Posted on 05/07/2015 7:08:16 AM PDT by Gamecock
**In before the bash Francis thread.**
Good. It is amazing how many FRoman Catholics really hate this guy!
Of course it could be forgiven, but as it is very grave, it was required the sinner go to a bishop or the Pope. Some sins are reserved for the Pope alone to hear the confession and offer absolution.
All that has changed is that while active abortion and its related sins are still very grave, a penitent no longer has to go to a bishop.
This goes hand in hand with Year of Mercy. The Pope is trying to encourage people to get right with God, and is trying to remove any obstacle to a person seeking forgiveness.
Here is a good explanation from Wikipedia (Apostolic Penitentiary): “Normally confessions of sins are handled at the local level by priests and their bishops and are not heard by the tribunal. The work of the Apolostic Penitentiary involves sins, such as defiling the Eucharist, which are reserved to the Holy See. ... Other sins that are handled by the Penitentiary include a priest breaking the seal of the confessional by revealing the nature of the sin and the person who sought penance, or a priest who has sex with someone and then offered forgiveness for the act. These sins bring automatic excommunication from the Church. Once the excommunication is lifted, then absolution can be granted. A fourth type of case that comes to the tribunal involves a man who has contributed towards facilitating an abortion, such as by paying for it, or directly so by performing one, who then seeks to become a priest or deacon.”
OK, but does “go and sin no more” still apply, or do these abortionists simply get a blanket pardon for all future abortions too?
Well, of course. I’m trying to figure out the Roman Catholic party line.
One should always use caution when reading a media account of what the Church does or doesn’t do. In this case, it is full misleading statements.
The fact that we take the act of seeking forgiveness from Christ for our sins, and wrap it up in layer upon layer of legalism and process thicker than the Affordable Care Act...is a major reason why people leave the Catholic Church.
I choose to stay because Jesus looked directly at Peter and told him “you are the rock upon which I will build my Church”. Something worth sticking around and fighting for.
If you are pained by this, you ought to re-read both the Bible and the Catechism on mercy, confession, and repentance. Again, non-Catholic media reports about Church matters are notoriously inaccurate.
I’m not Catholic, ask one of them!
(Oh, FWIW, in Reformed Churches it would involve repentance, that is turning from sin.)
I have not seen him say or do anything so far that outrages me. I do know that friends and family of mine who have strayed from the Church are giving it a second (or third) look. They may be coming for the feel good stuff and even for what they think he’s going to do but won’s but I can’t help but believe that some are staying for the grace.
With that attitude, I'm quite certain you'll never "figure it out".
I am Catholic as well and was completely unaware of this also
_____________________________________
You are unaware of this ...because it is not true.
What attitude?
I post an article, and that’s an attitude?
You are close.
I think this has more to do with the excommunication.
What most people, Catholics included it seems, do not understand is that certain grave sins (abortion being one of them) is excommunication latae sententiae. This means the person is automatically excommunicated and cannot receive the sacraments, even the sacrament of confession!
They need to go to the bishop to have the excommunication lifted.
What Pope Francis has done in offering this opportunity is tremendous.
http://www.catholicdoors.com/faq/qu70.htm
If an abortionist intended to commit more abortions, there would be no absolution, as there is no firm purpose of amendment, nor is their true contrition.
Confession isn’t a recitation of sins, rather, it is one’s judgement of oneself in the face of Almighty God, sincerely wanted to repair the relationship, contrite for all offenses, and desiring never to commit them again.
In some dioceses the bishop has already given his priests authority to deal with abortion (at least the first time) without coming to him, Francis is making this universal.
We have legalisms because people do stupid things. Let's face it, regular confession is very simple, be blunt, be brief, be gone. Not hard. Murder and excommunication, well, that is a special circumstance.
"I’m trying to figure out the Roman Catholic party line."
You wrote that.
Dictionary dot com provides the following definition of "Party Line":
The official policy of an organization or government, as in The current party line opposes legalized abortion in all cases. This term, dating from about 1830, was originally used for a political party's official policy but in the mid-1900s was almost exclusively applied to the rigid dicta of the Soviet Communist Party. Since then it has returned to looser use.
In my experience, the term "party line" is always used in a pejorative sense, and always implies a certain dishonesty.
If you continue to view the Roman Catholic Church as being no different from the Communist Party, I think you'll never understand them.
And that's really all I have to say about the matter. I hope you have a blessed day.
-— I’m Catholic and was totally unaware of this “only the Pope can forgive an abortion” deal -—
When the media publishes a story regarding Church Teaching, it’s wise to ignore what is outside quotation marks.
Obtaining an abortion, procuring an abortion, and performing an abortion entail automatic excommunication —I.e., denial of the sacraments.
This is a canonical penalty separate from the sacrament of Confession.
There are no unforgivable sins, excluding final impenitence. So confession of abortion to a priest would result in absolution.
But the person would still be denied licit reception of the sacraments without the permission of a bishop or a priest appointed by the bishop.
Ahh, the mantra of perpetually offended.
Sorry that I offended your sensibilities.
No, Gamecock, that is a misunderstanding.
A person guilty of the sin of abortion (women over 18 years of age, and all accomplices such as boyfriends/husbands, doctors, clinic managers, etc.) incurred automatic exommunication which means they were barred from any sacrament unless they had the excommunication lifted by the Bishop or by some diocesan priest appointed by the Bishop for this purpose.
So if a repentent person guilty of this sin went to confession to their regular pastor, say, the pastor would have to redirect her to the designated confessor OR this pastor would have to request faculties from the Bishop to do this.
The purpose of this was the underline the severity of the offense, and also ("medicinally") to make sure she got counseling and support from a priest who was specially experienced or trained in guiding this kind of penitent.
I very much doubt that most American Catholic girls/women even ralize that abortion entails automatic excommunication. It would be interesting to know, but how you would find out would be difficult.
What needs to happen is a very public call from the pulpits for repentance and Confession --- not just for this sin but for all sins. There needs to be a big push in the parishes for things like 24-hour Confession events where the whole parish would be strongly urged to renew their hearts through Reconciliation.
We all need this.
Thanks for the clarification.
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