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The Early Church Fathers on the Sacrament of Confession or Reconciliation.

 

  • Early Church Fathers
  • From the Scriptures

 

 

  1. Paulinus the Deacon, (unknown-c.425)
    St. Augustine of Hippo, (A.D. 354-428)
St. Paulinus the Deacon, (also known as Paulinus of Milan), (unknown-c.425), was the notary of Ambrose of Milan, and his biographer. In Carthage in 411 he had opposed Caelestius, a Pelagian. The formal proceedings were described by Augustine in On Original Sin. Paulinus set up six theses defining Pelagian views as heresy. His work is the only life of Ambrose based on a contemporary account, "Life of St. Ambrose" and was written at the request of Augustine of Hippo; it is dated to 422.

In his life of St. Ambrose, he says:

"As often as any one, in order to receive penitence, confessed his falls unto him, he (St. Ambrose) wept so as to compel him also to weep. For he seemed to himself to be fallen with the fallen. But he spoke of the cause of the crimes which they confessed, to none but the Lord only, with whom he interceded: leaving a good example to the priests that come after him, to be rather intercessors with God, than accusers unto men; for in accordance also with the Apostle, charity is to be confirmed towards such a one, because that he is the accuser of himself: neither does he wait for the accuser, but anticipates him, that so he may himself remove (alleviate) his sin, nor have what the adversary may criminate him in. And therefore does the Scripture say: "The just man at the beginning of his discourse is the accuser of himself." For he takes the word out of the mouth of the adversary: and by the confession of his sins he as it were breaks the teeth that are prepared for the prey of a hostile accusation; giving honor to God, to whom all things are naked (Hebrews 4), and who desires the life, rather than the death of the sinner. (Ezekiel 18) For to the penitent, Confession alone is not sufficient, unless there follow after also an amendment of his deeds."

Vit. Ambros. n. 39, p. 10. In App. T. ii. Op. S. Ambr.
This life is also given by Gallandius, T. ix.
The Faith of Catholics, Volume 3, Page 79-80

St. Augustine of Hippo, (A.D. 354-428), North African; born in Tagaste in A.D. 354, baptized in Milan in A.D. 387, ordained a priest in A.D. 391 and appointed bishop of Hippo in A.D. 395, Augustine is one of our greatest theologians. His numerous works display genius of the highest order, and have ever had great weight in the Christian churches. He is also a Doctor of the Church.

Whoever confesses his sins . . . is already working with God. God indicts your sins; if you also indict them, you are joined with God. Man and sinner are, so to speak, two realities: when you hear "man" - this is what God has made; when you hear "sinner" - this is what man himself has made. Destroy what you have made, so that God may save what he has made. . . . When you begin to abhor what you have made, it is then that your good works are beginning, since you are accusing yourself of your evil works. The beginning of good works is the confession of evil works. You do the truth and come to the light.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1458

 


Confession is the disclosing of sins which the penitent makes to a priest. This obligation evidently follows from the words of Christ, when He instituted the sacrament of penance:

21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

There are three essential parts to the sacrament of Confession or Reconciliation:

  1. Contrition
  2. Confession, and
  3. Penance, also known as Satisfaction.

It's very important to note: When we confess to a priest, we are actually confessing to Jesus Himself, who is "in the person of Christ, the man". If you need help understanding this Ask Us.

 

 

The Church's Scriptures that support Confession to priests of the Church:

 

Jesus delegates His Divine Authority to St. Peter

19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of Heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven."


Matthew 16:19

Jesus delegates His Divine Authority to the Apostles who are in union with St. Peter.

18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in Heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in Heaven.

Matthew 18:18

Jesus delegates His Divine Authority to forgive sins to His Apostles.

21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you." 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained."

John 20:21-23

The Prayer of Faith.

13 Is any one among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful? Let him sing praise. 14 Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; 15 and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

 

James 5:13-15

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves but if we confess our sins.

8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

1 John 1:8-9

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