What if a priest has nobody to confess to?

[PazzoGrande]

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?

 

[ADiosgracias]

Anyone can have a perfect contrition and be safe. If the person does not die, she/he have to go to confession asap. (in case of mortal sin)

 

[Cristiano]

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. I encourage you to read this article by Fr. J. Patrick Serna:

The tragic loss of Father Todd Reitmeyer

I listened to the last homily of Fr. Reitmeyer, he was a visiting priest at my parish, and he stressed the point of frequent confession even for priests because we cannot know when the time will come.

 

[Cristiano]

Anyone can have a perfect contrition and be safe…

Are you sure about that?

 

[Theophorus]

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?

If there is no one available to hear confession and death is immanent I believe a certain intentionality(intention to confess if you could) and perfect contrition comes into play(assuming you are truely sorry). God never asks the impossible even if it seems like it sometimes, and he is always waiting of us if we would only turn to Him and ask forgiveness so yes in some situations absolution is possible outside of the sacrament. Now in the case of Father Thomas Byles(the titanic priest), I believe his was a situation of heroic Christian Charity verging on martyrdom so I do believe he is with our Lord in heaven.

 

[thistle]

Are you sure about that?

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.

 

[Gorgias]

Are you sure about that?

Yes.

From Penance and Reconciliation, by the ITC, as found on the web site for the CDF:

The difficult and even somewhat dramatic pastoral situations in many parts of the Church today mean that many faithful hardly have the possibility of receiving the sacrament of penance. In these critical situations it is indispensable to show the faithful concerned ways that will enable them to have access to the forgiveness of sins and to receiving the Eucharist. In these cases the Tradition of the Church, confirmed by the Council of Trent, acknowledges the possibility of a Christian obtaining the forgiveness of grave sin by perfect contrition. According to the same Tradition perfect contrition also always implies the desire (votum) of receiving the sacrament of penance as soon as possible (DS 1677).

There are certainly specific conditions that are discussed here, but inasmuch as you seem to be implying that this can never be the case, I think that this suffices to refute your statement…

Blessings,

G.

 

[mark_a]

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 reminds me of the “what if I die in an accident on the way to confession?” question.

 

[jlhargus]

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?

JL: Pv10:12 Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins.

Mt22:36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

John 15: This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Gal5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.

1Jn4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

I would say the Priest was made perfect in love.

 

[Brightest_Star]

Our Lord is a forgiving God, He gave us a way to be forgiven not once, but twice. He is not bound by anything and is greater than everything. He knows our hearts and recognizes our souls. God can be pleased with you, and forgive you and accept you at His will.
It is in every way possible that a Priest (or any person) could be forgiven by God Himself if that’s what God wants to do.

Do I know what God would decide to do? Of course not. Would I arrogantly presume He would do it for me? Nooo.
But I know it’s completely possible for Him to forgive, if that’s His will. Nothing’s impossible with God.

 

[PazzoGrande]

I would say the Priest was made perfect in love.

Yeah, it’s not so different from Maximilian Kolbe, is it? Originally Kolbe wasn’t to be considered a martyr, but the Holy Father John Paul II canonised him with martyr status anyway.

 

[thistle]

This reminds me of the “what if I die in an accident on the way to confession?” question.

The answer is that if you are in a state of mortal sin and have not made an act of perfect contrition then you go to Hell if you die before getting to Confession.
“on the way to Confession” is not an act of perfect contrition.

 

[Irishgal49]

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?

I am a Titanic buff and there were 3 priests on board. They were running around deck giving Absolution so it’s very possible they gave each other Absolution as well. I guess we will never know. But all three were under the age of 40 and all three turned down seats on lifeboats. Very heroic.

 

[Irishgal49]

The answer is that if you are in a state of mortal sin and have not made an act of perfect contrition then you go to Hell if you die before getting to Confession.
“on the way to Confession” is not an act of perfect contrition.

I am not OK with saying anyone is going to hell. I sure would not want to risk it but there are times I cannot get a priest to hear Confession and I become very depressed and anxious.

I also would say that we have no idea what God does in the hearts of people when they are in a coma, or between life and death. No one can ever say anyone is going to hell or not. We are not God…but it is a good idea to go to Confession regularly. I don’t believe God would send someone to hell because they could not reach Confession but then again, we’re not God and we don’t know the person or their individual situation. I would say their fate is the best hands of all.

 

[masondoggy]

The answer is that if you are in a state of mortal sin and have not made an act of perfect contrition then you go to Hell if you die before getting to Confession.
“on the way to Confession” is not an act of perfect contrition.

A person “on the way to Confession” most likely is a person that is SORRY for their sins and intends to confess them. As long as they are truly sorry and have every intention of getting to Confession, they are* forgiven* if they die before getting to the church.

Good grief, do you really think Jesus is going to stand at the gate saying NOPE, you can’t come in! You didn’t make it to the church in time!?

 

[ConstantineTG]

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?

Why are we worried about his own absolution? He risked his life so that others may be saved. And here’s what the Gospel has to say about it…

[BIBLEDRB]Matthew 10:39[/BIBLEDRB]

and…

[BIBLEDRB]John 15:13[/BIBLEDRB]

Clearly the priest is laying his life for Christ’s sake (so nice to say that phrase in a non-vulgar way ). To help others is to help Christ. He indeed has shown the greatest love of all.

 

[PazzoGrande]

Why are we worried about his own absolution?

It’s more like I’m interested in how things work in nonconventional circumstances. I was just using that Titanic priest as an example.

The essential question was, what if a priest is about to die but cannot be prepared for death by another priest. Can he do anything like, as I mentioned, give anoint himself with the Oil for the Infirm? He can’t confess to himself, and presumably he can’t absolve himself, but can he bestow a blessing on himself?

Really it can apply to other nononventual circumstances, not just the Titanic example.

 

[ConstantineTG]

It’s more like I’m interested in how things work in nonconventional circumstances. I was just using that Titanic priest as an example.

The essential question was, what if a priest is about to die but cannot be prepared for death by another priest. Can he do anything like, as I mentioned, give anoint himself with the Oil for the Infirm? He can’t confess to himself, and presumably he can’t absolve himself, but can he bestow a blessing on himself?

Really it can apply to other nononventual circumstances, not just the Titanic example.

Well, the Titanic example really shows a spiritually heroic virtue. Can’t be compared to a priest who, say, is alone in a desert.

 

[thistle]

A person “on the way to Confession” most likely is a person that is SORRY for their sins and intends to confess them. As long as they are truly sorry and have every intention of getting to Confession, they are* forgiven* if they die before getting to the church.

Good grief, do you really think Jesus is going to stand at the gate saying NOPE, you can’t come in! You didn’t make it to the church in time!?

That is completely wrong. You obviously don’t know the difference between perfect contrition and imperfect contrition.
In both cases you are sorry for your sins. In both cases you have to go to Confession.
The difference is that if you die before getting Confession and you have made an act of perfect contrition (i.e. main motivation being sorry for offending God) your sins are forgiven and you are saved but if you are on the way to Confession having not made any act of contrition or having made an act of imperfect contrition (i.e. main motivation being fear of going to Hell) then you die before getting to Confession your sins are not forgiven and you go to Hell.

 

[NewEnglandPriest]

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.