Author Topic: Act of Perfect Contrition (Read 9068 times)

2Vermont · « **on:** December 06, 2014, 06:38:51 PM »

For those of us who do not have access to sacramental confession, does an Act of Perfect Contrition suffice until we can get to confession?

Matto · « **Reply #1 on:** December 06, 2014, 06:52:35 PM »

Quote from: 2Vermont

For those of us who do not have access to sacramental confession, does an Act of Perfect Contrition suffice until we can get to confession?

You can never know if your contrition is perfect enough to forgive your sins so it is best to find a way to get to confession.

MyrnaM · « **Reply #2 on:** December 06, 2014, 07:22:55 PM »

If you meditate deeply on the passion of Christ, and start to shed tears because YOU/I are the person who caused His suffering, because we offended Him, you can be sure you just experienced a Perfect Act of Contrition.

Also kiss the Pardon Crucifix, and make sure it is properly blessed. If you don't have a Pardon Crucifix get one, but don't forget the blessing, Pardon Crucifix has a special blessing.

None of the above take the place of Confession, so get there as soon as possible.

God does provide.

2Vermont · « **Reply #3 on:** December 07, 2014, 06:20:21 AM »

I have another question.

Can one go to confession with an Orthodox priest? If so, are they done in a similar fashion and would they even hear the confession of a Catholic?

An Orthodox priest is the closest thing I have to going to a valid priest locally.

shin · « **Reply #4 on:** December 07, 2014, 07:53:44 AM »

I think this short book on Confession is very helpful for learning how to make a good act of contrition.

Tridentine MT · « **Reply #5 on:** December 16, 2014, 07:50:57 AM »

Quote from: 2Vermont

I have another question.

Can one go to confession with an Orthodox priest? If so, are they done in a similar fashion and would they even hear the confession of a Catholic?

An Orthodox priest is the closest thing I have to going to a valid priest locally.

How about Novus Ordo priests?!? Are they considered to be priests with all the faculties expected of a Catholic priest?

Dolores · « **Reply #6 on:** December 16, 2014, 08:04:09 AM »

Quote from: Tridentine MT

Quote from: 2Vermont
I have another question.

Can one go to confession with an Orthodox priest? If so, are they done in a similar fashion and would they even hear the confession of a Catholic?

An Orthodox priest is the closest thing I have to going to a valid priest locally.

How about Novus Ordo priests?!? Are they considered to be priests with all the faculties expected of a Catholic priest?

If ten people answer you on this forum, I would not be surprised if you got ten different answers.

Ladislaus · « **Reply #7 on:** December 16, 2014, 09:07:17 AM »

Quote from: 2Vermont

For those of us who do not have access to sacramental confession, does an Act of Perfect Contrition suffice until we can get to confession?

According to the Council of Trent, perfect contrition when combined with an ardent desire / intention / vow to receive the Sacrament would restore the soul to a state of justification. Most Catholics forget about the intention to receive the Sacrament part.

As others have pointed out, it's very difficult to know when one has received the grace to make an act of perfect contrition, and this uncertainty should be used to inspire in us an even more ardent desire to receive the Sacrament of Confession.

IMO, many Eastern Rite priests and older Novus Ordo priests (those ordained before about 1967) can validly administer the Sacrament. You can even seek out on older Novus Ordo priest and invoke Benedict XVI's "motu" to request that they use the Traditional Rite. Summorum states that the faithful's request to receive any of the Sacraments in the Traditional Rite must be respected and accommodated. You'll most likely have to bring a copy of the Old Rite for them though because they won't have access to it. If they are not comfortable with the Latin, just bring an English version and make sure they properly pronounce the words of absolution.

Ladislaus · « **Reply #8 on:** December 16, 2014, 09:10:33 AM »

Quote from: 2Vermont

I have another question.

Can one go to confession with an Orthodox priest? If so, are they done in a similar fashion and would they even hear the confession of a Catholic?

An Orthodox priest is the closest thing I have to going to a valid priest locally.

One can approach an Orthodox priest for the Sacrament only in danger of death. Problem is that most of the Orthodox would refuse you the Sacraments even in danger of death due to their contempt for the Catholic Church. Nor do the Orthodox have the requisite jurisdiction to validly hear Confessions (except when it's supplied by the Church in danger of death).

Eastern Rites have valid orders. Also, try to find older Novus Ordo priests (there are still plenty around, perhaps tucked away in nursing homes). Just do a search for Eastern Rite churches (Byzantine / Ukrainian / Maronite / Chaledean Catholic). Just around here there are about a dozen of them. Plus there's a convenient "Directory of Clergy" here in the Cleveland Diocese which even lists the priests' ordination dates.

Ladislaus · « **Reply #9 on:** December 16, 2014, 09:11:47 AM »

If you want to PM me with your general location, I can dig around the web for some options.

Ladislaus · « **Reply #10 on:** December 16, 2014, 09:53:39 AM »

Quote from: Nado

Good luck finding Novus Ordo priests over 70 years old who is willing, and able, to properly perform the judgment of your sins!

Whether they correctly judge your sins or not has nothing to do with whether they can validly administer the Sacrament.

Quote

I wouldn't trust the validly of the schismatic Eastern rites unless in each particular case one investigates for positive evidence of validity.

On what grounds do you call the Eastern Rites "schismatic"? Are you confusing these with the "Orthodox"? You are expressing what's called negative doubt, i.e. "unless you positively establish its validity, then it's doubtful". Wrong. Quite to the contrary, there must be positive doubt before one is required to avoid the Sacrament. Quite a few even Sedevacantist groups have looked into the Eastern Rites and I know of no one who questions their validity.

confederate catholic · « **Reply #11 on:** December 16, 2014, 01:08:53 PM »

Do we know what is needed for a vaild absolution?

1 we must have contrition
2 we must confess our sins
3 the priest absolves us (the words needed for validity are according to catholic doctrine )
I absolve you of your sins in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy ghost

simple

if a priest is sitting in the confessional ( :scratchchin:) then he has the disposition to hear confessions.

what is needed for priestly validity?

laying on of hands and as in every valid church ordination the words that say that the bishop is now calling the person in front of him a priest.

how long will hack theologians continue to call valid ordinations into question because of a conjunction?

the church never had the practice of investigating everything all the time or to paint with a broad brush whole groups of people

when did it become catholic to assume the bad intent of the whole episcopacy and priesthood of the church in every action.

confederate catholic · « **Reply #12 on:** December 16, 2014, 01:46:38 PM »

yeah thumb it down the question asked was simple originally, about perfect contrition and devolved quickly into what priest could hear confession.

honestly only real mind benders could turn one of the two ways to right our soul after shipwreck (to quote Trent) into freaking mental gymnastics.

baptism: just add water, we may need to hold you under a little longer to get that stain out :roll-laugh1:

penance: add sorrow and a priest (ouzo optional)

confederate catholic · « **Reply #13 on:** December 16, 2014, 02:15:15 PM »

wow still thumbed down i thought the cat would have swayed you :roll-laugh1:

Ladislaus · « **Reply #14 on:** December 16, 2014, 03:21:21 PM »

Quote from: Nado

Quote from: Ladislaus
Quote from: Nado
Good luck finding Novus Ordo priests over 70 years old who is willing, and able, to properly perform the judgment of your sins!

Whether they correctly judge your sins or not has nothing to do with whether they can validly administer the Sacrament.

It matters, because the Novus Ordo got themselves to the point where hell doesn't exist, those that do believe in it, many hardly think mortal sin is possible. They only have a few things on their lists, like genocide, nuclear war, etc. You would have to insist before hand that you deserve absolution, what words to say exactly, and how to move the hand in absolution, or whatever is necessary. Best to stay away completely.

Quote from: Ladislaus

Quote
I wouldn't trust the validly of the schismatic Eastern rites unless in each particular case one investigates for positive evidence of validity.

On what grounds do you call the Eastern Rites "schismatic"? Are you confusing these with the "Orthodox"? You are expressing what's called negative doubt, i.e. "unless you positively establish its validity, then it's doubtful". Wrong. Quite to the contrary, there must be positive doubt before one is required to avoid the Sacrament. Quite a few even Sedevacantist groups have looked into the Eastern Rites and I know of no one who questions their validity.

I thought you were only speaking of schismatic Eastern rite priests.

As to the uniate (Catholic) Eastern rites, they are in union with Ecuмenical Rome, under its authority, and have undergone lots of changes, though not so extreme as with the Western rites. Nevertheless, like in the States, some have more changes than others. One good reason is enough to produce a positive doubt. And here is good reason. So each case should be looked into for positive evidence of validity.

There aren't enough facepalms in the world for you, Nado.