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Kevin
D.
wrote:
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Hello,
I am a Christian who was raised as a Protestant. I had never met any Catholics
until I entered college. For a long time now, I have been researching Catholic doctrine,
out of a desire to understand Catholics and Catholic teachings, and have found myself reexamining my own
beliefs in the process.
I would like to applaud the Catholic Church for upholding
doctrines that are in accordance with
the Bible, even if they are at odds with popular
thought today. e.g. the issue of homosexuality,
for example.
I have a couple of questions for you concerning penance and I would greatly appreciate
any help you might give me concerning them. Please bear in mind that I am still in
the process of trying to understand the teachings of the Catholic Church. I don't
mind correction at all if my questions imply inaccuracies concerning Catholic doctrine.
In such cases,
I mean no offense at all.
- What assurance do penitents have that the
priest to whom they make Confessions are not
false?
- In other words, can they be sure that the priest will not be exposed
as a one living in mortal sin?
- In the case that a priest has been proven
to be false, do the sins that have been confessed
to that priest remain unforgiven?
- Is it necessary
for penitents to go to Confession again and re-confess the
same sins to another priest?
- On what grounds would a priest choose to
retain the sins of a penitent?
- What does this
entail?
Thank you for your time.
Kevin
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{
Can you answer a few questions from a seeking Christian concerning Penance/Confession? }
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Mary Ann
replied:
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Hi Kevin,
I appreciate your thoughtful questions, and the spirit in which they are asked.
[i and ii.]: The good news is that the priest's moral state has no bearing on his role in Confession.
Thank goodness! The Church has always taught that the sacraments do not depend on
the virtue or morality of the Confessor or celebrant.
Even a lay person in mortal sin, even
one who is not Christian, may validly baptize, for instance. We have no assurance
that any of us is not living in serious sin, and our attitude ought to always be
one of prayer for each other and mercy toward each other.
[iii and iv.]: No, it is not necessary. Sins confessed to a sinful priest do not have to be re-confessed to another — they have already been forgiven.
[v and vi.]: The priest can retain — or refuse to impart forgiveness
(the forgiveness
is Christ's) — if the person does not fulfill the conditions of the sacrament. i.e.:
- is making an obviously insincere or false Confession
- is not sorry
- refuses penance
or reparation (for instance, if you stole something, you have to give what you stole back or give an equivalent
amount to charity
if you can't give it back)
- or refuses to promise to try and change.
Usually the priest gives the benefit of the doubt, where it is possible. Also, a
priest cannot impart absolution for one sin if the person is obstinate about another
grave sin.
For instance: suppose you seek forgiveness for an abortion, but you are adamant
about continuing to live in a homosexual relationship. Or suppose you are a hit man
who seeks forgiveness for one murder, but not another, since he had it coming.
Since
one either turns their back to God or not, one cannot be forgiven of one sin, while still being impenitent about another grave sin.
God can't fill half of your heart with
grace!
I hope these answers help.
Mary Ann
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Kevin replied:
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Mary Ann,
Thank you for answering my questions regarding penance. It is sometimes
difficult to find information regarding concerning Catholic
doctrines. I do have a few other questions I would like to ask, if you don't
mind.
-
I have been told that Catholics are not at
liberty to disagree with the interpretation of the Scriptures by the
priests (more specifically, that the priest dictates the meaning of the
Scriptures to a congregation without being questioned).
I do recognize the significance of maintaining traditional interpretations
of Scripture and believe that it was historically essential to protecting
the Church from heresies such as Gnosticism.
- Does the Church recognize
only one interpretation of each text or does it maintain many traditional
interpretations regarding each text?
- I know that the Catholic Bible contains books that were originally included
in the Greek Septuagint but were subsequently removed by Martin Luther.
I have also read that these books were considered controversial centuries
before they were officially canonized by the Church.
- Are all Catholics bound to accept these books?
- Also are books, such as Tobit, taken as [parables/legends] or are
believed to refer to actual historical events?
- Does a Protestant who has been baptized need to be rebaptized to become
a Catholic?
I was baptized by immersion in a Methodist church as a teenager.
- How does a Catholic become a monk or nun?
Does the Church consider such members as belonging to the clergy or the congregation?
- Does the Catholic Church regard Protestants as belonging to the Church?
Thank you again for taking the time to help me with
these questions. I have witnessed much prejudice on the part of Protestants
toward the Catholic Church, but I feel that one should never allow hearsay
to dictate one's standing in a matter of salvation.
Kevin
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Mary Ann
replied:
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Hi Kevin,
- It is true that the Church is the Guardian of Scriptural Interpretation and has spoken out and clarified certain text when they have been incorrectly interpreted. Nevertheless, there are many levels
of meaning to the Scriptures, and many ways to interpret it, and Catholics may
certainly disagree with the interpretation by a priest. There are good
Church documents on this matter.
The Interpretation Of The Bible In The Church from the Pontifical Biblical Commission
on April 13, 1993
- Yes, all Catholics are bound to accept the officially canonized books. They were
considered non-canonical centuries before — by the rabbis at Jamne, many of whom
were also followers of bar Kochba, the pseudo-Messiah who excommunicated Christians
from the synagogue around 90 A.D., well after the destruction of Jerusalem and the
Temple.
Before that time, the Septuagint was the body of Scriptures accepted by Jews
all over the world, most of whom, by that time lost the ability to read Hebrew and read Greek. The Septuagint
was a Greek translation made long before the Christian era of the accepted
books at the time, which included the later controversial books. The
Septuagint canon were the books used by the rabbis in Israel at the time of Christ.
As far as Tobit is concerned, the Church says that all Scripture is true according
to its literary form, according to the intention of the author. There is debate about
the literary form of Tobit, but one is free to believe it is historical or not, or
to see it as folklore with historical roots and a very true religious message. I
believe Church fathers routinely treated it allegorically, but do not quote me on
that.
- A Protestant who has been baptized does not have to be rebaptized upon entry into
the Catholic Church — unless the form of baptism was invalid. The Church is aware
of the forms used by Protestant groups (some baptize in Jesus' name, for instance).
If there is uncertainty as to the form, or uncertainty about the fact, then the person
is conditionally baptized.(i.e.: Kevin, if you are not already baptized, I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.)
The Church teaches that anyone, even a non-believer, can validly baptize!
- Monks and nuns are lay people who have taken promises or vows and who generally
live in community. Each group has its own rules of entry:
- be of sound mind
- of good health
maybe
- having finished high school usually with long periods of trying things out
These periods of time are called
by various names:
- postulancy
- novitiate
- temporary professed, etc.
Religious (a
term they are called) are laity, but usually, because of their vowed consecration,
are referred to as religious between clergy and laity when
groups in the church are listed. One has a vocation to:
- to the religious life
- to the priesthood
- to both: one joins an order of priests
- to Matrimony, or
- to the
single lay state.
- For this one, see this newest letter [Vatican]|[EWTN] from the (CDF), Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Let me know if it is confusing.
Sometimes Vatican-speak can be that way.
Hope this helps,
Mary Ann
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