Part 3 of 10: Sacrament of Penance, Why do I have to confess my sins to a priest? [Catholic Caucus]

CatholicSpirit.com ^ | 26 March 2009 | Father Michael Van Sloun

[Salvation]

Why do I have to confess my sins to a priest?

By Father Michael Van Sloun - For The Catholic Spirit   

Thursday, 26 March 2009

The following is the third in a 10-part series on reconciliation

Penance

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Father Michael Van Sloun

Of all the objections to the sacrament of reconciliation, the one most often voiced, particularly by Protestants, and sometimes by Catholics is:  “I don’t need to go to confession to a priest! The priest is just another human being! All that I need to do is to confess my sins directly to God, and that is enough!”

This objection is flawed on a number of counts:

• Jesus com­mis­sion­ed forgiveness through his apostles. Jesus ask­ed believers to ap­proach God for forgive­ness through the apostles who were com­missioned to act as his agents.

Jesus told Peter, “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19).

After the resurrection, Jesus breathed on his disciples and said, “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them and whose sins you retain are retained” (John 20:22-23). Priests alone carry out this apostolic role (Canon 965; CCC 1461 and 1462).

This is consistent with our Jewish heritage. When it came to atonement for sins in the Jewish tradition, God instructed Moses to have the people bring a holocaust to the temple, usually an unblemished bullock or lamb.

The sinner was to lay his hands on the head of the animal, symbolically transferring his sins to the animal, and then to slaughter it, to have the animal die in place of the sinner.

The sinner then handed the animal to the priest who offered it on the altar (Leviticus 1:1-5). The priest served as a go-between for the sinner to mediate God’s pardon and peace.

• Catholic sacraments are mediated. The sacraments celebrate the most profound moments of our lives: birth (baptism), the transition to adulthood (confirmation), lifetime commitment (marriage and holy orders), and the end of life (anointing).

Two other sacraments strengthen us for the journey through life: Eucharist, our spiritual sustenance; and penance, the forgiveness of sins.

We need to be fed at least weekly, and because we sin so often, we need to be forgiven regularly. The sacraments are not self-administered. Rather, the priest is the mediator, the linkage or conduit between God and the people, a rich channel of God’s grace.

• A personal encounter with Christ. The priest is not just “another human being,” but one who acts in persona Christi, in the person of Christ. With faith, we believe that when the penitent speaks to the priest, the penitent speaks to Christ, and when the priest speaks, the priest speaks on behalf of Christ. When the priest says, “I absolve you,” it is Christ who absolves (Mark 2:10).

• A community representative. Our sins offend not only God, but the community as well. It is not only impractical to admit our sins to others, but often also ill-advised, because of scandal or grave consequences. When we admit our sins to a priest, we reconcile with the community, and the priest, on behalf of those we have offended, says, “You are forgiven.”

• The personal touch. When we confess our sins to a priest, we are able to receive individualized counsel — advice that fits our unique circumstances — and we can be given a penance that is “medicinal,” specifically tailored to help us in the spiritual healing process (Canon 981).

Father Michael Van Sloun is pastor of St. Stephen in Anoka.

[srweaver]

Sorry for interrupting your caucus. As for “clearly knowing better” that is not the case. You may choose to disbelieve me, but I thought I was responding to a post in the “general” forum (there have been many “Catholic” posts there lately) and am not even sure how I ended up “in” the Catholic caucus.

Actually, I didn’t even realize there were “segregated” areas of Free Republic closed to “non-caucus” posters. “You learn something new every day.”

So just as I wouldn’t break into a Catholic Church to disrupt their service, I will not knowingly “break into” your caucus anymore to interrupt your discussions.

Please forgive me...I truly thought I was posting to a public forum.

[Religion Moderator]

Most of the disruptors on caucus threads are not regular Religion Forum posters and are not familiar with the guidelines posted on my profile page.

Sometimes a "regular" will post to a caucus thread accidentally, e.g. not noticing the label in the header.

[srweaver]

Thank you for the explanation. I will try to be more careful. I don’t mind seeing Religion forum posts at all. So how do I avoid posting to “caucus” forums? Is it by noting a [..... Caucus] after the post?

And how do I “join” a caucus if so inclined.

Thanks again for your help.

[taxcontrol]

If these threads are closed to non-catholics, and recovery catholics, then the tag should say so. Perhaps I can recommend [Catholic ONLY] or [Catholic Closed Caucus] as opposed to the [Catholic Caucus] to indicate that status.

[Religion Moderator]

Click here for the guidelines pertaining to the Religion Forum.

[Religion Moderator]

The caucus is designated in the title, e.g. "Catholic Caucus." The designation can be any group of believers, e.g. "Catholic/Orthodox" "Baptist" "Non-Denominational" "LDS".

If you self-identify as currently a member of a caucus, e.g. "Christian Caucus" - then you are free to post there.

Posters who have changed faiths, e.g. ex-LDS, may not post to the caucus for their previously held beliefs.

The caucus threads offer safe harbor so that like-minded Freepers can discuss issues without disruption. Click on my profile page for more information on thread labels and guidelines pertaining to the Religion Forum.

[srweaver]

“Click on my profile page for more information on thread labels and guidelines pertaining to the Religion Forum.”

I have done so. Very well stated. Thanks!

[Judith Anne]

Understood. Lately, however, it seems that nobody understand the “caucus” label, and they have to have a big discussion about it.

I just wonder if all these posters are as ignorant as they claim to be. No way to tell, but good grief! I don’t see this happening on other caucus threads.

[taxcontrol]

Please consider that the word “caucus” can mean:

“any group or meeting organized to further a special interest or cause.”

As such, the use of that term is not as restrictive as you would have it followed in the forums. This can lead to situations where people do not know that the thread is limited in it’s discussion. A small change to the title would help to reduce the confusion.

As a further improvement to the overall system, it would be a nice feature to have subscription only threads. Meaning that if you have not been allowed entrance to a thread community, then you don’t even SEE the thread in the forum lists. Such a feature would be able to more directly enforce the limitations.

[Judith Anne]

Please consider that you and your type have taken up most of this thread. If you have issues, go privately to the RM, and quit ruining a CATHOLIC DISCUSSION with your arguments.d

Honestly, I’m starting to think this is on purpose. How ignorant can real FREEPERS be?

[Judith Anne]

Can you close this thread, and re-start it? It’s totally trashed.

[taxcontrol]

Well Judith, I am just responding to the Moderator in the same and like manner as was used to contact me. Just like I am now responding in the same and like manner as YOU used to contact me.

Apologies if this does not conform to your expectations.

[mlizzy]

Confession is such a beautiful Sacrament, one that is not partaken anywhere near as frequently as it should be. That being said, maybe you could start this thread over again. All the deletions scar up the beauty of the article which deals in forgiveness from Our Lord.

[Judith Anne]

Get off the thread.

[johngrace]

Thank you! Salvation Great Post! Wow all that biblical verses but being a Papist should I Like it? You know how we Papist twist scripture?

[siamesecats]

I read everything but rarely respond.
This time I must.
Thank you for this thread, I treasure these.
By the way, did I tell you I work for a Priest?

[Salvation]

**Why was it placed in the general forum?**

It isn’t. It is in the Religion Forum.

[Salvation]

I was going to give you the link to Caucus threads, but I see in the next post that the Religion Moderator already did.

Thanks, RM!

[Salvation]

Appreciate your post.

Like I said there has been a lot of information and misinformation about forgiveness, Confession, etc.

The thread was posted (with the two previous linked threads) in the spirit of education.

Hopefully some education and thinking will take place.

[Salvation]

**Can you close this thread, and re-start it? It’s totally trashed.**

I think I’ll leave it the way it is. We always talk about how Catholics are treated on FR. This thread speaks for those who judge Catholics.

Pray for Pope Benedict XVI! It’s his birthday today!