Sacrament rare for non-Catholics

by Michael Shackleton · October 22, 2013

Is it correct that baptised non-Catholic Christians may receive the sacrament of penance under certain conditions? If so, should the Church not publish this fact and these conditions? This information would certainly be acted on by many non-Catholics in dire need of peace of mind, and would be an outstanding method of spreading the Catholic faith. Pro Veritate

“When someone who is a member of another church not in communion with Rome wants to confess to a Catholic priest and receive absolution, the conditions differ. ” (CNS photo/Gregory A Shemitz)

Catholic ministers may lawfully administer the sacraments only to Catholic members of Christ�s faithful. This is the requirement of canon law (844.1). Hence it would be unlawful for a priest to hear the confession of a non-Catholic Christian and grant absolution. The law allows for rare exceptions, with certain conditions.

If the subject belongs to a church not in communion with Rome whose sacred orders and sacraments are recognised by the Catholic Church as valid, the condition is that the person must spontaneously ask for the sacrament and be properly disposed to receive it.

When someone who is a member of another church not in communion with Rome wants to confess to a Catholic priest and receive absolution, the conditions differ. These are danger of death or some other grave and pressing need plus the unavailability of the non-Catholic�s own minister of religion, his or her spontaneous request for the sacrament, acknowledgement of the Catholic teaching on confession, and the proper disposition.

Christ established the Catholic Church as a visible society. It is governed by the successor of Peter and bishops in communion with him. Those who are baptised into the Church belong to this society, professing the same faith, sharing the same sacraments and subject to the same authority.

Members of the Church must live holy lives. If they fall into grave sin they must confess this to a priest and receive absolution. In this way they are reconciled not only with God but also with the Church�s membership. This clarifies why non-Catholic Christians may not be unconditionally absolved from sin by a Catholic priest. If the penitent is not a member of the visible Church established by Christ on Peter and the apostles, he or she cannot be said to be reconciled with membership of the Church, as canon 959 indicates.

It is possible for baptised non-Catholics to be sacramentally absolved by a Catholic priest but as they are not in full communion with the Catholic Church, they may not receive absolution as a matter of course. Canon law requires that in exceptional circumstances the non-Catholic may request the sacrament �spontaneously�, that is, with no expectation of repetition. Hence, these exceptional circumstances are not published universally.