St. Leo’s Absolution.
Forgiveness of Sins Before Battle Absolution is the remission of sin, or of the punishment due to sin, granted by the Church. Absolution proper is that act of the priest whereby, in the Sacrament of Penance, he frees man from sin. It presupposes on the part of the penitent, contrition, confession, and promise at least of satisfaction; on the part of […]
Reconciliation and Penancepost-synodal apostolic exhortation of John Paul II to the bishops, clergy and faithful on reconciliation and penance in the mission of the church today
Introduction Origin and meaning of the document 1. To speak of reconciliation and penance is for the men and women of our time an invitation to rediscover, translated into their own way of speaking, the very words with which our savior and teacher Jesus Christ began his preaching: “Repent, and believe in the Gospel,”(1) that […]
Confession
Procedure: The procedure is simple; if you are unsure the priest will help you. Enter and say: “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been—state the length of time (days, months, years)—since my last good confession, and these are my sins.” Then tell your mortal sins and the number of times you committed […]
Penance in the Early Church
Two clear tendencies are apparent, one inclining to a more merciful treatment of the penitent, the other uncompromisingly harsh, so much so as to declare the reconciliation of the apostate, murderer, or the adulterer to be beyond the authority of the Church—God might pardon them, but not the Church. The sterner attitude evolved at a […]
Confession of Sins: A Divine Institution
Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J. During his first visit to the United States, Pope John Paul II pleaded with the bishops to do something about the drastic drop in confessions in many American dioceses. “In the face of a widespread phenomenon of our time, namely that many of our people who are among the great […]
The Indissolubility of Christian Marriage
Victor R. Claveau, MJ The Church recognizes three states of life: marriage, single blessedness, and single blessedness in the consecrated life. Marriage is, for evident reasons, by far the best thing for the vast majority of people. It is a state of sanctification; a state in which many have become saints. It is the most […]
The Eucharist & the Early Church
The doctrine of the Eucharist has been held from the very earliest days of the Church. For the first 800 years of Christianity, there was no doubt regarding the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. Here is a sample of writings from the fathers of the early Church illustrating this. Paul writing in 1 […]
Communion Questions Just Keep Coming
KARL KEATING Tuesday is my day to field questions on the nationally syndicated “Catholic Answers Live” call-in radio program. Almost every week someone asks whether a non-Catholic may receive Communion at a Catholic parish or a Catholic may take the “Lord’s Supper” at a non-Catholic church. My answer always begins with Canon 844 of the […]
Being Born Again
Victor R. Claveau, MJ “Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born anew [or from above], he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus […]
Mass Terminology
Altar – Eucharistic Table Ambo – Lectern or Pulpit Asperges – Holy Water sprinkler Blessed Sacrament Chapel – Location of the tabernacle, the place of reservation Chalice – Cup for sacred wine, used by the priest Corporal – The square cloth covering the altar table where vessels are placed Ciborium – Cup/Bowl for the sacred […]