Can Brothers perform Confession?

[Airicon]

Recently somebody posted something on Confession, and it got me doing a little research. I found this site (http://www.saintaquinas.com/mortal_sin.html), which seems fairly reliable, which says:
Because a baptized Christian can still sin, Christ instituted the Sacrament of Reconciliation for the forgiveness of our sins. Jesus gave the power to forgive sins in his name to the Church. He told his apostles, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained" (John 20:22–23). This means that the apostles and their successors, the priests and bishops of the Catholic Church, can forgive sins in Jesus’ name.

That made me wonder - can Brothers and Friars perform Confession? Obviously priests can, but can say a Franciscan Friar or a Carmelite Brother? Are they really a successor of Jesus like a Bishop or Priest is? Just curious

 

[epiclesis]

nope. only an ordained priest can perform confession.

 

[Carrye]

Yes and no. Priests can hear confessions. However ...

- Some priests are also brothers/friars
- Some brothers/friars are not priests

So ...

- Someone like Fr. Benedict Groschel is a Franciscan friar. He is also a priest. Therefore he can hear confessions.

 

[Airicon]

Yes and no. Priests can hear confessions. However ...

- Some priests are also brothers/friars
- Some brothers/friars are not priests

So ...

- Someone like Fr. Benedict Groschel is a Franciscan friar. He is also a priest. Therefore he can hear confessions.

ah that makes sense, I saw on a Franciscan website that they did Confession and I got confused :o I didn't know you could be both a priest and a friar, so that must be the case. Thanks.

 

[Canonist]

There is some confusion here...

One thing is the sacrament of order and another one is the membership to a religious family.

The sacrament of order is divided in three steps: diacon, priest and bishop.

When you receive the priesthood (and obviously if you become a bishop afterwards) you can say the Mass and confess people.

Religious families are Franciscans, Domenicans, Jesuits, ecc...
When you are a member of them, you are a friar and you live together in convents.

Then, some friars are priests and bishops too, others are "brothers" who didn't receive the sacrament of order.

 

[Rebekka]

Some religious are always both priest and friar, e.g. the jesuits are a priestly order.