14

The confessional is a standard practice of the Roman Catholic Church where church members may (or must) go to confess their sins to a priest. As I understand it, the priest then decides whether or not the person's sins will be forgiven and, if so, what is required of the person in order for that to take place.

However, it seems that priests themselves are subject to sin like anyone else. So, I'm wondering if the Catholic Church has confessionals to which priests may or must regularly attend. Also, do Cardinals attend confessionals, and then lastly, does the Pope himself ever confess his sins to anyone. For priests, cardinals, and popes, who determines whether or not their sins will be forgiven and, if they will be, what they must do in order for that to occur?

Narnian
  • 63,790
  • 69
  • 243
  • 482
  • 4
    who confesses the confessors? – wax eagle Nov 28 '12 at 14:53
  • I think the last question could be broken off into a more generalized question (this coming from a non-Catholic): Does anyone (from lowest priest up to the Pope) actually have the authority to deny forgiveness of sins to anyone else? – Iszi Nov 28 '12 at 16:55
  • 3
    This is a good question, but it's going to take about 2 years to answer the part about denying forgiveness in confession. Short answer is: every Catholic is obliged to go to confession at least once a year and, as the old saying goes, "Is the pope Catholic?" – Peter Turner Nov 28 '12 at 17:04
  • @Iszi That's a good point. Since it was your idea, would you like to ask it? (My understanding is, based admittedly on TV shows and such, is that forgiveness can, in fact, be denied if the priest does not see true repentance. But someone else will have to answer that from more than a TV show. – Narnian Nov 28 '12 at 17:04
  • 1
    Absolution can be denied if the repentance is not perceived to be genuine. However, this is a very irregular occurrence. And even in cases wherein the priest mistakenly refuses absolution, God's forgiveness, we teach, is still received. His forgiveness occurs immediately upon contrition, before confession. Confession is more-so the incarnation of our contrition and His forgiveness, via the Church. – svidgen Nov 28 '12 at 17:36
  • 1
    That's not to suggest that confession is not necessary and important though. A spiritual reality is relatively meaningless to us without its incarnation. – svidgen Nov 28 '12 at 17:38
  • I created a different question regarding when forgiveness is/should be withheld. – Narnian Nov 28 '12 at 18:43
  • 1
    Pope John Paul II confessed at least weekly -- I've also heard daily -- and was famous for asking a subordinate to hear his confession immediately after he (the Pope) had upbraided him (the subordinate) for a screw-up. – Ben Dunlap Nov 28 '12 at 23:06

2 Answers2

10

Any priest, or any level of priest, can hear confession from anyone. A priest will go to another priest for confession. Similarly, bishops, cardinals, and the pope can (and do) go to priests for confession. Apparently priests and the pope often have a specific confessor and are encouraged to visit him with "some regularity."

As for whether a priest can deny forgiveness, I can't find much information except that they can do it although it's apparently rare and usually only happens in cases where the person does the same thing repeatedly (like an ongoing affair). I don't see any reason why a priest confessor to a cardinal/pope would not be able to deny forgiveness.

Explosion Pills
  • 216
  • 1
  • 5
6

The short answer is yes.

Additionally, every priest and bishop, including the pope, is supposed to have a spiritual advisor. The priest they see for confession need not be any special priest, as far as I know. It just needs to be a priest. Confession is not a matter of hierarchical authority. It's just a matter of receiving absolution from "the Church."

svidgen
  • 7,863
  • 4
  • 32
  • 56