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Sacraments of Healing

Penance

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“God, the Father of mercies, through the

death and resurrection of his Son has

reconciled the world to himself and sent the

Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of

sins; through the ministry of the Church may

God give you pardon and peace, and I

absolve you from your sins in the name of

the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy

Spirit.”

Amen.

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• Definition of Sacrament:

• An efficacious sign of grace, instituted by

Christ and entrusted to the church, by

which divine life is dispensed to us through

the work of the Holy Spirit (CCC #1131,

774).

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“Christ is the Sacrament of God”

“Jesus is the Primordial Sacrament of the Father.

By being the "Primordial Sacrament", Jesus Christ is much more

than simply the originator of the Sacraments.

He is at once the SOURCE, the PRIMARY AGENT and the

GOAL of all sacramental activity.

As GOAL of all sacraments, Christ is the perfection toward which

our life on earth tends.”

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•As SOURCE, Christ is the one in whom all the

sacraments are rooted and from whom they derive

their efficacy.

•As PRIMARY AGENT, he is the one who, through

the actions and words of the minister celebrating

the various sacraments, baptizes, confirms,

forgives, and reconciles, heals, offers himself in

sacrifice, binds in faithful love and consecrates for

service.

•As GOAL of all sacraments, Christ is the

perfection toward which our life on earth tends.”

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“Church is the Sacrament of Christ”

“Since the Church, in Christ, is in the nature of

sacrament – a sign and instrument, that is of

communion with God, and of unity among all men

(people).” (L.G)

“Rising from the dead he sent his life-giving Spirit, upon

his disciples and through him (the Holy Spirit) set up

his Body which is the church, as the universal

sacrament of salvation” (L.G. 48)

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From Christ and the Church flow the Seven Sacraments

* Initiation: Baptism Confirmation and Eucharist.

* Healing: Penance and Anointing

* Vocation: Marriage and Holy Orders.

The Seven Sacraments are privileged moments of a

present encounter between Christ, the church

community, and individuals through the power of the

Holy Spirit in faith for the life of the world. The

sacraments give the grace they signify.

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Sacrament of Penance:

Subject Matter of Penance is Sin.

Mortal Sin… destroys charity in the heart of man by a

grave violation of God‟s law; it turns man away from God,

who is his ultimate end and his beatitude, by preferring an

inferior good to him. [CCC 1855]

Venial Sin … allows charity to subsist even though it

offends and wounds it. [CCC 1855]

Object of Penance is Grace.

1. Instrumental, efficient causality: (Thomas Aquinas)

2. Moral causality.

3. Occasional causality.

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Questions for consideration in simulated Rite of Penance

• Did the Confessor follow the rubrics in celebrating the

sacrament? For the confessor: if not, explain your

pastoral adaptation of the rubric.

2. What theological questions were raised in the celebration

of the sacrament? (e.g. Images of God, role of the

confessor, moral issues and the like.)

3. Did the confessor exhibit an appropriate pastoral style?

4. Was it truly an experience of prayer? Why or why not?

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In the evening of that same day, the first day of the

week, the doors were closed in the room where the

disciples were, for fear of the Jews. Jesus came and

stood among them. He said to them, „Peace be with

you‟, and showed them his hands and his side. The

disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord,

and he said to them again, „Peace be with you.‟ As

the Father sent me, so am I sending you.‟ After

saying this he breathed on them and said: „Receive

the Holy Spirit. For those sins you forgive, they are

forgiven; for those sins you retain, they are retained.‟(Jn. : 20: 19-23).

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“And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I

will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld

shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys to the

kingdom of heaven. Whatever you bind on earth shall be

bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall

be loosed in heaven.” (Jn. 20:19-23)

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Names for the Sacrament of Penance:

Penance - Paying Back

Confession - Owning Up

Reconciliation - Bank Balance

Healing - Healing Relationships with

God, self, others, and creation.

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History of the Sacrament of Penance

The Church has carried out Christ's ministry of forgiveness

and reconciliation since the time of Christ but its

celebration has changed.

Three main periods in the history of the Sacrament:

1. The Early Church

2. Introduction of Canonical Penance

3. Rise of Private Penance

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EARLY CHURCH:

Baptism was the only sacrament of forgiveness.

Christians confessed to one another and overcame sin by fasting,

praying, and charitable works.

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INTRODUCTION OF "CANONICAL PENANCE”

By 300 early Church faced severe persecutions.

Some people abandon their faith.

After the persecutions some wanted to return to

the community.

People could not baptize again.

System of canonical penance developed for

serious sins

* Adultery (against the family)

* Murder (against the community)

* Apostasy (against the faith)

Serious sinners entered order of Order of

Penitents.

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• Public Penance:

• Extended period of time from a few weeks to several years

• Excluded from celebrating the Eucharist with community

• Required to perform works of penance

• Period of Canonical penance often ended at end of Lent

• Sins were forgiven by a Bishop

• People were reunited with the community.

• Because of the severity of the penitential process, the sacrament would be put off until deathbed.

• By the 6th century the sacrament was seen as preparation for death rather than as an aid to living a Christian life.

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RISE OF "PRIVATE” PENANCE

New development in Ireland in the 6th century by Irish Monks:

Monks had practice of confessing their sins to a spiritual

director from whom they would receive direction and

assurance of God's mercy and forgiveness, and often

received common penances.

Lay people began to seek spiritual advice form the monks:

What developed was a system of forgiveness of sin that was

private and repeatable.

"Penitentials" books were developed that would help the

confessors assign appropriate penances for specific sins.

In 1215 the Fourth Lateran Council decreed that every

Christian who reached the age of reason must make a private

confession of grave sins once a year.

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“Penitential celebrations are gatherings of the people of God to

hear the proclamation of God's word.” #36

“Care should be taken that the faithful do not confuse these

celebrations with the celebration of the sacrament of penance.

Penitential celebrations are very helpful in promoting conversion

of life and purification of heart. It is desirable to arrange such

services especially for these purposes:

- to foster the spirit of penance within the Christian community;

- to help the faithful to prepare for confession which can be

made individually later at a convenient time;

- to help children gradually to form their conscience about sin in

human life and about freedom from sin through Christ;

- to help catechumens during their conversion. “ #37

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Requirements for the validity of the Sacrament of

Penance:

Confession of sin.

Contrition for sin.

Absolution of sin.

Satisfaction for sin.

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Rite of Penance 1973

1. Rite for Reconciliation of Individual Penitents

Reception of Penitent.

Greeting

Sign of the Cross

Invitation to trust in God

Reading of the Word of God.

Confession of Sins & Acceptance of Satisfaction.

Prayer of the Penitent (Act of contrition).

Absolution

Proclamation of praise of God and Dismissal

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2. Rite for Reconciliation of Several Penitents with

Individual Confession and Absolution:

Introductory Rites

Song

Greeting

Introduction

Opening prayer

Celebration of the Word of God

1st Reading

Responsorial Psalm

2nd Reading

Gospel Acclamations

Gospel

Homily

Examination of conscience

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Rite of Reconciliation:

General Confession of Sins

Litany or Psalm

Lord‟s Prayer

Individual Confession and Absolution

Proclamation of Praise for God‟s Mercy

Concluding Prayer of thanksgiving.

Concluding Rite:

Blessings

Dismissal

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Rite for Reconciliation of Several Penitents & General Absolution:

Introductory Rites:

Song

Greeting

Introduction

Opening prayer

Celebration of the Word of God:

1st Reading

Responsorial Psalm

2nd Reading

Gospel Acclamations

Gospel

Homily

General Confession:

Sign of Penance

General Confession of Sins

Litany or SongLord‟s Prayer

General Absolution

Proclamation of Praise and Conclusion

Song or hymn

Blessing

Dismissal

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Scriptural Examples of Forgiveness & Reconciliation:

Lost Sheep [Luke 15:4-7]

Prodigal Son [Luke 15:11-32]

Samaritan Woman [John 4: 5- 26]

Zacchaeus [Luke 19: 1-10]

Woman caught in Adultery [John 8: 3-11]

Good Thief [Luke 23: 39-43]

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Practice the living out of the sacrament in one‟s life:

Being a reconciling and forgiving person with spouse and

family & community.

“…when any one of us chooses to act as Jesus was known

to act, we too become living sacraments in our world.

When I forgive my brother or sister from my heart, I

become a sacrament of forgiveness; I unveil the face

of God who forgives, just as Jesus himself did.”

(Beguerie and Duchesneau, How to Understand the Sacraments)

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Simulation of the Sacrament of Penance.

• Did the Confessor follow the rubrics in celebrating the sacrament? For the confessor: if not, explain your pastoral adaptation of the rubric.

• 2. What theological questions were raised in the celebration of the sacrament? (e.g. Images of God, role of the confessor, moral issues and the like.)

• 3. Did the confessor exhibit an appropriate pastoral style?

• 4. Was it truly an experience of prayer? Why or why not?

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Our Father, who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy Name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

and the glory are yours,

now and forever.

Amen.