SACRAMENT OF

Augustine Tran Nhu HuynhJohn the Baptist Nguyen Dinh Son

I. Introduction

many sacraments of forgiveness and reconciliation in the history

• Other: prayer, reading of scripture, fasting, almsgiving and charity work

• modern church: administered privately by a priest and received by Catholic perhaps one a year.

• patristic period: public presided by bishop and for the notorious sinners and one in lifetime.

• medieval ages: the assurance can be given by a lay afterward by the clergy alone.

Work of repentance

• Presence time was the brief prayer

• ancient time were usually lengthy acts of mortification.

two elements that always found that were the confession and forgiveness.

• Latin “Paenitentia”: repentance or penitence, an interior turning away from sinful attitude and actions.

• Greek “Metanoia”: conversion or change of heart

• English: penances the short of penitence,

II. The concept of sin and forgiveness throughout the ages

• Ancient: Civilization laws were often understood as given by gods

• The role of punishment was also religious.

• Help to preserve the divinely established order and order of society

• Mild punishments: exclusions from religious worship, ritual of purification and sacrifice

• Severe forms: included publish prayer and fasting, self-disfigurement , other sign of remorse, social ostracism, physical torture and death.

Ancient Israel:• was a religious society, ancient

laws were religious laws

• Break the laws were sins, violate the covenant, defile the relationship with a divine person

• Punishment: sacrifices and sin offering, prayer and lamentations, fasting and fines,…to restore the covenant relationship

The time of Jesus:• many penitential practices

prescribed by Torah

• Addition: day of Atonement, the high priest confess his sins and the sins of the people before sacrifice.

• sacrifice only in the temple of Jerusalem: outside seek reconciliation by: fasting, sleeping on the ground, wearing sackcloth and ashes, and almsgiving…

III. Early Christianity

• Do not much difference from Jewish:

– Paul: expel members who married his stepmother

– dispel who worship idols, drunker, charge interest on loans and immoral practices. (1 Cr 5:1-13).

– 2Cr 2: 5-11, 2 Th 2: 6-15, receive them again in community if they were punished enough

The different with Jewish• The Rabbi did it in the authority

of the Law but early Christian did it in the authority of Christ.

• Practice: “the Keys of heaven” to bind and to loose people on earth (Mt 16: 19; 18: 15-18)

• no any writing about the ritual but be done in gather of community (1Cr 5: 4-5).

Theology sense

• Jesus was the sacrament of divine forgiveness to those who met him means the Baptism:

• Salvation came through baptism and fellowship in the community

– Community was a sacrament of reconciliation

– Community contain the means of overcome sin and people must acknowledge their sin (1Jn 1:8-10) and confess to other( James 5: 16).

– All sins can be given by the mercy of God except “ sin against Holy Spirit” or “ deadly sin”

2nd Century• Shepherd of Hermas:

God in his mercy had provided for sinners who turned from their evil ways should be received back but no repeated

• Clement of Alexandria : Fallen Christian could be forgiven after their baptism but only once

• Teaching of the Twelve: “Confess your sin in the assembly and do not come to your prayer with a guilty conscience” (4,14).

• Ignatius of Antioch: speak of fraternal correction and pray for other

• St Polycarp of Smyrna: pastor must have compassionate and merciful to the sheep in Christ’s flock who went astray.

Third centthe pattern

• went to bishop and confessed their error, have to reform their lives. – Excluded from Eucharistic

worship

– Wait until bishop and community were convinced

– Perform work of penance: fasting, praying, almsgiving, some be exorcised

• penitence can be few weeks or years

• The bishop imposed the hands on them as receive back the Holy Spirit

Emperor Decius 249-250: Lapsing

• Openly offer sacrifice to Roman gods• Pay for certificates that they had done • Other renounce their faith and after have second

thoughts about it• Have the letter of the martyr that promise to

intercede for them

251 north Africanbishop decided in favor of both forgiveness and

severity

• Certificates of sacrifice: be readmitted with long period of penance

• offer sacrifice: be admitted to penance discipline but reconciled at the end of their lives.

• Those have letter of martyr was still do public penance but less

• Those did not do penance and reconciliation with the church only in dying were left for the mercy of God.

• Roma: strict on apostasy and other sins adulterers and fornicator, murder, thieves

• the Spanish council of Elvira: who offered sacrifice to gods could not receive communion though after reconcile and only once and the same penalty on other 17 sins.

Theology• the leader of the Church have the

power to bind and loosen – who reconciled with the Church also forgiven by God.

• Cyprian: ecclesiastical forgiveness was needed for divine forgiveness, for sin be forgiven through process of repentance but not in the rite.

4th Cent persecution was over: • council of Nicaea approved the single

repentance after baptism for apostates and adulterer after public repentance.

• bishop have the right to act as judges

– break relationship become break divine law and ecclesiastical law

– conversion of the heart to a penalty for violating the law.

Theology:

• Athanasius “ a repentence heart obtains their remission form the priest”.

• Ambrose: baptism and public repentance only one and the minister forgive sins not by his own power but the Lord.

• Augustine: serious sins required the discipline of public penitence that was imposed by bishop, the private repentance was not enough.

Leo: grant those who were dying should be reconciled even if they had not completed their penance.

4th and 5th cent: process

• Went to bishop and ask what to do. Some to the monk to have advice first, big cities that function of bishop for the priest.

• Enroll “Order of penitents” brief liturgical ceremony which set him apart from Eucharist and community.

• Receive back that require him to renounce his sinfulness and ask God’s mercy , be exorcised in final time. The Rite of impose the hands by bishop or anointing the oil.

The penitence• They were mark out as sinners

• Wear sackcloth made of goat hair

• Chain to signify the bondage of sin

• Rags to dramatize the poverty of virtue

• Cut short hair as the slave of Satan

• Sprinkle with ashes as were death like Adam

Attitude of being Christian and to the reconciliation

• official religion: those enter did not feel very great to holiness

• Ideal of moral replace by more practice: not understand the public repentance.

• Many committed the serious secret sins did not come forward

• Most Christian felt no need for the public penance: only fasting, almsgiving, prayer, Eucharistic sacrifice.

• public penitence enroll at the old ages or halfhearted and hope for the forgiveness at the death bed

Reasons for avoiding public penitence:

• It was obviously harshness

• Social stigma had come to be attached to it

• Can be receive only once

• Even after reconciled were bound to observe for reminder: could not marry, no sexual relation, no engage in business, military, public or church office

Unexpected effects of canonical penance

• The Bishop and priest were forbidden to become penitence

• Clerics committed the serious sins were underwent other discipline called degradation

• Result that few priest and no bishop received public penance

• Lead to the celibacy of celery in the west for the forbidden sexual relations

• The monk live the live of repentance so no marry become the law of the Roman church

• Appear the spiritual guidance

IV. Confession and penance in the Middle ages

• A young Christian Patrick: was a slaver in Ireland to Monk and Bishop in charge the mission to Ireland: the liturgy which distinguee other though was celebrated in Latin.

Mission of Ireland

• monk gave private and repeat confession and continuous works of penitence.

• travel so on One trip to hear confession and assign penance and the next trip pray with penitent, asking God’s mercy

• The sign of forgiveness was a blessing than imposing the hand

• Carry the book contain the sins and penance for each one.

Canonical penitence in this time at Italy

• period of repentance was reduced to the forty days of Lent

• Penitent being sign with ashes on Ash Wed and reconciled on Holy Thursday, penance became lighter.

6th Cent

• the monk spread their way of liturgy to many Spain, Germany, Switzerland and other..

• became success for the promise of salvation in baptism no longer assure and avoid of older form of repentance.

• 650 council of Chalon, France approved confession to priest as “a medicine for the soul”

Practice grew and the book of penitent were used in various parts of Europe but the assign was different depend the places:

• Thief: restore the stolen plus compensation

• Adultery: payment for damage plus abstinence from intercourse

• Fighting and bloodshed: scourging and prohibition to carry weapon

• Murder: compulsory pilgrimage that is exile

• Other include: fasting, abstaining from tasty food, prayer, psalm, almsgiving, excluded taking communion

• The time became short but the penance more intense: like a year of mild fasting by 3 days complete fasting

• A fine substituted for almost penalty and in pre-Christian Ireland one man can do penance for other

• The practice spread fast and become tradition, the bishop want to reform must accept public penitence for public sin and private penitence for private sin.

8th cent• many bishop and councils recommend the

confession the grave sins before communion

• made obligatory for confession 3 times a year.

• Fourth Lateran Council degreed who commit grave sin must confess to their pastor within a year

• 1215 confess to priest become an official sacrament in western. Solemn public penitence only for excommunication.

The rite of reconciliation• Begin middle ages: reconciliation granted

after the completion of the penance

• 9th cent: some priest accepted for reconciliation after a time of penance

• 10th cent: in all cases give the reconciliation after confession for the fear of death ahead.

• Penance was still be assign but have to be perform after the rite of reconciliation

• The penitent book was no more and the penance come lighter and shorter.

Theology of forgiveness

1. In confession sin was removed by contrition and forgiven by God: perfect contrition by love of God remove sins and priest’s absolution only to satisfaction, so more effect must make confession to some other before to the priest and if no priest can be with a lay person.

2. God is only one forgive the sin but the power of the key to the Church means to the priest. And by priest’s absolution the sin was forgiven

Result of the debate:

• Distinction between the “mortal” make “death of the soul” and “venial” mean pardonable sin

• Distinction between “imperfect” and “perfect” contrition.

• Distinction between “ temporal” and “eternal” punishment

Thomas Aquinas

• The matter: actions of the penitent confessed, sorry for the sin; priest listen and absolve

• The Form: the word “I absolve you from your sins..”

• Sin could be remitted by perfect contrition even without the priest’s absolution and sacrament of penance help for Christian especially for those in mortal sin.

John Duns Scotus:

• “Penance is absolution, that is a definitive judgment absolving the guilty”

• Confession, contrition were the conditions to receive absolution and like that with the penance.

• sacrament make the imperfect contrition to perfect

• The purpose of the assign of penance was to make short the suffer in purgatory

Later middle ages

• The confession, contrition and assign penance were not essential but absolution and it made valid the sacrament.

• Assign penance to make short the time in purgatory but is was mild so it turned increasing the practice of indulgences

Indulgences

• the power of the keys which bishop imposed or released people from sanctions and other penance.

• It come to abuses when bishop make amount of contribution to build churches and monasteries to have the grace from indulgences.

Development of Indulgences:

• beginning indulgences applied only to the punishment due to sin for individual

• 13th cent: some required more than for themselves and applied for the soul in purgatory

• Pope only can give plenary indulgences: 14th

and 15th cent more frequently used to collect and build basilica

IV. the modern sacrament of penance

• Pope Leo X excommunication Luther in 1520

• Luther denied the existence of treasury which the church could pay penalties for sins.

• Reject it was the sacrament institute by Christ

But urging his follower confess sins and resist temptations.

Believe that Christ’s redemption forgive all so confession make realize that grace.

• Confession not make sin forgiven but only bring the realization that sins were forgiven and joyfulness

• Effect of the confession is the faith of the confess not at the word of absolution.

Calvin

• rejected the sacrament

• The way to experience god mercy and forgiveness

• England: still practice confession but it was not institute by Christ.

•

Council of Trent

• Situated penance as Aquinas: penance for who sins after baptism.

• Effect on the absolution but needed of contrition, confession and penance because the remnants.

• Perfect contrition then sin was given but they also lead to desire of confession.

Sacrament of Penance Today

• The scholar discovered the basic moral category of the Bible was not the law but Covenant. It was the relationship not the law.

• New way of thinking of morality

The Definition of Sin (CCC 1849-51)

• An offense against reason, truth, and right conscience

• A failure in genuine love for God and neighbor

• An act of disobedience: revolt against God; proud self-exaltation

Mortal vs. Venial Sin (CCC 1854-56)

• Mortal Sin: a grave violation of divine law that destroys charity in the soul

• Venial Sin: a lesser violation that offends and wounds charity

Conditions of Mortal Sin (CCC 1857-1860)

• Unintentional Ignorance: an diminish or even remove imputability of sin

Effects of Sin (CCC 1861-63)

• Mortal Sin: exclusion from the kingdom; “eternal death of hell”

• Venial Sin: weakens charity; merits temporal punishment, inclines to mortal sin

Penance: Sacrament of Healing

• Christological Nature of the Sacraments of Healing:

– Christ: “The physician of our souls and bodies” (CCC 1421)

– It is Christ who speaks in Confession (CCC 1484)

• 3. The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15; CCC 1439)

When did Jesus institute this sacrament?

• on the evening of Easter: “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” (John 20:22-23).

Conversion and Penance

• Confession as the “Second Conversion” (CCC 1428)

• Interior Penance: the Conversion of the Heart (CCC 1430-32)

• Exterior Penance: many different forms – Penitential Practices (CCC 1434-35)

– Daily Eucharist (CCC 1436)

– Lectio Divina and Prayer (CCC 1437)

– Days and Seasons of Penance (CCC 1438)

The Sacrament of Penance

• Sin damages both God and the Church (CCC 1440)

• “Why do I need to go to a Priest to be forgiven?”

– a. God alone forgives Sin (CCC 1441)

– b. Christ gives authority to the Apostles to Forgive Sins (John 20; CCC 1442)

– c. Power to “Bind and Loose”: reconciliation with the Church (CCC 1445)

• Note: the confessor does penance with the penitent (St. John Vianney)

Essential Elements (CCC 1448)

• he acts of the man who undergoes conversion: contrition, confession, and satisfaction;

• The Church forgives sins in the name of Jesus Christ and determines the manner of satisfaction

Contrition

• Contrition: sorrow of soul, detestation of sin, resolution not to sin again (CCC 1451)

• a. Perfect Contrition

• b. Imperfect Contrition (or “Attrition”)

• c. An Examination of Conscience: preparation for Confession (CCC 1454)

Confession (CCC 1455-58)

• Importance of Confession

• b. Confession of Mortal Sins: required

• c. Annual Confession: obligation confess serious sins at least once a year. a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion; and First Confession

• d. Confession of Venial Sins: strongly recommended

Satisfaction (CCC 1459-60)

• Justice of Reparation

• Absolution forgive sin but does not remedy all the disorders sin has caused (CCC 1459)

• Purpose of the Penance: expiation and making amends for sin

The Ministers of Penance

• Bishops and Priests (CCC 1461-62)

• Availability of Priests for Confession (CCC 1464)

– encourage the faithful

– available each time Christians reasonably ask.

• Role of the Priest in Confession (CCC 1466) not the master of God's forgiveness, but its servant

• The Sacramental Seal of Secrecy (CCC 1467): very severe penalties

Sins reserved absolution

• The absolution of certain particularly grave sins reserved to the Apostolic See or to the local bishop or to priests who are authorized by them.

• Any priest can absolve a person who is in danger of death from any sin and excommunication.

1. apostasy, heresy, schism 2. violation of consecrated species 3. physical attack on the pope or bishop 4. absolution of an accomplice 5. unauthorized ordination of a bishop 6. direct violation by a confessor of the seal of confession 7. procuring an abortion 8. by means of technical instrument divulging to

communications media what was said in a confession 9. pretended celebration of the Eucharist by a non-priest 10. attempt to hear confession by one who cannot validly do

so 11. false accusation of the crime of solicitation in the

confessional 12. attempted marriage by a religious or cleric

Effect of the sacrament

• Restoring us to God’s grace

• Joining us with God in an intimate friend.

1. The restoration or increase of sanctifying grace;

2. The forgiveness of sins;

3. The remission of the eternal punishment, if necessary, and also of part, at least, of the temporal punishment, due to our sins;

4. The help to avoid sin in the future;

5. The restoration of the merits of our good works if they have been lost by mortal sin.

Matter and form

• The matter of the sacrament of Penance is divided into remote and proximate. The remote matter consists of the sins committed by the penitent after Baptism; and the proximate matter are the acts of the penitent himself, that is, contrition, confession and satisfaction.

• Form the word of absolution of the priest (newadvent.org)

The revision

– 3 forms of confession: one private, one public, and one combine form. 1973

• New forms of rite stress the idea of reconciliation than absolution.

• Priest face the penitent

• Preface prayer by asking God’s mercy and pardon

• Penance make meaningful