Words of Absolution

[TobyLue]

I have had conflicting replies and I hesitate to post this in the Q&A as I seldom get replies and with the new format I don’t see the Q&A Thread section. Hopefully a priest can answer my question.

I went to a different church for confession and when I finished, the priest just said to me something like “Go your sins are forgiven”. I asked if he could be me absolution, (was waiting for the words 'God the Father of mercies… etc." (CCC 1449) but he said he had already given me absolution. When I asked him about the formula (and this is an elderly priest) he said he had never heard about such a thing.

I went back a couple of times however after I confessed I told him that I was praying for God to forgive me and for him (the priest) to give me absolution and he just said. “Go, your sins are absolved”.

My question is this: Does a priest have the right to skip the formula and just tell the penitent his sins are forgiven or must he say the proper formula? Also were my sins forgiven or do I have to go back to confession (another church where I know they say the proper words) and confess those sins again? I know matter and form are necessary for each sacrament to be valid but what constitutes valid matter and valid form in the Sacrament of Reconciliation?

I need to know because if this priest is not saying the words of absolution and as he claims he has never heard of them, I think this is something the Bishop needs to know.

Thanks.

 

[porthos11]

I have had conflicting replies and I hesitate to post this in the Q&A as I seldom get replies and with the new format I don’t see the Q&A Thread section. Hopefully a priest can answer my question.

I went to a different church for confession and when I finished, the priest just said to me something like “Go your sins are forgiven”. I asked if he could be me absolution, (was waiting for the words 'God the Father of mercies… etc." (CCC 1449) but he said he had already given me absolution. When I asked him about the formula (and this is an elderly priest) he said he had never heard about such a thing.

I went back a couple of times however after I confessed I told him that I was praying for God to forgive me and for him (the priest) to give me absolution and he just said. “Go, your sins are absolved”.

My question is this: Does a priest have the right to skip the formula and just tell the penitent his sins are forgiven or must he say the proper formula? Also were my sins forgiven or do I have to go back to confession (another church where I know they say the proper words) and confess those sins again? I know matter and form are necessary for each sacrament to be valid but what constitutes valid matter and valid form in the Sacrament of Reconciliation?

I need to know because if this priest is not saying the words of absolution and as he claims he has never heard of them, I think this is something the Bishop needs to know.

Thanks.

Not a priest, but I’ll chime in anyway.

Your statement that he was an older priest is a significant hint. I also assume you were reciting the Act of Contrition inside the confessional.

He probably DID give you absolution while you were saying the Act of Contrition. The old practice was to pronounce absolution simultaneously with the Act of Contrition in a low or even silent voice so that by the time you were done, you’d also be been absolved.

I had a similar experience years ago, also with an older priest; I did not hear him absolve. But yet through the grille, I could see him make the sign of the cross right after I concluded the Act of Contrition. Knowing what I knew, I safely assumed he had recited the Absolution silently as was the old practice. I didn’t give it any second thought afterwards.

If, however, you weren’t reciting the Act of Contrition and there was clearly, undoubtedly no pronouncement of absolution, well, I have my own opinion and I would have no doubt as to what I would do.

But I will let the clerics here answer that.

 

[TobyLue]

porthos11
One time it was face to face and twice behind the screen. I always pray the act of contrition before I go into the confessional. Some priests will automatically ask for me to recite the contrition and wait after I finish then they say the words of absolution. Others assume I have already prayed the Act of Contrition and just ask if I have anything else to confess and automatically go into the absolution. This priest if I remember correctly didn’t ask for the AofC but just dismissed me with “Go your sins are forgiven”. He didn’t even give me a penance. I had to ask for one.

I need to check this out further before I take the next step. Please pray for this priest which shall remain nameless.

 

[porthos11]

porthos11
One time it was face to face and twice behind the screen. I always pray the act of contrition before I go into the confessional. Some priests will automatically ask for me to recite the contrition and wait after I finish then they say the words of absolution. Others assume I have already prayed the Act of Contrition and just ask if I have anything else to confess and automatically go into the absolution. This priest if I remember correctly didn’t ask for the AofC but just dismissed me with “Go your sins are forgiven”. He didn’t even give me a penance. I had to ask for one.

I need to check this out further before I take the next step. Please pray for this priest which shall remain nameless.

You will undoubtedly get the standard “trust your priest” answer from posters here, both lay and clergy. I will not say that.

If you were not reciting the Act of Contrition and you’re certain he did not pronounce the words of absolution, then you were not absolved. If I were in your shoes, I, personally, will seek out another priest, describe what happened and follow his advice.

I guarantee you we will receive answers along the lines of trust your priest, contradicting what I’ve told you here. But given all you’ve described and assuming you missed nothing, I believe what I’ve told you is the prudent course of action. I know for a fact that Holy Orders does not make a man automatically trustworthy. I’ve personally had experiences like yours, after which I reconfessed and received affirmation from the second confessor that my course of action was the correct one.

 

[FrDavid96]

I have had conflicting replies and I hesitate to post this in the Q&A as I seldom get replies and with the new format I don’t see the Q&A Thread section. Hopefully a priest can answer my question.

I went to a different church for confession and when I finished, the priest just said to me something like “Go your sins are forgiven”. I asked if he could be me absolution, (was waiting for the words 'God the Father of mercies… etc." (CCC 1449) but he said he had already given me absolution. When I asked him about the formula (and this is an elderly priest) he said he had never heard about such a thing.

I went back a couple of times however after I confessed I told him that I was praying for God to forgive me and for him (the priest) to give me absolution and he just said. “Go, your sins are absolved”.

My question is this: Does a priest have the right to skip the formula and just tell the penitent his sins are forgiven or must he say the proper formula? Also were my sins forgiven or do I have to go back to confession (another church where I know they say the proper words) and confess those sins again? I know matter and form are necessary for each sacrament to be valid but what constitutes valid matter and valid form in the Sacrament of Reconciliation?

I need to know because if this priest is not saying the words of absolution and as he claims he has never heard of them, I think this is something the Bishop needs to know.

Thanks.

I usually don’t participate in threads about individual confessions. However, what I’m reading here troubles me.

You need to find a good priest whom you know you can trust (one who doesn’t mess around with the Sacraments outside of Confession) and present your situation to him.

Yes, the first priest might have whispered the absolution, then what you heard was the dismissal.

You say that the priest claims he never heard of the formula of absolution. That’s a strange thing indeed. Very strange. If that’s true, then there is a serious problem. It might also be that he didn’t quite hear the question the way you meant it, or you might not have understood his answer in the way that he intended it. The subject matter is just too obvious—every priest knows the formula of absolution (ok, maybe a newly ordained has to read it, but you get the point).

It’s entirely possible that he might have done a perfectly valid and licit absolution. The problem might be in the explanation.

That’s why you need to speak in person with a priest whom you can trust. If he sees a problem, he can then absolve.

 

[TobyLue]

FrDavid96
Thanks for your reply. I did ask the pastor at my parish (he belongs to an order and we have several priest) and he made an expression like and he said they are required to use the formula for absolution. I went later that week to confession (at my parish) but with a different priest and I explained the problem. I asked if he wanted me to repeat my sins and he said that he would give me absolution for those sins too and not to worry.

I may even go see if I can have a talk with the priest in questions and gently find out and if he definitely does not know the words of absolution and if he is adamant, I may go to the Bishop. I have gone to him and a previous Bishops with problems and they have been very supportive of my concerns and tell me the will see to it that the priests/persons are corrected.

I’m not claiming I know everything but I know enough that if a priest is saying something that is heterodox I will talk to him first and if he can’t give me a good explanation as maybe I heard wrong (I ask other people first if I heard correct)or if he insists he is right, then I go to the Bishop. After all that is one of the reasons we have a Bishop.