Not quite. An excommunicated person cannot be validly absolved in Confession until the penalty is lifted. If the excommunication is reserved to the Holy See, then one cannot be absolved until Rome lifts the excommunication or delegates it to a priest-confessor for lifting. Only then can the excommunicate be absolved.
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oneGODoneCHURCH
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Yes in the case of a formal decree of excommunication this is true. However in the context of this tread, and in the cases of the day to day (so to speack) person that has committed a mortal sin. they have techiclly excommunicated themself, therefore the only requriement would be true remorse and repentance, and conffection.Not quite. An excommunicated person cannot be validly absolved in Confession until the penalty is lifted. If the excommunication is reserved to the Holy See, then one cannot be absolved until Rome lifts the excommunication or delegates it to a priest-confessor for lifting. Only then can the excommunicate be absolved.
Again, not quite, because there is* latae sententiae *excommunication, which is imposed immediately for offenses to which they’re attached (e.g. attacking the Pope, illicitly ordaining a bishop, breaking the seal of Confession, intentionally procuring an abortion) which take effect without a formal pronunciation. Such excommunications still need to be lifted before valid absolution.Yes in the case of a formal decree of excommunication this is true. However in the context of this tread, and in the cases of the day to day (so to speack) person that has committed a mortal sin. they have techiclly excommunicated themself, therefore the only requriement would be true remorse and repentance, and conffection.
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oneGODoneCHURCH
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Did you miss this part of my post "However in the context of this tread, and in the cases of the day to day (so to speack) person that has committed a mortal sin. they have techiclly excommunicated themself " I am not nor was to OP talking about the items listed for latae sententiae.Again, not quite, because there is* latae sententiae *excommunication, which is imposed immediately for offenses to which they’re attached (e.g. attacking the Pope, illicitly ordaining a bishop, breaking the seal of Confession, intentionally procuring an abortion) which take effect without a formal pronunciation. Such excommunications still need to be lifted before valid absolution.
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Flame4
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I’m guessing its b/c murder and rape is already regarded by most of society as wrong while abortion is not. When a Catholic particpates in abortion it is a scandal as the Catholic is not demonstrating what the Church teaches to the rest of society.People might think that the Church is not vigorous in its pro-life teaching. Or something like that…
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EasterJoy
Guest
I think this is it…that is, there are situations where the Holy See wants to be certain that the remorse and repentance are genuine. It is not that procuring an abortion is worse than the murder of an adult, but that the gravity of murdering an adult is universally appreciated, while the gravity of the offense of abortion or attempting ordination of a woman is widely unappreciated, and in some places not accepted as being wrong at all, even among some confessors.I’m guessing its b/c murder and rape is already regarded by most of society as wrong while abortion is not. When a Catholic particpates in abortion it is a scandal as the Catholic is not demonstrating what the Church teaches to the rest of society.People might think that the Church is not vigorous in its pro-life teaching. Or something like that…
Which is not true. Mortal sin does not technically or otherwise excommunicate a person unless so provided by law. Mortal sin does not render a person incapable of receiving absolution (or any sacrament), while an excommunication does. The state of mortal sin, while most dreadful, does not equate to excommunication. So even for the purposes of this thread, the two cannot and should not be equated, as they cannot be, excommunication being an ecclesiastical penalty by virtue of Canon Law. It is therefore not fair to put forth to other readers what is not true, as it will only lead to confusion.Did you miss this part of my post "However in the context of this tread, and in the cases of the day to day (so to speack) person that has committed a mortal sin. they have techiclly excommunicated themself " I am not nor was to OP talking about the items listed for latae sententiae.
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Corki
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The penitent is obliged to fulfill the penance BUT the confessor can not licitly require the penitent to break the anonymity of the Confessional. If the penance that is given is illicit, I don’t think it would cause another sin to not fulfill it.per Canon Law, the penitent is obliged to perform the penance prescribed
of course that will not invalidate the absolution if you don’t, but you cause another sin by not fulfilling what was required of you
Can. 981 The confessor is to impose salutary and suitable penances in accord with the quality and number of sins, taking into account the condition of the penitent. The penitent is obliged to fulfill these personally.
As to the OP, murder and rape are already covered as both mortal sin and against civil law. Abortion is a special case - it’s murder but it’s protected by law in many countries. While excommunication is usually reserved to sins againt the faith (heresy, schism, etc.) rather than sins against individual persons, abortion has been singled out as an especially grave sin. It wasn’t always this way, this was a reaction to the pervasive acceptance of abortion in society. I think it became a latae sententiae excomminication only since 1988. Also, while the excomminication extends to those who procure, commit and aid in the procurement of the abortion, it only happens if the person knows that excomminication is the consequence and is not coerced.
I found this summary helpful. ewtn.com/expert/answers/abortio2.htm
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Moscati
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Am I right in thinking that most priests in the U.S. have faculties to absolve involvement in an abortion?
I seem to remember this coming up in RCIA, and Fr. said something about abortion being so (unfortunately) common in the U.S. that nearly all the ‘regular’ priests could lift the excommunication. But I’m not sure.
I seem to remember this coming up in RCIA, and Fr. said something about abortion being so (unfortunately) common in the U.S. that nearly all the ‘regular’ priests could lift the excommunication. But I’m not sure.
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PaulJason
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This is key and to the point…The penitent is obliged to fulfill the penance BUT the confessor can not licitly require the penitent to break the anonymity of the Confessional. If the penance that is given is illicit, I don’t think it would cause another sin to not fulfill it.
A Priest may never require you to break the silence of the confessional, no matter how many movies or TV shows pretend that it is so.
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oneGODoneCHURCH
Guest
You win. The way you read it is correct. i have read it and been informed incorrectly.Which is not true. Mortal sin does not technically or otherwise excommunicate a person unless so provided by law. Mortal sin does not render a person incapable of receiving absolution (or any sacrament), while an excommunication does. The state of mortal sin, while most dreadful, does not equate to excommunication. So even for the purposes of this thread, the two cannot and should not be equated, as they cannot be, excommunication being an ecclesiastical penalty by virtue of Canon Law. It is therefore not fair to put forth to other readers what is not true, as it will only lead to confusion.
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Corki
Guest
I believe that is generally true. In the US, most Bishops have given their priests the ability to lift the excommunications on their behalf. If a Bishop does this, I am not sure it would apply to religious order priests since they don’t report to the Bishop. And I heard on one of the radio shows that in some dioceses, it is permission given to pastors but not necessarily to all the priests. If for some reason the priest a person confessed to did not have this ability, there are procedures in place to have the matter referred without the penetint having to go to the Bishop to confess all over again.Am I right in thinking that most priests in the U.S. have faculties to absolve involvement in an abortion?
I seem to remember this coming up in RCIA, and Fr. said something about abortion being so (unfortunately) common in the U.S. that nearly all the ‘regular’ priests could lift the excommunication. But I’m not sure.
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