"Words of Absolution"...?

[KephasAugustine]

I’ve looked through the forums briefly and haven’t found this issue addressed–sorry if it has been recently. Bear with me.

At my last Confession a couple of weeks ago, the priest didn’t say the words of Absolution that I love so much. Rather, after I said my sins and made my Act of Contrition, he said:

“Listen to these words of absolution: The Lord Jesus loves you and forgives you. And I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen”

Now, my question is this: are the words “God the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of His Son, has reconciled the world to Himself…” etc… necessary, or can the priest say basically anything he wants, or at least one of a few prayers, and then follow it with “I absolve you from your sins…” etc?

Thanks

 

[Dauphin]

The confession is valid as long as the priest utters the following words:

“I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

 

[Joe_Kelley]

I’ve looked through the forums briefly and haven’t found this issue addressed–sorry if it has been recently. Bear with me.

At my last Confession a couple of weeks ago, the priest didn’t say the words of Absolution that I love so much. Rather, after I said my sins and made my Act of Contrition, he said:

“Listen to these words of absolution: The Lord Jesus loves you and forgives you. And I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen”

Now, my question is this: are the words “God the Father of mercies, through the death and resurrection of His Son, has reconciled the world to Himself…” etc… necessary, or can the priest say basically anything he wants, or at least one of a few prayers, and then follow it with “I absolve you from your sins…” etc?

Thanks

I am not an expert on this. However, from what I have heard/read as long as he says the bare minimum of *I absolve you from your sins *the absolution is valid. There may even be one or two permissable variations on that.

 

[Brendan]

I am not an expert on this. However, from what I have heard/read as long as he says the bare minimum of *I absolve you from your sins *the absolution is valid. There may even be one or two permissable variations on that.

The Eastern Catholics use a variant “You are absolved” ( in the passive, not the active form)

 

[KephasAugustine]

Okay, thank you! I figured it was probably fine and valid (he is a very good and pious priest), I just wanted to be sure because it struck me as odd.

God bless you all.

 

[SuscipeMeDomine]

He may have said the absolute minimum words to make it valid, but I’d still prefer to hear the whole prayer and would have asked him for it. The last time I went to confession to a different priest he started to say something very different and I was thinking “oh no, isn’t he going to say the standard form of the prayer?” Then he said “and” and continued with “God, the father of mercies…” I was relieved!

 

[Alma]

What if a priest does not say the absolution formula out loud?

The other day I went to Confession, and the priest just made the sign of the cross towards me and dismissed me. Maybe he was in a hurry, maybe he thought what I confessed was somewhat silly and did not deserve an absolution. He did not suggest any penance either. He just smiled, blessed me and said good bye. Was that Confession valid?

Alma

 

[LilyM]

What if a priest does not say the absolution formula out loud?

The other day I went to Confession, and the priest just made the sign of the cross towards me and dismissed me. Maybe he was in a hurry, maybe he thought what I confessed was somewhat silly and did not deserve an absolution. He did not suggest any penance either. He just smiled, blessed me and said good bye. Was that Confession valid?

Alma

I’m guessing he needs to say 'em out loud. Although if you said an Act of Contrition he may have done so during your saying of it (I always get distracted when this happens - I’m listening for the words of absolution!)

Altogether I’d say he thought what you confessed was - not silly, nothing is silly if it comes from the heart - but not actually sinful.

No-one can absolve sin where there is none, neither do actions which aren’t sinful need absolution.

Not a question of being ‘deserving’, just that he can’t absolve you from sin if you haven’t actually sinned! Take it as a compliment