Some Distinctions About the Sacrament of Confession on This Summer Sunday
Since I haven't had access to the Sacrament of Confession since this C-Virus mess began, I've availed myself of the teachings of Father Alfred Wilson in his book Pardon and Peace. His clear explanation of how we can seek and obtain foregiveness for our sins outside of Confession has helped me to more clearly understand why I shouldn't be anxious about not having been to Confession for months. An added bonus has been Father's detailed review of the nature of mortal and venial sin and the way the Sacrament works to both forgive and prevent sin. So even though I'm relieved to be able to seek forgiveness despite the absence of Confession, I'll be better prepared to make a good Confession once the Sacrament becomes available again.
With that in mind, let's spend some time on some key distinctions from Father Wilson's Pardon and Peace about the Sacrament of Confession on this summer Sunday:
"Jesus has obliged us to confess mortal sins according to their kind and number. There is never an obligation to confess venial sins, unless we have no other matter; in which case, we must confess at least one venial sin for which we are truly sorry. A law to confess all sins, mortal and venial, would be extremely onerous and worrying..."
On the other hand...
..."Confession of only the theological species of sin, 'I have sinned mortally or venially,' would, by its vagueness, destroy to a great extent the efficacy of the Sacrament. A vague confession would not induce adequate relief of mind, and would deprive the Sacrament of much of its satisfying and therapeutic value..."
Notice how the Sacrament incorporates a degree of balance and even-handedness.
"For the first four centuries of the Christian era (according to some, until the seventh century), it was the universal practice to employ Confession only for mortal sins. Many of the faithful never received the Sacrament of Penance at all...For the deleting of venial sin, the early writers recommend 'prayer, almsgiving, a forgiving spirit, daily acts of mortification, the word of God, the Holy Eucharist - but never Confession. In all the early Christian literature there is not a single sentence which clearly states the Christians in those days went to Confession solely for the purpose of obtaining forgiveness of venial sins. From about the fifth century onwards, and largely as an outgrowth of monasticism, the confession of venial sins became common. In the thirteenth century, devotional Confession was recommended two or three times a year. In the fourteenth century, St. Catherine of Siena recommended it once a month, more often if possible, never less often. After the Council of Trent, frequent Confession was encouraged by all spiritual writers, and it became the practice of many of the saints to go to Confession daily. In modern times, and especially since the reintroduction of frequent Communion, there has been a tendency to exaggerate the necessity of frequent Confession."
Happy Sunday!
With that in mind, let's spend some time on some key distinctions from Father Wilson's Pardon and Peace about the Sacrament of Confession on this summer Sunday:
"Jesus has obliged us to confess mortal sins according to their kind and number. There is never an obligation to confess venial sins, unless we have no other matter; in which case, we must confess at least one venial sin for which we are truly sorry. A law to confess all sins, mortal and venial, would be extremely onerous and worrying..."
On the other hand...
..."Confession of only the theological species of sin, 'I have sinned mortally or venially,' would, by its vagueness, destroy to a great extent the efficacy of the Sacrament. A vague confession would not induce adequate relief of mind, and would deprive the Sacrament of much of its satisfying and therapeutic value..."
Notice how the Sacrament incorporates a degree of balance and even-handedness.
"For the first four centuries of the Christian era (according to some, until the seventh century), it was the universal practice to employ Confession only for mortal sins. Many of the faithful never received the Sacrament of Penance at all...For the deleting of venial sin, the early writers recommend 'prayer, almsgiving, a forgiving spirit, daily acts of mortification, the word of God, the Holy Eucharist - but never Confession. In all the early Christian literature there is not a single sentence which clearly states the Christians in those days went to Confession solely for the purpose of obtaining forgiveness of venial sins. From about the fifth century onwards, and largely as an outgrowth of monasticism, the confession of venial sins became common. In the thirteenth century, devotional Confession was recommended two or three times a year. In the fourteenth century, St. Catherine of Siena recommended it once a month, more often if possible, never less often. After the Council of Trent, frequent Confession was encouraged by all spiritual writers, and it became the practice of many of the saints to go to Confession daily. In modern times, and especially since the reintroduction of frequent Communion, there has been a tendency to exaggerate the necessity of frequent Confession."
Are you familiar with this history? I wasn't. I've read this a few times to let it sink in. It reinforces Father's points about the sacrament by looking at how Confession was used initially, in the centuries after Our Lord's Ascension.
All of this has helped me greatly as I remain wandering in the Confession-less desert created by our esteemed ecclesiastical leaders (i.e., bishops). Buy, hey, at least in my own case, if I wanted to go to Confession in the parking lot next to our Church, that's apparently an option (and apparently the only one). It's my choice not to do that, just as it's my choice not to receive Communion in the hand. Someday - one hopes and prays - sanity and sanctity will return to our parish church.
At least I've not been subjected to some of the outrages that certain dioceses have committed. One in particular requires an online "sign-up" for confession times. OK, you say, they're just being careful given their view of the threat of COVID being transmitted through the Confessional (or something like that, I suppose). But wait: They apparently check their parish records to see what you've been contributing to the parish coffers. And they give "preference" to those at the top of the list. Hard to believe - but true.
OK, so that's a pretty egregious offense against charity. It's also, I suspect, not legal under Canon Law. (I read something to that effect from a reliable source.) If you're subject to this sort of nonsense and abuse, I hope you don't let it undermine your relationship with Christ and His Holy Church. Just remember the Church is not the Bishops and the clergy who perpetrate this sort of stuff. It can be hard, just as it may have been hard to separate the Church from the sexual abuse scandals. But you must do this if you're going to stay within the fold.
There's a bit more to share from Father Wilson. We'll get to it next Sunday. For now, focus on your own soul and situation. Where forgiveness is needed, seek it whether or not Confession is available to you now. If and when it is, just go to Confession. But even so, the practice of seeking forgiveness immediately, without having to wait for Confession, is something not taught effectively (if at all) and something I'm going to pursue. Consider doing so as well.
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