What if a priest has nobody to confess to?

[Cristiano]

Yes if an act of perfect contrition has been made. The problem is how can anyone be sure they have made an act of perfect contrition.

That was my point! I think that people here on CAF are quite confident about perfect contrition while I am quite suspicious about such level of confidence. I have much more confidence in God’s mercy because of His love for us than I have in our love for Him.

 

[Luvtosew]

Recently, an article had been circulating about a priest aboard the Titanic who twice had been offered a seat on the lifeboat and declined, so he could minister to the people on board and hear confessions of those about to die.

In cases like that where death is imminent, where the priest has no fellow priest to hear his Confession, is there any special allowance given for cases like that? Can a priest bestow a sort of blessing on himself?

I doubt he can absolve himself, but if we can all bless ourselves with the Sign of the Cross, can this priest bless himself with, say, the oil for the infirm?

This Priest gave his life for others, I’m sure the Good Lord forgave him with an act of contriton.

 

[justme]

The answer is tough luck! It is the same situation of any person in state of mortal sin that does not have access to a priest.

We are bound to sacraments but God is not. God can chose to forgive any way He wants. Sacraments are our guarantee of grace and forgiveness. Confession is the normative manner for receiving forgiveness and is the only way we know “for sure” that we have been forgiven. However someone who dies on their way to confession we entrust with hope to the mercy and love of God.

Just look at the difference between these two replies.

One shows the truth and compassion of God. I don’t really know what the other shows.

 

[HelenRose]

I don’t believe that God plays a game of “Gotcha”

He knows the situation of a person’s soul and knows what the intentions of each and everyone of us.

This does not mean that we can “presume” God’s Mercy but it does mean we can “trust” in God’s Mercy. There is a world of difference between these two words.

 

[thistle]

We are bound to sacraments but God is not. God can chose to forgive any way He wants. Sacraments are our guarantee of grace and forgiveness. Confession is the normative manner for receiving forgiveness and is the only way we know “for sure” that we have been forgiven. However someone who dies on their way to confession we entrust with hope to the mercy and love of God.

If you die before you get to Confession and you are in a state of mortal sin and have not made an act of perfect contrition you go to Hell. An act of imperfect contrition does NOT forgive sins. That is Church doctrine and cannot be in error.

CCC 1453 The contrition called “imperfect” (or “attrition”) is also a gift of God, a prompting of the Holy Spirit. It is born of the consideration of sin’s ugliness or the fear of eternal damnation and the other penalties threatening the sinner (contrition of fear). Such a stirring of conscience can initiate an interior process which, under the prompting of grace, will be brought to completion by sacramental absolution.** By itself however, imperfect contrition cannot obtain the forgiveness of grave sins, but it disposes one to obtain forgiveness in the sacrament of Penance.**

 

[Irishgal49]

If you die before you get to Confession and you are in a state of mortal sin and have not made an act of perfect contrition you go to Hell. An act of imperfect contrition does NOT forgive sins. That is Church doctrine and cannot be in error.

CCC 1453 The contrition called “imperfect” (or “attrition”) is also a gift of God, a prompting of the Holy Spirit. It is born of the consideration of sin’s ugliness or the fear of eternal damnation and the other penalties threatening the sinner (contrition of fear). Such a stirring of conscience can initiate an interior process which, under the prompting of grace, will be brought to completion by sacramental absolution.** By itself however, imperfect contrition cannot obtain the forgiveness of grave sins**, but it disposes one to obtain forgiveness in the sacrament of Penance.

But we are NOT God…and we are not able to see what that person would have done, God is not bound by time or space. God can reach us in a coma or at that moment between life and death and offer us mercy. St Faustina talks about this in detail. No one EVER has the right to say who goes to heaven and hell as we do not know God’s actions toward that person at their moment of death.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

If you die before you get to Confession and you are in a state of mortal sin and have not made an act of perfect contrition you go to Hell. An act of imperfect contrition does NOT forgive sins. That is Church doctrine and cannot be in error.

CCC 1453 The contrition called “imperfect” (or “attrition”) is also a gift of God, a prompting of the Holy Spirit. It is born of the consideration of sin’s ugliness or the fear of eternal damnation and the other penalties threatening the sinner (contrition of fear). Such a stirring of conscience can initiate an interior process which, under the prompting of grace, will be brought to completion by sacramental absolution.** By itself however, imperfect contrition cannot obtain the forgiveness of grave sins**, but it disposes one to obtain forgiveness in the sacrament of Penance.

[sarcasm mode on]

Yup, this is just what a grieving family needs to hear from the priest who could not make it in time for the last rights.

[sarcasm mode off]

 

[NewEnglandPriest]

If you die before you get to Confession and you are in a state of mortal sin and have not made an act of perfect contrition you go to Hell. An act of imperfect contrition does NOT forgive sins. That is Church doctrine and cannot be in error.

Indeed imperfect contrition does not forgive sins, God does. Although we can judge that an act is itself a grace offense, we must entrust judgment of persons to the justice and mercy of God.

 

[thistle]

Indeed imperfect contrition does not forgive sins, God does. Although we can judge that an act is itself a grace offense, we must entrust judgment of persons to the justice and mercy of God.

The Church cannot be in error in matters of faith and morals because its teachings have the authority of God.
The Church teaches that anyone dying in a state of mortal sin goes immediately to Hell.
It also teaches that imperfect contrition does not forgive mortal sins.

It seems to me that too many people are looking for get out of jail free cards and have views like many Protestants because they don’t want to accept Church teachings.

 

[HelenRose]

Fortunately none of us is in the position to know whether or not someone is in a state of mortal sin. God knows the answers to the following:

Mortal Sin:

1. subject must be grave matter;
2. it must be committed with full knowledge
3. it must be committed with deliberate and complete consent.

No human being has the intimate knowledge of another human to even hazard a guess as to the state of his or her soul.

 

[NewEnglandPriest]

The Church cannot be in error in matters of faith and morals because its teachings have the authority of God.
The Church teaches that anyone dying in a state of mortal sin goes immediately to Hell.

I don’t think anyone has disputed that.

It also teaches that imperfect contrition does not forgive mortal sins.

Let’s look again at the Catechism section you quoted but let’s place the emphasis somewhere else: “By itself however, imperfect contrition cannot obtain the forgiveness of grave sins…”
It does not say that God will not forgive based on imperfect contrition, only that in and of itself imperfect contrition is not enough, it needs something else. Under normal circumstances that “something else” is the absolution provided in the sacrament of confession. In extraordinary circumstances (i.e. sudden death) is God not free to absolve on His own if He chooses and bring to completion the imperfect contrition as it would have been had the bus not run the person over?

It seems to me that too many people are looking for get out of jail free cards and have views like many Protestants because they don’t want to accept Church teachings.

I think that’s a highly unfair allegation. I don’t think anyone is really disputing the technicalities of what you’re saying. The issue is that we have no idea who has perfect contrition and who doesn’t. And despite the appearance of grave sin we have no idea as to an individual’s culpability. Although we can judge that an act is itself a grave offense, we must entrust judgment of persons to the justice and mercy of God.

 

[thistle]

I don’t think anyone has disputed that.

Let’s look again at the Catechism section you quoted but let’s place the emphasis somewhere else: “By itself however, imperfect contrition cannot obtain the forgiveness of grave sins…”
It does not say that God will not forgive based on imperfect contrition, only that in and of itself imperfect contrition is not enough, it needs something else. Under normal circumstances that “something else” is the absolution provided in the sacrament of confession. In extraordinary circumstances (i.e. sudden death) is God not free to absolve on His own if He chooses and bring to completion the imperfect contrition as it would have been had the bus not run the person over?

I think that’s a highly unfair allegation. I don’t think anyone is really disputing the technicalities of what you’re saying. The issue is that we have no idea who has perfect contrition and who doesn’t. And despite the appearance of grave sin we have no idea as to an individual’s culpability. Although we can judge that an act is itself a grave offense, we must entrust judgment of persons to the justice and mercy of God.

“By itself” means without Confession. Imperfect contrition with Confession forgives sins. Imperfect contrition without Confession does not forgive sins.

 

[thistle]

Fortunately none of us is in the position to know whether or not someone is in a state of mortal sin. God knows the answers to the following:

Mortal Sin:

1. subject must be ‘grave matter’;
2. it must be committed with full knowledge
3. it must be committed with deliberate and complete consent.

No human being has the intimate knowledge of another human to even hazard a guess as to the state of his or her soul.

It is true that only God knows which individuals die in a state of mortal sin so we don’t know who is actually saved or not (although we all like to think our loved ones are saved but we do not know).
However, we can say with certainty that anyone dying in a state of mortal sin goes immediately to Hell.

 

[TrueLight]

Some of the posts in this thread makes me see why some of the Eastern Churches see us as extremely legalistic.

 

[NewEnglandPriest]

“By itself” means without Confession. Imperfect contrition with Confession forgives sins. Imperfect contrition without Confession does not forgive sins.

I think you’re drawing lines where none exist. As I said, under normal circumstances that would be confession, however in extraordinary circumstances what would prevent God from providing what would have happened had the bus been 5 minutes late?

 

[HelenRose]

Some of the posts in this thread makes me see why some of the Eastern Churches see us as extremely legalistic.

I am sure that there are those in the Eastern Churches who are just as legalistic as some of those in the Roman Catholic Church.

I rely on God’s intellegance, mercy and justice. He knows those who willfully reject Him and His Church and He will judge accordingly.

I GET the point about dying in mortal sin. My point is that we can not know who is or is not in a state of Mortal Sin. We can not fathom God’s Mercy but we had better not presume God’s Mercy.

 

[thistle]

I think you’re drawing lines where none exist. As I said, under normal circumstances that would be confession, however in extraordinary circumstances what would prevent God from providing what would have happened had the bus been 5 minutes late?

If you die in a state of mortal sin you go to Hell. No interpretation needed. Very clear and unambiguous teaching backed by the authority of God given to the Church. If no act of perfect contrition is made then your state of mortal sin remains and if you die before you reach Confession you go to Hell.

 

[HelenRose]

I think you’re drawing lines where none exist. As I said, under normal circumstances that would be confession, however in extraordinary circumstances what would prevent God from providing what would have happened had the bus been 5 minutes late?

God’s grace is not built on chance and mis-timing. I do not believe God sits up in heaven and waits for a person on his or her way to confession but minutes before the confession zaps them with lightning.

It would be a dreary world indeed if one lived in that kind of fear. It is my responsibility to show forth God’s love and sacrifice. It is not my responsibility to second guess His mercy or His judgement.

 

[Luvtosew]

If you die in a state of mortal sin you go to Hell. No interpretation needed. Very clear and unambiguous teaching backed by the authority of God given to the Church. If no act of perfect contrition is made then your state of mortal sin remains and if you die before you reach Confession you go to Hell.

Can you to tell me where in Scripture I might read someone in a willing state of grave sin goes to hell if he has not confessed his sin to a Priest?

Also what constitutes a perfect contrition from and imperfect contrition?

Confusion surely abounds for it is all Catholics here with different opinions.

Thank you.

 

[Cristiano]

Some of the posts in this thread makes me see why some of the Eastern Churches see us as extremely legalistic.

I think that two points should be noted here.

The first is that the OP was inquiring if the ontological change of the priesthood allows for extra possibility in terms of the final moments, and the answer is no! Sacramental theology makes it clear and pretending otherwise is just part of the present western culture of looking for the “get out of jail card”.

The search for the “get out of jail card” is also reflected by the attitude that I see when a few people try to tiptoe around the issue of dying in a state of mortal sin. I see that in this country there is such a culture of entitlement and OSAS that even Catholics feel that they deserve salvation when they die in state of mortal sin because Jesus died for our salvation and thus we are worthy of salvation. We are not worthy, salvation is still a gift that can be accepted through orthopraxis. The “get out of jail card” is this constant willingness to rely on God’s mercy but rejection of His justice, that is simply OSAS and nothing more. NewEnglandPriest is rightfully trying to teach people that we should not disregards God’s extraordinary acts of mercy toward others but he also states that we are to follow the teachings of the Church in regard to ordinary situations instead of just hoping for the extraordinary. I also think that the constant attempt to feel good because people can always be saved not matter what brings us in the dangerous territory of spiritual sloth and that is a capital sin.

Our eastern brothers see us as legalistic because we are legalistic and there is nothing wrong with that as long as we develop a true relationship with God. Probably our eastern brothers would be much more hesitant than we are in downplaying orthopraxis and betting on the extraordinary measures from God. They would be much more sensitive at the idea of offending God.