When counseled to follow an "Internal Forum" and you find later that the advice

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Karen_Anne

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When one is counseled to follow an “Internal Forum” with a priest, the priest gives advice, and the person being counseled follows the advice because they believe the priest and God would agree on the situation, then that person dies and it turns out the advice was not correct after all, what happens to that person? Can they still go to heaven? Who is responsible in a situation like this - the priest and/or the person seeking counsel?

**I know the sentence structure on this was poor - sorry - I have headache but had this burning question and since my computer is finally working again after several weeks of NOT working, I had to ask!🙂 **

THanks!
Karen Anne
 
Internal Forum is a fancy word for confession. If you go to a priest with a confession, you are forgiven after absolution.

If you confess straight to God and are Truly sorry it is called a perfect act of contrition, and you are forgiven.

I can’t think of a penance that would be wrong…the priest might give a penance that he thinks will help improve relations…for instance, and if it doesn’t help, that doesn’t make it wrong. For instance my daughter told my other daughter that she hated her…The priest told her to do at least two good deeds toward her sister and to pray for her.

It is all what is in your heart…that is what God will Judge.
 
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Lillith:
Internal Forum is a fancy word for confession. If you go to a priest with a confession, you are forgiven after absolution.

If you confess straight to God and are Truly sorry it is called a perfect act of contrition, and you are forgiven.

I can’t think of a penance that would be wrong…the priest might give a penance that he thinks will help improve relations…for instance, and if it doesn’t help, that doesn’t make it wrong. For instance my daughter told my other daughter that she hated her…The priest told her to do at least two good deeds toward her sister and to pray for her.

It is all what is in your heart…that is what God will Judge.
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Thank you for your reply! I really struggle sometimes because it seems I am getting alot of different answers and (name removed by moderator)ut to a particular issue I am dealing with. What you say makes good sense!

Karen Anne
 
Karen Anne said:
…the priest gives advice, and the person being counseled follows the advice because they believe the priest and God would agree on the situation, then that person dies and it turns out the advice was not correct after all, what happens to that person? Can they still go to heaven? Who is responsible in a situation like this - the priest and/or the person seeking counsel?
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If a person has been given advice by a priest that she suspects may not be correct, I would suggest the person pick up a copy of the Catechism and investigate Church teachings further on the matter. Priests sometimes give bad advice, and sometimes even condone serious sins.

Priests will have to answer to God if they lead anyone astray. But some laws of God are written on the heart. If a priest tells someone something is okay that she know in her heart is wrong, and she does it, I honestly don’t know how God will judge her. As Lillith says, God judges the heart. And He places His laws in our human heart so we will know them.

You say you have been struggling with something and getting different answers and (name removed by moderator)ut. If any of those say that this issue is a mortal sin, investigate Church teachings further on the matter. I hope you have recieved good counsel from your priest, but I know not all priests give good counsel. And remember to pray for priests.
 
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I agree! THis again begs the question: Are we to follow all advice of a priest if, in our heart of hearts, and from our understanding of church teaching, we do not agree? Should we ALWAYS follow “church” teachings even if we truly believe that it would go against the will of God? Oh - what a can of owrms that question might be:eek: …

Karen Anne
 
Are we to follow all advice of a priest if, in our heart of hearts, and from our understanding of church teaching, we do not agree?

If the priest’s advice is not according to Church teaching then we don’t have to follow his advice.

Our ‘heart of hearts’ and 'our understanding of Church teaching may not be correct.

One of the posters advised you to buy a Catechism and it should be able to help you to see what you are being told or what you feel is in accord with Church teaching.

Should we ALWAYS follow “church” teachings even if we truly believe that it would go against the will of God?

If by ‘Church teaching’ you mean doctrines and dogmas of the Church then yes we should always follow the teachings. For us to decide that certain Church teachings ‘go against the will of God’ we are electing ourselves as pope. If you feel that certain Church teachings are against the will of God, go to the apologetics resources of Catholic Answers or EWTN and look up your query there or listen to Catholic Answers radio on a Q and A day and put your query to one of the apologists.
 
I do have a Catechism that I refer to very often. However, there are a whole lot of diferent situations/issues addressed in it (to say the least) and it can be more than a little confusing at times. I know that it is meant to help us understand the teachings of the church, but sometimes I find it actually can make things more confusing by bringing up circumstances that I never even thought of until I opened it’s pages for counsel:confused: .

Karen Anne
 
The only circumstance I have ever in over 30 years heard the term Internal Forum used was with regard to Annullments, Divorce, and Remarriage. For example a Catholic person divorces a spouse, remarries outside the Church, is turned down for a declaration of nullity and wants to stay in the second marriage and still receive the Eucharist. If that person’s reasoning and conscience tells him/her that despite the Tribunals ruling the first marriage was actually null he/she has used The Internal Forum (their own reasoning and conscience to decide the issue rather than depend on the Church). They then proceed to receive the Eucharist. In my opinion one would have to ignore an awful lot Church teaching and Canon Law to do this. I don’t know beans about Canon Law so I don’t know if it actually allows for use of The Internal Forum.
 
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Lillith:
It is all what is in your heart…that is what God will Judge.
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Who’s the smart one now? You are truly a jewel in the Crown of God.

RyanL
 
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