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Introduction

to the

RITE

OF

PENANCE



Introduction to

The Rite of Penance

Reconciliation between God and mankind was

brought about by Jesus Christ in the mystery of his

death and resurrection. He in turn trusted the on-

going mystery of reconciling the sinner with God

the Father to his Church. The Church continues to

carry out this ministry by preaching the Good News

of salvation to all persons and by baptizing them in

water and the Holy Spirit.

Yet, because of human weakness, Christians al-

ready reconciled with the Father by baptism at times

break or weaken their friendship with God by sin. In

view of this the Lord instituted the means by which

sins committed after baptism could be pardoned and

the loving friendship with the Father be reestablished

and/or strengthened. We have come to know this

as the sacrament of Penance or Reconciliation.

Vatican Council II not only requested the revision

of the sacramental Rite of Penance, but in its various

documents furnished positive indications for its re-

newal. Three major considerations were: (1) Sin is at

the same time an offense against God and an injury

to the complete body of the Church; (2) in penance

the sinner is reconciled both with God and with the

Church; (3) the entire Church is involved with and

works for the conversion and reconciliation of a

member who has sinned.

The Rite of Penance as prepared by the Congrega-

tion for Divine Worship in Rome, distinguishes be-

tween three rites:

1. Rite for Reconciliation of Individual Penitents.

2. Rite for Reconciliation of Several Penitents

with Individual Confession and Absolution.

3. Rite for Reconciliation of Several Penitents

with General Confession and Absolution.

The first of the three rites maintains a close re-

semblance to the manner in which the sacrament

has been celebrated within the Church for hundreds

of years. Looking at its major parts, however, we

see that in several ways the old rite has been en-

riched and made more prayerful. The rite includes:

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— welcoming the penitent;
— reading the word of God;
— confession of sins and acceptance of satisfac-

tion;

— the prayer of the penitent and the absolution
by the priest;

— proclamation of praise and dismissal of the
penitent.

The words of absolution have been enriched with

a gesture signifying the gift of the Holy Spirit for the

remission of sins. The confessor extends his hands

(or at least his right hand) over the head of the peni-

tent as he pronounces the form of absolution. By

these words and this gesture Christ acts through his

Church to bring about the sacrament of reconcilia-

tion.

The rite of individual reconciliation should take

place in a personal, prayerful atmosphere. For some

the confessional box does not provide this. It was

for this reason that the bishops of the United States

following the recommendation contained in the new

Rite of Penance, approved of small chapels or rooms

of reconciliation in which penitents might choose to

celebrate the Rite of Penance through a face-to-face

exchange with the priest. It is desirable that such

chapels or rooms be designed to afford the option

of the penitent’s kneeling at the fixed confessional

grill in the usual way, thus safeguarding anonymity

for those who so desire it. In every case, the freedom

of the individual penitent must be respected.

A frequent criticism of confession was its exces-

sive ritual and moral individualism. Sin was looked

upon as affecting only the sinner; confession affect-

ed only the sinner. The new Rite of Penance attempts

to correct this by emphasizing the social and ec-

clesial dimension of sin—my sins make the world
and Church less holy—as well as the collective,
ecclesial nature of the sacrament of reconciliation

—

I am reconciled with the Church community and

with God. The entire Church works for the recon-

ciliation of sinners and joyfully celebrates their con-

version. The Rite of Penance itself must appear as

an act of the Church to which each individual asso-

ciates himself or herself.



The second chapter in the Rite of Penance, “The

Rite of Reconciliation of Several Penitents with In-

dividual Confession and Absolution," proposes a

form of celebration which helps to highlight these

broader dimensions of sin and reconciliation.

The third chapter of the revised rite is entitled

the “Rite of Reconciliation of Several Penitents with

General Confession and Absolution.” Basically, it is

the responsibility of the bishop to determine when

there is genuine pastoral need for the use of this

rite, namely, when in view of the number of peni-

tents there are not enough confessors to hear prop-

erly the confessions of each within an appropriate

time, with the result that the penitent through no

fault of his or her own would be forced to do without

the sacramental grace or Communion for a longtime.

Several important facts must be kept in mind con-

cerning general confession and absolution. (1) In-

dividual, integral confession and absolution remain

the ordinary way for the faithful to reconcile them-

selves with God and the Church, unless physical or

moral impossibility excuses one from this kind of

confession. (2) Those who have serious sins for-

given in a celebration which includes general con-

fession and absolution in this collective form, are

obliged to confess these serious sins individually to

a priest before receiving general absolution again

unless a just cause prevents them from doing so.

(3) In order that the faithful may fruitfully partici-

pate in the sacramental celebration of Penance with

general confession and absolution, it is absolutely

necessary that they be properly disposed especially

through a fitting celebration of the liturgy of the

Word.

The conversion of one who has sinned must in-

clude sorrow for sin and the intention to lead a re-

newed life. These sentiments are expressed sacra-

mentally in confession of one’s sins along with due

satisfaction and amendment of life. Thus the new

Rite of Penance correctly states: “God grants pardon

for sin through the Church, which works by the min-

istry of priests” (no. 6).

SECRETARIAT, BISHOPS’ COMMITTEE

ON THE LITURGY

1975

Publications Office, UNITED STATES CATHOLIC CONFERENCE
1312 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20005