Penance
according to the Catholic dogma is one of the seven sacred Sacraments, commonly
known by faithful as Confession or Sacrament of Reconciliation which people of
God are absolved from their sins. The Church teaches us that the Sacrament
heals, and indeed it gives spiritual healing, it is a spiritual engine to atone
for our sins. As noted by Victoria
M. Tufano, a Pastoral Associate and Director of Liturgy at Ascension Catholic
Church Oak Park, Illinois, “Confession
is a gift, a means of grace, a way to God, and a way back to God.”
The
act of confession is sacrosanct; because it allows us as Catholics and Christians
to stay close to God and regain the grace of God, lost by sin. Priests as Christ
‘s successors and representatives were given the power to administer and pass
on that forgiveness. It is very important to note that, it is not the Priest
who forgives sins, but God himself. The Priests are instruments ordained by God
to shepherd the people.
Catholics
are obliged to go for confession at least once a year, preferably during the
Easter Season, let us take note of the word, 'at least' not 'at most', which
means, we can go to confession several times a year to ask God to forgive our
sins. Let us draw-down to the crux of the matter, the question of Confession
during the COVID-19 lock-down, due to the world health pandemic, people cannot
be able to meet with the Priests, especially this Lenten period (Lent) and
Easter, time to reconcile with Christ.
What does the Church say about confession in such times? Are there other
ways one can confess, for example, online confession or through phoning the
Priest?
Do
Catholics do confession online or using a phone? Absolutely no, Confession
needs to be done in person with a Priest. Does it mean, we are hopeless now in
the time of Coronavirus when we can not meet the Priest? Absolutely no, we are not hopeless, the Lord is there to listen to us and forgive us. Below, I
will take you through what Holy Father Pope Francis and what the Church states
in the difficult times like this, concerning penance.
As
the lock-down prevents many Catholics to receive the Sacrament of
Reconciliation, Pope Francis has encouraged all to ask for forgiveness from
God, directly. Pope said on March 20, 2020, during his live-streamed morning
Mass, “This is the right time, the opportune moment. An Act of Contrition done
well, and our souls will become white like the snow. Return to your Father who
is waiting for you. The God of tenderness will heal us; he will heal us of the
many, many wounds of life and the many ugly things we have done. Each of us has
our own!”
As
noted in the Article by the Dioceses of East Anglia
(March 25, 2020), Pope Francis, in his homily, pointed people to the teaching
of the Catechism of the Catholic Church. “It is very clear,” said the Pope. “If
you cannot find a priest to confess to, speak directly with God, your Father,
and tell him the truth. Say, ‘Lord, I did this, this, this. Forgive me,’ and
ask for pardon with all your heart.”
Make
an act of contrition (prayer to express sorrow for sins)
the Pope said, and promise God, "' I will go to confession afterward, but
forgive me now.' And immediately you will return to a state of grace with
God."
As
supported by the Catechism of the Catholic Church, (N. 1452), it says: “When it
arises from a love by which God is loved above all else, contrition is called
‘perfect’- contrition of charity. Such contrition remits venial sins; it also
obtains forgiveness of mortal sins if it includes the firm resolution to have
recourse to sacramental confession as soon as possible. “As the catechism outlines,
“you can draw near to God’s forgiveness without having a priest at hand.”
Fr.
Simon Davies from St John’s Cathedral in Norwich, noted that when self-isolating,
one could make a 'perfect act of contrition', that is, an expression of real
sorrow and that prayer would be received by God just as much as a prayer which
they might say during confession.
He
added, "If that person sadly died before they could see a priest in
confession, that offering is as graciously received as if the person had gone
to confession," Fr. Simon added that if the person remained well or
recovered from a bout of illness, they would still need to go to confession
once the crisis is over.
My
fellow Christian Community, we have seen that the love of God is bountiful, is
not measurable, the Lord is always there for us to forgive and walk with us and
within us. He is omnipresent, omniscience and omnipotent, ever-loving Father;
even in the times we call a crisis, He is there to comfort us. “See what kind
of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God” (1
John 3:1).
Article
by Misheck Gondo. Misheck Gondo is a Catholic Catechist in Zimbabwe, Author of
Chastity the Way to Go and The Terrible Heart Break, Researcher and a Blogger.
He writes in his personal capacity. He can be contacted at gondo.gism@gmail.com
REFERENCE:
Aldred Willey: (Article: Dioceses of East Anglia)
Aldred Willey: (Article: Dioceses of East Anglia)
Catechism
of the Catholic Church
Victoria
M. Tufano, (Pastoral Associate and Director of Liturgy at Ascension Catholic
Church in Oak Park, Illinois)
