Guidelines for the Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation
Policy
Individual and complete confession, is the ordinary means of
reconciliation with God and with the Church.1
Implementation
1.
Every
parish/mission in the Diocese of Reno will make individual sacramental
confession available at determined and published times every week of the year.
Confessions are not to be heard immediately prior to or during Sunday
liturgies. Every priest will encourage an appreciation of the regular
use of individual sacramental confession. The
priest should use the sacrament for himself for his own spiritual growth and as
an example to his people.
2.
Collective
or general absolution, without previous individual confession, should be clearly
understood and seen as an extraordinary and rarely used means of reconciliation,
which may be resorted to only in the cases laid down in church legislation2,
which are as follows:
a.
Danger of
death is imminent and there is not time for the priest or priests to hear the
confession of the individual penitents.
b.
A serious
or grave necessity exists, that is when in light of the numbers of penitents a
supply of confessors is not readily available to hear the confessions of
individuals within a suitable time so that the penitents are forced to be
deprived of sacramental grace or Holy Communion for a long time through no fault
of their own; it is not considered a sufficient necessity if confessors cannot
be readily available only because of the great numbers of penitents, as can
occur on the occasion of some great feasts or pilgrimages.
When confessors can be made available, the procedure is not lawful solely
on the basis of a large number of penitents (Sacramentum Penitentiae II).
To receive general absolution, the penitent must be properly disposed and
have the intention of individually confessing all grave sins within one year.
This condition is necessary for validity.
General absolution can never be given at a Eucharistic celebration, nor
can it be announced beforehand. It
is not a pastoral tool and cannot be planned.
Situations, such as those that occur and are foreseen at communal penance
services, should not be contrived by not inviting a sufficient number of
confessors. This practice is unlawful.
The diocesan bishop is the only one who can judge as to whether the
canonical prescriptions for general absolution are fulfilled and he is to be
immediately informed, in writing, every time general absolution is given
anywhere in the diocese clearly stating the need that caused it to be used (Rite
of Penance; Introduction 31 and 31)
3.
The
proper place for the celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation is in a
church or oratory and in a confessional set aside for this purpose.
In every church or oratory of the diocese there should be a confessional
with a fixed grille between penitent and confessor for those faithful desiring
to make use of such an option. The
confessional will also allow for “face-to-face” confession for those who so
choose. The two values of confidentiality and dialogue must be
upheld. Such a place is reserved
for confession and must not be used for other purposes. Only for a just cause may confessions be heard outside the
confessional room. Where
confessional rooms have been or are to be constructed, glass panels should be
placed in the doors, so that the interior of the room is visible from the body
of the church.
The Sacrament of Penance/Reconciliation for Children
1.
Church
law states that sacramental confession is to precede reception of communion3.
However, one is to confess serious sin prior to receiving communion only
if one is conscious of such sin4.
Parents may decide that their child is not ready for the sacrament of
penance before first Eucharist. Before
reaching such a conclusion, parents are first to be informed of the church’s
norm and the reasons for it, and they are also to have participated in the
parent preparation preceding discernment for the sacrament of penance.
Parents are then to consult with the priest and catechist or, where
appropriate, the parish director of religious education.
With the above steps taken, the ultimate decision belongs to the parents.
Their decision is to be respected and an exception to the norm is to be
allowed so that the child can be admitted to first Eucharist without a prior
sacramental confession. To do
otherwise and require absolutely that all children celebrate first penance
before first Eucharist without any possible exception would be beyond the
church’s law and counter to sound theology5.
No child should be denied reception of first Eucharist because the child
has not first approached the sacrament of penance6.
2. Because the Sacrament of Reconciliation involves the internal forum, according to Canon Law no information about the reception of the Sacrament should be recorded or registered. Giving a certificate with the date of first reception and the signature of the pastor is a violation of Church law.
1Code of Canon Law. Canon Law Society of America, Washington, D.C. 20064. 1983. Canon #960.
2Canon #961:1 and 2
3Code of Canon Law. Canon Law Society of America, Washington, D.C. 20064. Canon #914.
4Canon #988
5Canon #989
6Canon
#91-100