Sins that priests can't absolve

[Andres88]

Guys, on Saturday I heard a priest saying that there are some sins that priests can't absolve, and he mentioned abortion among them. He mentioned that only the Pope can absolve these sins. Do you by chance happen to know which other sins fall in this category?

 

[Michie]

Guys, on Saturday I heard a priest saying that there are some sins that priests can't absolve, and he mentioned abortion among them. He mentioned that only the Pope can absolve these sins. Do you by chance happen to know which other sins fall in this category?

I have never heard that! If the priest is acting in Persona Christi how is it that he could not forgive??

 

[catholicbybirth]

Guys, on Saturday I heard a priest saying that there are some sins that priests can't absolve, and he mentioned abortion among them. He mentioned that only the Pope can absolve these sins. Do you by chance happen to know which other sins fall in this category?

That is bizarre. Any priest of any rank can forgive any sin, except unrepentant ones. Each and every priest is acting in the person of Christ when he hears confession. Therefore, Christ can, and will, forgive any sin that is repented.

Janice

 

[MikeK]

Abortion, if taken part in voluntarily by a Catholic 18 years of age or older, incurs an automatic excommunication. Excommunicated persons cannot recieve the Sacraments, including Penance. A Bishop can lift excommunications that come with abortion, or he can give Priests the power to do so. If a person receieved their abortion when they were minors or before they became Catholics or they were forced, there is no excommunication and they may receieve absolution from their Priest. The same would apply for any excommunication, I think.

 

[KatherineS]

In the 1917 Code of Canon Law, there were sins a simple priest could not absolve and persons he cannot absolve. These were called "reserved sins."

The 1917 Code allowed as well as a diocesan bishop in his own See to “reserve” absolution of certain sins. In the 1983 Code, however, there are no longer any such reserved “sins” but a number of reserved cases which carry certain canonical penalties (i.e. censures,, excommunications, suspensions, etc) still remain.​

In six catagories of sins, removal of the penalties is reserved to the Holy See:​

1. Apostasy, heresy, schism
2. Violation of the sacred species
3. Physical attack on the pope
4. Absolution of an accomplice in a sin against 6th commandment
5. Unauthorized ordination of a bishop; this penalty is incurred by both the
ordaining bishop and the bishop who is ordained
6. Direct violation by a confessor of the seal of confession​

In nine catagories, it is the bishop:​

1. Procuring an abortion (but not murder of an adult nor performing an abortion)*
2. Mechanically recording or divulging by a technical instrument in the
communications media what was said by either a confessor or a penitent​

in a sacramental confession, whether performed by oneself or by another
3. Physical attack on a bishop

4. Pretended celebration of the Eucharist by a non-priest
5.. Attempt to impart sacramental absolution or hear confession by one who cannot
do so validly
6. False accusation (denunciation) of a priest of having committed the crime of
solicitation in the confessional ​

7. Attempted marriage, even civil, by a religious in perpetual vows
8. Cleric who attempts marriage, even merely a civil marriage

9. Cleric who is ordained by a bishop who does not have legitimate dimissorial​

letters

* all US bishops have delegated to confessors the power to remove the penalties when granting absolution,.

 

[Tigg]

-

 

[Andres88]

In the 1917 Code of Canon Law, there were sins a simple priest could not absolve and persons he cannot absolve. These were called "reserved sins."

The 1917 Code allowed as well as a diocesan bishop in his own See to “reserve” absolution of certain sins. In the 1983 Code, however, there are no longer any such reserved “sins” but a number of reserved cases which carry certain canonical penalties (i.e. censures,, excommunications, suspensions, etc) still remain.​

In six catagories of sins, removal of the penalties is reserved to the Holy See:​

1. Apostasy, heresy, schism
2. Violation of the sacred species
3. Physical attack on the pope
4. Absolution of an accomplice in a sin against 6th commandment
5. Unauthorized ordination of a bishop; this penalty is incurred by both the
ordaining bishop and the bishop who is ordained
6. Direct violation by a confessor of the seal of confession​

In nine catagories, it is the bishop:​

1. Procuring an abortion (but not murder of an adult nor performing an abortion)*
2. Mechanically recording or divulging by a technical instrument in the
communications media what was said by either a confessor or a penitent​

in a sacramental confession, whether performed by oneself or by another
3. Physical attack on a bishop

4. Pretended celebration of the Eucharist by a non-priest
5.. Attempt to impart sacramental absolution or hear confession by one who cannot
do so validly
6. False accusation (denunciation) of a priest of having committed the crime of
solicitation in the confessional ​

7. Attempted marriage, even civil, by a religious in perpetual vows
8. Cleric who attempts marriage, even merely a civil marriage

9. Cleric who is ordained by a bishop who does not have legitimate dimissorial​

letters

* all US bishops have delegated to confessors the power to remove the penalties when granting absolution,.

I think that was it. Didn't know it was contained in the Cannon Law. Here's what I found so far:

"Reserved censures: A reserved censure is one that can be absolved or remitted only by a specific authority in the Church. Although there are no longer any reserved sins in the revised Code, the penalties for certain ecclesiastical crimes are reserved to the Holy See. These include five of the seven automatic excommunications, namely: desecration of the Holy Eucharist (Canon 1367); laying violent hands on the Supreme Pontiff (Canon 1370§1); absolution of an accomplice in a sexual sin (Canon 1378, §1); consecration of a bishop without a papal mandate (Canon 1382); violation of the confessional seal (Canon 1388)."
(EWTN.com - reserved sins)

Probably that's what he was talking about.

 

[AMDG]

As you can see, it's not a point of forgiveness. It's more or less a question of sacrilege and authority reserved to Bishop or Pope.

 

[Andres88]

As you can see, it's not a point of forgiveness. It's more or less a question of sacrilege and authority reserved to Bishop or Pope.

So basically, yes, they are forgiven through normal absolution, but whatever penalty is associated to the violation is still reserved to the Holy See. Right?

 

[AMDG]

The sin is of such a nature (degree) that the only way the sinner who confesses that sin can hear "you are absolved" is by the Bishop, the one who has authority over the priest.

 

[Irish Melkite]

Because people often have problems understanding this particular reserved sin - "Absolution of an accomplice in a sin against 6th commandment", it's probably worth elaborating on it.

A priest who has sinned against the 6th commandment cannot licitly absolve one who was his accomplice in so sinning. Any other priest may do so.

If a priest does absolve one who was his accomplice, he who gave the absolution incurs the penalty.

Many years,

Neil

 

[Andres88]

Because people often have problems understanding this particular reserved sin - "Absolution of an accomplice in a sin against 6th commandment", it's probably worth elaborating on it.

A priest who has sinned against the 6th commandment cannot licitly absolve one who was his accomplice in so sinning. Any other priest may do so.

If a priest does absolve one who was his accomplice, he who gave the absolution incurs the penalty.

Many years,

Neil

Thank you for clearing this up, I had that question in my mind a few weeks ago.

 

[eastcoast_bsc]

Christ can forgive all sins.

 

[MikeK]

Christ can forgive all sins.

He sure can. He has elected to do so in the ways prescribed by His Church.

 

[KatherineS]

So basically, yes, they are forgiven through normal absolution, but whatever penalty is associated to the violation is still reserved to the Holy See. Right?

correct. This was one of the welcome reforms in the Church, moving towarsd a more pastoral approach.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Abortion, if taken part in voluntarily by a Catholic 18 years of age or older, incurs an automatic excommunication. Excommunicated persons cannot recieve the Sacraments, including Penance. A Bishop can lift excommunications that come with abortion, or he can give Priests the power to do so. If a person receieved their abortion when they were minors or before they became Catholics or they were forced, there is no excommunication and they may receieve absolution from their Priest. The same would apply for any excommunication, I think.

No, this is not accurate. There are different levels of excommunication and a person who obtains or assists in an abortion, is excommunicated Latae Sententiae.

This level of excommunication is a self-excommunication, and can be lifted through confess to a priest.

The level of excommunication which requires a Bishop to lift, is generally a public excommunication made by the Bishop.

Excommunication Latae Sententiae, is not that level.

Jim

 

[JimR-OCDS]

He sure can. He has elected to do so in the ways prescribed by His Church.

Only God forgives sins.

When a person turns to God with a contrite heart and asks for forgiveness, God forgives them.

Jesus Christ gave power to the Church in that a priest can forgive sins, and reconcile a person to the Church.

However, a person should never wait to get to confession before turning to God and asking for forgiveness. Ask God for forgiveness and then get to Confession as soon as you can.

In the first 600 years of the Church, private Confessions were prohibited. The only way to confess was publicly before the congregation.

However, there were only three sins which required such public confession, apostasy, theft and bearing false witness.

It wasn't until the Church was persecuted in Ireland, where the only way a person could receive spiritual direction from a priest, was to go to the door on the outside wall of the monastery, and enter a little room. There a little window was opened by the priest and the person could receive spiritual direction.

However as it happened during spiritual direction, the person also confessed their sins and asked for absolution.

This became so popular among clergy and laity, that the Church lifted the ban on private confessions, and the method of administering the sacrament evolved to what we have today.

Jim

 

[QuantaCura]

In case anyone is wondering why abortion receives such a penalty, but not murdering an adult, I read that when the civil authorities do not or cannot punish a crime they should, the Church sometimes fills the void by providing a penalty. Since murder of a born person or, say, sexual assault (to use another sin often brought up in this context) already have sufficent penalties from the state, the Church does not add an additional penalty.

 

[MikeK]

No, this is not accurate. There are different levels of excommunication and a person who obtains or assists in an abortion, is excommunicated Latae Sententiae.

This level of excommunication is a self-excommunication, and can be lifted through confess to a priest.

The level of excommunication which requires a Bishop to lift, is generally a public excommunication made by the Bishop.

Excommunication Latae Sententiae, is not that level.

Source? One stating specifically that latae sententiae excommunications can be lifted by Confessing to any Priest (as opposed to only those Priests who have been given specific permission to do so by their Bishop)?

 

[MikeK]

Only God forgives sins.

Right.

When a person turns to God with a contrite heart and asks for forgiveness, God forgives them.

...if their contrition is not primarily out of fear of hell or loss of heaven, but because they offended God, yes.

Jesus Christ gave power to the Church in that a priest can forgive sins, and reconcile a person to the Church.

However, a person should never wait to get to confession before turning to God and asking for forgiveness. Ask God for forgiveness and then get to Confession as soon as you can.

Absolutely, the sinner should make an act of contrition immediately upon realizing that they are in a state of sin. They should not presume that they are forgiven of their sin(s) until they are absolved through the Sacrament of Penance or Anointing of the Sick. They must not recieve any other Sacraments, including the Eucharist, until they Confess to a Priest.