even though a priest lacks the faculty to hear confessions, he absolves validly and licitly any penitents whatsoever in danger of death from any censures and sins, even if an approved priest is present.’ This canon is self-evident, in danger of death an unapproved priest may absolve sins validly.
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Can. 1335 If a censure prohibits the celebration of sacraments or sacramentals or the placing of an act of governance, the prohibition is suspended whenever it is necessary to care for the faithful in danger of death. If a latae sententiae censure has not been declared, the prohibition is also suspended whenever a member of the faithful requests a sacrament or sacramental or an act of governance; a person is permitted to request this for any just cause.’ Again the censure is suspended when there is danger of death but more interestingly whenever a member of the faithful asks a sacrament or sacramental or act of governance it is also suspended and a member of the faithful may ask this for any just cause. Considering the state of many parishes today and the scandalous actions by many in them e.g a Call to action or a call to disobedience, there is a veritable plethora of just causes available to the faithful when following this canon.
It should be noted that these canons would also apply where:
1)A priest believed he had faculties but didnt or had his faculties revoked but had not yet been told
2)The faithful believed that he had faculties but he did not in fact have them e.g a visiting priest, and asked for them for a just cause (there are a veritable plethora of just causes when it comes to confession)
3)Danger of death
4) Even where there is the possibility of the priest not having faculties i.e a visiting priest, as long as there is positive or probable doubt the church supplies jurisdiction
The canons apply more ordinarily to visiting priests, other priests under censure or even laicised priests but can also be applied to the society.
And so far as I know the church has not made a definitive statement on whether the sacraments celebrated by the society, in particular confession are invalid, though I may be wrong.
Regardless, I’m not going to derail this thread anymore and will merely prayer for the success of matters on the 14th of September
