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Thomas
wrote:
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Hi, guys —
- Does Canon Law 844 § 3 allow
me, a United Methodist, to go to Confession
or is it held in the same regard as receiving Holy
Communion?
Thanks and God Bless!
Thomas
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Does
Catholic Canon Law 844 allow a Protestant to
go to Confession? }
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John
replied:
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Thomas,
Thanks for your question.
This canon refers to the Eucharist.
| §3. Catholic ministers administer
the sacraments of penance, Eucharist,
and anointing of the sick licitly
to members of Eastern Churches
which do not have full communion
with the Catholic Church if they
seek such on their own accord
and are properly disposed. This
is also valid for members of other
Churches which in the judgment
of the Apostolic See are in the
same condition in regard to the
sacraments as these Eastern Churches. |
You can't go to Confession and receive
absolution unless you repent of everything
you are guilty of.
If you've come to believe that Confession
is necessary and that you can't receive
valid absolution in the Methodist
Church while it is available in the
Catholic Church, you are, in essence,
admitting that remaining a Methodist
is no longer a valid option without
remaining in heresy and sin.
Hence, in order to receive absolution,
you would have to repent of being
a Methodist and resolve to enter
the Church.
You can't just go to Confession and
go about your way as a Methodist.
Normally, you would have to enter
RCIA and somewhere in the process,
before you received the Sacrament
of Confirmation, you would also go
to Confession. This usually occurs
a few days before you were confirmed.
John
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Mary
Ann replied:
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Thomas,
The Canon in § 3 is referring
to the Eastern Churches and to other
churches in similar situations as
them as regards to those sacraments,
which means churches that have valid
sacraments (and a valid priesthood).
Canon § 4 actually addresses
your concerns, because you belong
to a denomination which is not in
the situation of those Churches.
Canon 844, § 4, says:
| §4. If the danger of death
is present or if, in the judgment
of the diocesan bishop or conference
of bishops, some other grave necessity
urges it, Catholic ministers administer
these same sacraments licitly
also to other Christians not having
full communion with the Catholic
Church, who cannot approach a
minister of their own community
and who seek such on their own
accord, provided that they manifest
Catholic faith in respect to these
sacraments and are properly disposed. |
The grave necessity is not defined
but has been considered to refer
to imprisonment, persecution, or
living at great distance from your
own faith community. In either case,
the presumption is that one is not
able to approach one's own minister,
and that one requests the sacrament
of his own free will.
Mary Ann
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