Fr Brian Mullady, O.P.
Question: Can a Protestant go to Confession and validly receive absolution? How should a priest pastorally handle such a situation when a Protestant spontaneously seeks the Sacrament of Reconciliation? Of course, baptized persons being received into full communion are exhorted to go to Confession before their reception. Also, in danger of death, the Church opens wide the gates of grace. What if such a significant reason is absent, and a Protestant shows up in the confessional seeking to unburden themselves or more generally to pursue self-improvement (consider, for example, in the context of a freshman retreat on a college campus)? I have not seen this questions treated anywhere in writing.
Answer: Many people today are fascinated by the practice of Catholic confession. Some non-Catholics seek this practice because of the secrecy of the seal. It would be good to clarify when and how this is possible for non-Catholics and if in such cases the priest can give absolution.
First, it must stated that ordinarily only baptized Catholics can receive the sacrament of penance which includes absolution from sin. The Catechism teaches: “Catholic ministers administer the sacraments licitly to members of the Christian faithful alone who likewise receive them licitly from Catholic ministers alone.” (844.1) In addition to this the Code of Canon Law states that if it is morally impossible for a Catholic to receive a sacrament from a Catholic minister, in grave necessity, such as danger of death, a Catholic may receive the sacraments from any minister provided the sacraments are valid, even if they are not in communion with Rome. These would be some of the Eastern churches.
The opposite would also apply, as the Code further states: “Catholic ministers can licitly administer the sacraments of penance, Eucharist, and anointing of the sick to members of the oriental churches which do not have full communion with the Catholic Church if they seek such on their own accord for the sacraments, and are properly disposed. This holds also for members of other churches which, in the judgement of the Apostolic See, are in the same condition as the oriental churches as far as these sacraments are concerned.” (844.3) These clarifications apply specifically to the Eastern Orthodox, the Copts, the Abyssinians, the Armenians, etc.
The danger of death is a special circumstance. The Code continues: “If the danger of death is present or other grace necessity, in the judgement of the diocesan bishop or the national conference of bishops, Catholic ministers may licitly administer these sacraments to other Christians who do not have full communion with the Catholic Church, who cannot approach a minister of their own community, and on their own ask for it, provided they manifest the Catholic faith in these sacraments and are properly disposed.” (844.4)
This canon would refer to those who are Protestants. An example might be an Anglican priest who has come to believe in the fullness of the Catholic faith but is retired and would lose his livelihood if he formally converted. The Protestant must believe what the Church teaches on this subject and actually on the other sacraments as well. On this case alone would the absolution of sins be possible. Otherwise, a Protestant may certainly go to confession and what he says is under the Seal but he cannot receive valid absolution. This is because confession is primarily to Christ through the ministry of the Church taking its origin from the Apostles.
Confession is not just a healing in relationship to Christ with its origin in God’s mercy but is also a reintegration into the sacramental life of the Church. If the penitent in question wanted to be fully integrated into the life of the Catholic Church, they would seek baptism or full confession of unity with the Church, including a repudiation of their errors in their former confession of faith.
It is true that those who are converting make their confession before baptism or the profession of faith, but this is also part of a process with naturally ends in the profession of faith or baptism. It could certainly be argued that the absolution only takes effect once one is either baptized or makes such a profession.
In any case, the short answer would be that for those churches whose sacraments are valid but are not in communion with Rome, confession is good for the soul and absolution is valid. In those extraordinary cases with the judgement of the Church on a personal basis the same might be true. In all other cases, those who confess to a priest certainly can avail themselves of the seal and such a practice is good for the soul but absolution cannot be granted. I think this would cover the practice of confession on a college retreat by a non-Catholic.