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John Paul II wants to revitalize the Sacrament of Penance Motu
proprio “Misericordia Dei” on certain aspects
There is a crisis in the Church as regards
the Sacrament of Penance: less and less people go to the confessional to
confess their sins to a priest, and in many places, individual
confession is replaced by general or collective absolution, where people
do not confess their sins, but think that they can be forgiven anyway.
In other words, what was supposed to be exceptional (collective
absolution) has become the normal way, leading to the disappearance of
the Sacrament of Penance. On May 2, 2002, the Vatican released a
letter written by Pope John Paul II about the Sacrament of Penance,
which explains that individual confession of sins to the priest remains
the normal way, and that general absolution can be used only in
exceptional cases. Written in a form of a “Motu Proprio” (Latin
words that mean “by his own initiative,” the letter “Misericordia
Dei” (God's Mercy), addressed to all the Bishops of the world, is
dated April 7, 2002, the Second Sunday of Easter, which is also the
Feast of Divine Mercy, according to Jesus' Message to Saint Faustina
Kowalska of Poland. In this letter, the Pope asks the Bishops
to remind all the priests to apply the Catholic doctrine in this area,
which established that “individual
and integral confession and absolution are the sole ordinary means by
which the faithful, conscious of grave sin, are reconciled with God and
the Church.” (Canon 960.) The letter continues: “Therefore,
'all those of whom it is required by virtue of their ministry in the
care of souls are obliged to ensure that the confessions of the faithful
entrusted to them are heard when they reasonably ask, and that they are
given the opportunity to approach individual confession, on days and at
times set down for their convenience'.” (Can. 986, §1.) When the Vatican presented the Pope's
letter, Cardinal Ratzinger pointed out that “it is not in the power of
the Church to replace personal confession with general absolution... The
duty of confession was instituted by Our Lord Himself, and so not left
to the disposition of the Church, not even the Pope.” Here are other excerpts from this important
letter of the Holy Father: “In order that the minister of the
Sacrament may know the dispositions of penitents with a view to granting
or withholding absolution and imposing a suitable penance, it is
necessary that the faithful, as well as being aware of the sins they
have committed, of being sorry for them, and resolved not to fall into
them again, should also confess their sins. In this sense, the Council of Trent declared
that it is necessary `by divine decree to confess each and every mortal
sin.' “In the present circumstances of the care
of souls, and responding to the concerned requests of many Brothers in
the Episcopate, I consider it useful to recall some of the canonical
laws in force regarding the celebration of this Sacrament, and clarify
certain aspects of them... This seems especially necessary, given that in some places there has
been a tendency to abandon individual confession, and wrongly to resort
to ‘general’ or ‘communal’ absolution. In this case, general absolution is no longer
seen as an extraordinary means to be used in wholly exceptional
situations. On the basis of an arbitrary extension of the conditions
required for grave necessity, in practice there is a lessening of
fidelity to the divine configuration of the Sacrament, and specifically
regarding the need for individual confession, with consequent serious
harm to the spiritual life of the faithful and to the holiness of the
Church... “I therefore decree the following: “Since ‘the faithful are obliged to
confess, according to kind and number, all grave sins committed after
Baptism of which they are conscious after careful examination and which
have not yet been directly remitted by the Church's power of the keys,
nor acknowledged in individual confession’, any practice which
restricts confession to a generic accusation of sin, or of only one or
two sins judged to be more important, is to be reproved. Indeed, in view
of the fact that all the faithful are called to holiness, it is
recommended that they confess venial sins also. “In the light of and within the framework
of the above norms, the absolution of a number of penitents at once
without previous confession, as envisaged by Can. 961 of the Code of
Canon Law, is to be correctly understood and administered. Such
absolution is in fact ‘exceptional in character’ and ‘cannot be
imparted in a general manner’ unless: 1. the danger of death is imminent, and
there is not time for the priest or priests to hear the confessions of
the individual penitents; 2. a grave necessity exists, that is, when
in light of the number of penitents a supply of confessors is not
readily available to hear the confessions of individuals in an
appropriate way within an appropriate time, so that the penitents would
be deprived of sacramental grace or Holy Communion for a long time
through no fault of their own; (but) it is not considered sufficient necessity
if confessors cannot be readily available only because of the great
number of penitents, as can occur on the occasion of some great feast or
pilgrimage. “As regards the personal disposition of
penitents, it should be reiterated that: a) ‘For the faithful to avail themselves
validly of sacramental absolution given to many at one time, it is
required that they not only be suitably disposed but also, at the same
time, intend to confess individually the serious sins which at present
cannot be so confessed’. “b) As far as possible, including cases
of imminent danger of death, there should be a preliminary exhortation
to the faithful ‘that each person take care to make an act of
contrition’. “c)
It is clear that penitents living in a habitual state of serious sin,
and who do not intend to change their situation, cannot validly receive
absolution. “The
obligation ‘to
confess serious sins at least once a year’
(Canon 989) remains, and therefore ‘a
person who has had serious sins remitted by general absolution is to
approach individual confession as soon as there is an opportunity to do
so before receiving another general absolution, unless a just cause
intervenes’. “I decree that everything I have set down
in this Apostolic Letter issued Motu Proprio shall have full and lasting
force, and be observed from this day forth, notwithstanding any
provisions to the contrary.” John
Paul II This article was published in the May-June-July, 2002 issue of “Michael”. |
