Pope reminds priests to be faithful to Magesterium on Confession

Pope John Paul II reminded priests to be faithful to Church teaching when they administer the Sacrament of Reconciliation. he also reminded them of their to receive the sacrament frequently. Speaking on Friday with officials of the Apostolic Penitentiary and priests and seminarians attending a course about Confession, he said: "the sacrament must be received from the priest above all with faith and humility, as well as with frequency." "To the intrinsic value of the sacrament of penance must be added its ascetic efficacy as an occasion for self-examination and, therefore, as a verification, happy or painful, of one's own level of fidelity to promises," the Pope said. "It is also an ineffable moment to experience the eternal charity that the Lord has for each one of us in our unrepeatable individuality. It is an outlet for delusions and bitterness, inflicted on us perhaps unjustly. It is a consoling balm for the many forms of suffering that mark life." The Pope warned that priests must always refer to Church teaching when they give the sacrament. He said: "I wish to call your attention to the duty to adhere to the Magesterium of the Church concerning the complex problems that occur in the bioethical sphere, and concerning the moral and canonical norms in the sphere of marriage. "It can happen that in the face of complex contemporary ethical problems the faithful leave the confessional with somewhat confused ideas, especially if they find that confessors are not consistent in their judgments. "The truth is that those who fulfil this delicate ministry in the name of God and of the Church have a specific duty not to promote and, even more so, not to express in the confessional personal opinions that do not correspond to what the Church teaches and professes," he said. "Likewise," the Pope added, "a failure to speak the truth because of a misconceived sense of compassion should not be taken for love." Source: VIS