Some of our separated friends believe that they are the master.
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.
Just in case you are expecting a response, don’t. I didn’t even read your post. I had enough laughs for the day and tomorrow, also.
God’s Word is the FINAL AUTHORITY. If you don’t believe that - it’s not wise to use it to suite your own agenda. Post your catechism - that’s where the RCC’s beliefs come from.
Some of our separated friends believe that they are the master.
Then why did you ask what he did?
Sweet assurance....and we love Him all the more for that. It's a wonderful thing to be "grounded" in Him and empowered by His Spirit thru His word. Thank you for all the scripture references you're using.....meaningful.
What part of deliberate disobedience goes consistently goes over your head and instead assigned YOUR words to me? Is that part of your humility, wuss or sinner that you claimed for yourself?
I hear it's used as sort of a shield when some might feel vulnerable. Like throwing marbles on the pavement when someones getting to close for comfort.
Define *real*.
I would submit that heaven is far more *real* than anything we encounter here. It takes quite a bit of hubris to use this fallen corrupt world as the standard by which we measure reality.
It is a new reality; one that we can vaguely describe but cannot comprehend. We shall see God face to face, but Moses could only glimpse His backside. Nothing impure can enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Are you pure?
No. Resurrection and Judgement to salvation changes our state of being and puts us into a new reality - that of Heaven versus Earth.
Moses was shown what he was shown. But the reality was that he could not look on the face of God and live. Those saved shall.
Wednesday night, Thursday day,
Thursday night, Friday day,
Friday night, Saturday day,
Three nights and three days, just as Jesus said.
Jesus rises sometime Saturday night, the time is not specified, and the women come to the tomb on Sunday morning, the first day of the Jewish week, with the spices they prepared on what we consider Friday, the day between the Passover Sabbath (Thursday), and the regular weekly Sabbath (Saturday).
Matthew 12:40 For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Have you seen the posts on here, mostly from Iscool? He actually claims that the Gospels are irrelevant. Only the letters of Paul are relevant. Anyone else you know claims that? Anyone else you know says that all those born after Paul was converted must automatically follow his teachings to the exclusion of all others?
And the accusations of Paul worship fly. You either desire to study the Word of God rightly divided or you don’t. It’s not my decision to make. But I can and do tell you before God that Paul is no object of worship.
When you disregard the teachings of Jesus - our Lord, God and Saviour - and pay attention only to the teachings of the man Paul, you are basically worshiping Paul but calling it Christianity.
No go. Declared heretical 1700 years ago.
My understanding is that when Jesus spoke in parables, it was clearly stated.
When he used names, He was relating actual events.
Anyone rejecting His Word as The Final Authority and rebuking others who adhere to HIS WORD ALONE and holding up their man made teachings continuously deserved to be mocked and laughed at.http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2765466/posts?page=748#748
When someone chooses to be deceived - yeah, I'll laugh at their choice. Like I laugh at the liberals who choose to be deceived, also. I LAUGH at satan/evil because God's Word has warned us about it ALL along with his tactics - he's been exposed. And those who refuse to LISTEN/HEAR and OBEY the Almighty God - deserve to be mocked!http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2765466/posts?page=587#587
I reserve my sympathy, my concern, instruction for those who have not heard the good news - NOT those who it is given to on a platter and they mock it daily with their 'man made beliefs'. Deliberate disobedience deserves to be mocked, laughed at. I don't embrace it, condone it nor feel sorry for it!!
no matter what intimidation tactic you use.http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/religion/2765466/posts?page=652#652
That’s where we fundamentally disagree. You see the Last Supper only as a play. We see it as inseparable from his Passion, death and Resurrection.
God’s Word IS the final authority, and that is Jesus Himself, the ultimate revelation. The Bible is just a record of that Revelation.
Exactly, but I have never seen PNSN proclaim that Christ is God
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