Posted on 08/18/2011 7:18:16 AM PDT by marshmallow
So why is the seal of confession inviolable? Why does the seal bind under such a grave obligation that the Church excommunicates any confessor who directly violates it? (See: The seal of confession: some basics)
There are two principal reasons why the priest must preserve the seal: the virtue of justice and the virtue of religion. The motive of justice is evident because the penitent, by the very fact of entering the confessional, or asking the priest to hear his confession (we’ll deal with “reconciliation rooms” another day) rightly expects that the priest will observe the seal. This is a contract entered into by the fact of the priest agreeing to hear a person’s confession. To mandate the violation of the seal is in effect to prohibit the celebration of the sacrament of Penance.
Much more grave than the obligation of justice towards the penitent is the obligation of religion due to the sacrament. The Catholic Encyclopaedia gives a brief explanation of the virtue of religion which essentially summarises the teaching of St Thomas Aquinas. (Summa Theologica 2a 2ae q.81) Religion is a moral virtue by which we give to God what is His due; it is, as St Thomas says, a part of justice. In the case of the sacrament of Penance, instituted by Christ, Fr Felix Cappello explains things well [my translation]:
By the very fact that Christ permitted, nay ordered, that all baptised sinners should use the sacrament and consequently make a secret confession, he granted an absolutely inviolable right, transcending the order of natural justice, to use this remedy. Therefore the knowledge which was their own before confession, after the communication made in confession, remains their own for every non-sacramental use, and that by a power altogether sacred, which no contrary human law can strike out, since every human law is of an inferior order: whence this right cannot be taken away or overridden by any means, or any pretext, or any motive.
The penitent confesses his sins to God through the priest. If the seal were to be broken under some circumstances, it would put people off the sacrament and thereby prevent them from receiving the grace that they need in order to repent and amend their lives. It would also, and far more importantly, obstruct the will of God for sinners to make use of the sacrament of Penance and thereby enjoy eternal life. The grace of the sacrament is absolutely necessary for anyone who commits a mortal sin. To mandate the violation of the seal is in effect to prohibit the practice of the Catholic faith. Some secular commentators have spoken of the seal of confession as being somehow a right or privilege of the priest. That is a preposterous misrepresentation: it is a sacred and inviolable duty that the priest must fulfil for the sake of the penitent and for the sake of God's will to redeem sinners.
A possibly misleading phrase in this context is where theologians say that the penitent is confessing his sins as if to God "ut Deo." (You can easily imagine secularists deriding the idea that the priest makes himself to be a god etc.) In truth, the penitent is confessing his sins before God. The priest acts as the minister of Christ in a sacred trust which he may not violate for any cause - precisely because he is not in fact God. By virtue of the penitent’s confession ut Deo, the priest absolves the penitent and, if mortal sin is involved, thereby readmits him to Holy Communion.
There will be more to follow on the sacrament of confession. As I mentioned in my previous post, this series is not intended as a guide for making a devout confession but rather as an introduction to some canonical and theological questions regarding the sacrament which have become important recently. (For a leaflet on how to make a good confession, see my parish website.)
I have been told that the threat in Ireland to introduce a law compelling priests to violate the seal of confession has been withdrawn, at least for the time being. Nevertheless, I will continue with these posts because I think that the Irish proposal will be picked up by other secularists and may pose a problem for us. Further posts will look at the proper place, time and vesture for hearing confessions, one or two more particular crimes in canon law, the question of jurisdiction and the much misused expression “Ecclesia supplet”, and, of course, what to do if the civil authority tries to compel a priest to break the seal.
Whatever. You two need to get a room. I’m sure she is gratified by whatever your problem is. Pride, possibly.
My mom was Jewish. My dad was a Mason. Somehow, I married a protestant music minister and found my way to the Catholic Church. I’m sure if I want to whine, I can find reasons.
Grow up, Mad Dawg. You’re loveable, and talented, and a great blessing here on the RF. Take your wife out to dinner, and remember who you are.
Giggle at what? Something I didn’t see?
Nobody PM’d me to tell me about anything.
All I know about the event is that there were offensive keywords that the RM addressed which means that they didn’t need to be harped on any more.
Likewise, thanks for the Catholic compassion and understanding. Sentiments like that reinforce my decision.
But I'm used to mockery from Catholics. It was pretty much standard fare in my growing up years and work experience.
In all my life I’ve met a handful of Catholics such as you. I can still use one hand to count them.
But it’s filling up now. I’ll have to go to two.
I mourn and grieve at every pocket of encysted puss in my heart. That's why I ask God to break my heart — so that he will mend it and fill it not with old resentments but with his suffering love.
Long ago a got a deep cut when I was ocean racing. When it scabbed up, it hurt too much for me to work the lines. If I slammed my hand on the deck until it bled, then I could be useful.
That has stayed with me as a parable of suffering in the life of the wounded Christian.
Let's log off and pray a Divine Mercy Chaplet:
Eternal Father, I offer you the Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of your beloved Son Jesus Christ
In atonement for my sins AND THOSE OF THE WHOLE WORLD.
For the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and ON THE WHOLE WORLD.
Holy God, Holy and Mighty One, Holy Immortal One
Have mercy on us and ON THE WHOLE WORLD.
Sancta Faustina,
Ora pro nobis.
I rest my case, MD.
Nor do I want to be where I'm not wanted, so don't worry JA. You're safe.
He probably used polysyllabic quality adjectives that some people don’t understand. Mad Dawg even sends me to Dictionary.com sometimes, and I have a famously overwrought vocabulary.
That’s why I ask God to break my heart
Exactly.
Noooooooooooooooooooo! :)
I don't get this...How do you guys figure you can offer Jesus to anyone for anything???
Jesus is offering Himself. The priest is simply acting as the servant of his master, as per the master’s instruction. “Do this...”
Most of us, as part of growing up, learn that we are not our Daddy’s girlfriend, or the center of the universe. Most of us, when we have children, learn that others’ needs are more important than our own. Most of us, in middle age, find out that we are not going to get the ingenue parts anymore.
That upsets some people, and they seek to re-create what they feel has been stolen from them, online in precious little dramas, instead of facing life and loving life just the way it is.
I'm used to mockery from Protestants. That sword cuts both ways.
Matthew 5:
43You have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thy enemy. 44But I say to you, Love your enemies: do good to them that hate you: and pray for them that persecute and calumniate you: 45That you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven, who maketh his sun to rise upon the good, and bad, and raineth upon the just and the unjust. 46For if you love them that love you, what reward shall you have? do not even the publicans this? 47And if you salute your brethren only, what do you more? do not also the heathens this? 48Be you therefore perfect, as also your heavenly Father is perfect.
Luke 6:
27But I say to you that hear: Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you. 28Bless them that curse you, and pray for them that calumniate you. 29And to him that striketh thee on the one cheek, offer also the other. And him that taketh away from thee thy cloak, forbid not to take thy coat also. 30Give to every one that asketh thee, and of him that taketh away thy goods, ask them not again. 31And as you would that men should do to you, do you also to them in like manner. 32And if you love them that love you, what thanks are to you? for sinners also love those that love them. 33And if you do good to them who do good to you, what thanks are to you? for sinners also do this. 34And if you lend to them of whom you hope to receive, what thanks are to you? for sinners also lend to sinners, for to receive as much. 35But love ye your enemies: do good, and lend, hoping for nothing thereby: and your reward shall be great, and you shall be the sons of the Highest; for he is kind to the unthankful, and to the evil. 36Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. 37Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you shall be forgiven. 38Give, and it shall be given to you: good measure and pressed down and shaken together and running over shall they give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you shall mete withal, it shall be measured to you again.
Something to think about, when people mock you or your beliefs.
Metmom, I posted these very same Words of Scripture to my fellow Catholics on this forum, when they complained (rightly) of mockery and misbehaviour on the part of certain Protestants. It isn't personal, and I'm not picking on you. I say that just so there's no confusion.
Hardly...Jesus was speaking of breaking the bread and drinking the wine when he said 'do this'...
There's absolutely nothing in there about you offering the Son to the Father
Jesus offered his own life for you...
Why would you think the Father would want the body, blood, soul and divinity of His Son...God gave it for us...We don't give it to the God...
I’m not upset. I got over that when I accepted Christ and shook the dust off my feet from the Catholic church. But I pity most Catholics, especially when I see the meanness and pettiness that is all too pervasive in Catholicism.
I am a forgiven, redeemed child of God, fully forgiven and justified in Christ, clothed in the righteousness of Christ, sealed with the promised Holy Spirit who was given me as a deposit guaranteeing what is to come.
I am now free in Christ, free from judgment, free from condemnation, free from rules and regs imposed on me that kept me in bondage for so many years. Free from the threats of hellfire and brimstone for making a mistake or failing because of simply being human. I am free to be who God wants to make me, not who some church or other Christians want to make me.
2 Timothy 1:12 ....nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
Thank you for your edifying posts.
Each of the people on here even those who we most disagree with are made in God’s image and wishing ill upon them or rejoicing in any ill done to them is shameful. I am glad you understand that.
It is no wonder that those who didn't learn those life lessons are so attracted by the opiate of Calvinism. The concept of Election satisfies their vanities in ways the world never can.
Have you read “In This House of Brede”? I think you would find it very profound.
I encourage metmom to read some mockery from protestants. She can find some of her own on numerous RF threads. Maybe then she’ll quit whining about when she was just a poor wee helpless child,
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