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PostPosted: 09 Dec 2012 14:01 
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The parish I am visiting is having a penance service, or at some points they called it a reconcilliation service, on Dec 18. They are serving a fancy dinner, and several area priests are coming in.

They handed out little brooms to everyone today with the idea of spiritual housekeeping, and next week are handing out some questions for reflection and self-examination.

Does one have to be a confirmed Catholic to attend this kind of service?

--Angelica


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PostPosted: 09 Dec 2012 16:16 
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Angelica,

There are three Rites of Reconciliation

1. Rite for the Reconciliation of Individual Penitents.
2. Rite for Reconciliation of Several Penitents with Individual Confession and Absolution.
3. Rite for Reconciliation with General Confession and Absolution.

I don't know much about the second and third forms as the second is rarely celebrated here and the third is forbidden throughout Australia. I see no problem with a non-Catholic attending the service, but the actual confession and absolution is another matter.

From the Code of Canon Law

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Can. 844 §1. Catholic ministers administer the sacraments licitly to Catholic members of the Christian faithful alone, who likewise receive them licitly from Catholic ministers alone, without prejudice to the prescripts of §§2, 3, and 4 of this canon, and ⇒ can. 861, §2.

§2. Whenever necessity requires it or true spiritual advantage suggests it, and provided that danger of error or of indifferentism is avoided, the Christian faithful for whom it is physically or morally impossible to approach a Catholic minister are permitted to receive the sacraments of penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick from non-Catholic ministers in whose Churches these sacraments are valid.

§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.

§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.

§5. For the cases mentioned in §§2, 3, and 4, the diocesan bishop or conference of bishops is not to issue general norms except after consultation at least with the local competent authority of the interested non-Catholic Church or community.




http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/__P2T.HTM

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PostPosted: 09 Dec 2012 16:29 
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Brooms? Odd, but ok.

The only acceptable form of communal penance services are those which include individual confession and absolution. There were some parishes in the past who did communal services and gave absolution to all present but that is strictly forbidden though I occasionally hear of it even today. The only time a priest can give a general absolution to more than one person is when there is danger of death. For instance, I believe I heard a story of a group of firefighters receiving absolution on their way to the World Trade Center on 9/11.

At my parish and from what I understand probably most parishes, there is some scripture reading, music and a general act of contrition so each penitent does not have to repeat the act in the confessional as to accommodate time constraints. At least, that seem to be the norm around here. Several priests come from different parishes to accommodate the crowds. For many Catholics I know, penance services during Advent and Lent are the only times they go to confession. I've only been a couple of times as I always do a private confession with a regular confessor and the last time I went to bolster the confidence of a friend who was about to the received at the Easter Vigil but I would estimate there were around 150-200 people and ten priests.

As James quoted from the Catechism, a non-Catholic cannot receive absolution except under narrow circumstances so though a non-catholic can attend the service and be in the church, they cannot confess individually.

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PostPosted: 10 Dec 2012 08:53 
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Angelica,

You must be a baptized Catholic to receive the sacrament of reconciliation licitly (that is, legally). You do not have to be a Catholic who has received confirmation. The prevailing order of reception of the sacraments for a Catholic is baptism, first reconciliation, Eucharist, confirmation.

If you were baptized into another faith community, the sacrament of penance would be part of your full initiation process into the Catholic Church, which would also include confirmation and Eucharist.

A non-Catholic Christian could still attend the penance service, which calls attention to our sins and need for forgiveness and therefore could be spiritually fruitful for him/her. However, a non-Catholic Christian should not approach a priest and ask for absolution during the part of the service where individual confessions are being heard. There is no need to worry about standing out for not approaching for individual confession. Quite a few Catholics head home after the final hymn or just stay and pray.

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PostPosted: 10 Dec 2012 11:54 
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I always advised my RCIA classes to attend the service, but not to confess there. A first confession should be made at a less rushed time.

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PostPosted: 11 Dec 2012 03:53 
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Angelica,

What an interesting way to encourage people to go to a penance service. Ours is tonight, there won't be a fancy dinner. I do like giving an examination of conscience in advance. The symbolism of the broom is a neat idea. It's a visible reminder of what needs to be done.

As others have stated, a penance service (reconciliation service), when done properly, includes one on one confessions. The fact that you have several priests coming is a VERY good indication that this will happen. A penance service usually begins with a short period of prayer and reflection, including scripture and a homily. The prayer service concludes with everyone reciting the Act of Contrition together. It is important for people to realize that it does not end here. No one leaving at this point has been absolved of anything.

The next piece is individual confession - the act of contrition is not repeated. We receive absolution after we have confessed our sins to the priest.

Over the next 10 days 4 parishes in my area will offer penance services (one in each church) with anywhere between 6-10 priests. The attendance will vary from 150-400 people. The Lenten services tend to be larger.

Some people are more comfortable with penance services, others are not. Personally I prefer the regular opportunities for confession. I have to admit, my main reason for not liking penance services is that I don't have the patience to stand in line for a long time. With that in mind going tonight may be good for me - it will give me the chance to exercise the virtue of patience. If I fail to be patient, I can confess it.

Effie

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PostPosted: 11 Dec 2012 05:08 
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Effie,

Just for the sake of absolute clarity, that's individual absolution during the individual Confessions, right?

I think they do that in a lot of areas, including ours. It is stressed that just attending isn't the Sacrament and doesn't forgive our sins. The Sacrament happens when we're having the individual Confessions.

What the community service does is provide an opportunity for a lot of Confessions all at once. Often they'll shorten things a bit by having everyone say the Act of Contrition all together, so it doesn't need to be done individually, thereby saving that little bit of time from each Confession, but that's really the only group aspect of the Sacrament.

Our parish has a service like that in Lent. Sometimes it's not really a service at all, but several priests already in stations around the church when we walk in, all hearing Confessions at the same time.

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PostPosted: 11 Dec 2012 07:54 
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Usually in my experience there will be readings, psalms, songs/hymns to put people in the right frame of mind. Maybe Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. And someone might read an examen out loud, or one might be included with the words to the songs. This should prompt people to confess things they might not mention otherwise. Most importantly there is usually a choice of confessors - preferably including priests from outside the parish if possible.

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PostPosted: 11 Dec 2012 10:12 
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Rose,

Quote:
Just for the sake of absolute clarity, that's individual absolution during the individual Confessions, right?


Yes, both are necessary.

Quote:
I think they do that in a lot of areas, including ours. It is stressed that just attending isn't the Sacrament and doesn't forgive our sins. The Sacrament happens when we're having the individual Confessions.


Take that one step further. Individual confession followed by absolution is required in order to receive the sacrament.

The only difference between a penance service and regular confession is that a penance service begins with a prayer service and we recite the act of contrition as a community. The necessary parts - confession and absolution are done as usual.

The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a beautiful gift from God. People who leave a penance service without making a confession are keeping themselves from receiving this gift.


Effie

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