As I understand Catholicism, confession is a regular thing to go to. And, as I understand it, even the Pope needs to go to confession, and probably more than most Catholics. (Just from the aspect of keeping his soul clear/clean, I am NOT impuning the Pope, OK?)
What I’m wondering is, since he is the head of the Catholic church, what does he do to in regards to going to confession (Confession?)?
Does he just go to a local church, or is there someone on staff whose task that is one of, or what? Goodness knows there are plenty of Bishops and Cardinals qualified for the task at the Vatican, but I’m just wondering what the procedure is.
I don’t know who Pope Benedict’s regular confessor is, but JP II had a regular confessor, a long-time friend of his, and made confession several times per week.
There’s no elaborate procedure. The Pope will make confession to someone on his staff that’s there for that purpose.
Hey, I know it’s early in the history of my post/question, but I’d just like to say thanks to everyone above and (if any) below for educating me. I learned something today!
To David Simmons’ question, yes, any ordained priest can hear any Catholic’s confession, from the Pope to the guy out on the corner. Many people do have a personal confessor, having established a good rapport and relationship of trust, and in the case of some high-ranking officials that becomes a special appointment. (As we can imagine, with certain top figures, it’s just sensible to control who has access to the information, regardless of sacramental sigil)
In a pinch - that is, in danger of death - yes. But as a general matter, no - any ordained priest CANNOT hear any Catholic’s confession. The priest hearing a confession must have this faculty assigned by law, or the authority assigned by law must have granted permission for the exception.
The Pope and the Cardinals may hear anyone’s confession, anywhere.
All Bishops may may hear anyone’s confession, anywhere, except if a particular Bishop has forbidden this in his own diocese.
Every Bishop in his own diocese, and every parish priest in his own parish, may hear confessions within the limits of his own territory. (That is, a Bishop eevrywhere in his diocese; a parish priest everywhere in his parish). A Bishop may grant his priests the faculty to hear confessions anywhere in his diocese.
The Superior of a religious institute or of a society of apostolic life may hear confessions of his members, and grant to other priests the faculty to hear those confessions.
A priest lawfully assigned as the chaplain of a particular group or organization may hear the confessions of any members of that group without regard to physical bounderies.
Confession isn’t just for the really serious sins. You can confess all the small ones too. For most penitents, most of the time, that’s what confession will be all about, I’d imagine. As for the late Pope - perhaps he was rude or impatient with his staff and colleagues. Who knows?
I hesitate to speculate on any specific person’s confession.
But as a general principle, someone who confesses several times per week is unlikely to be repeatedly committing mortal sins. Confession is an excellent way to unburden your soul and focus your thoughts on your behavior, though, even if it doesn’t involve serious sin.
Indeed; I can attest personally that after Confession, there is often a special spring in someone’s step. It can feel like you’ve just dropped a grotesquely heavy weight you didn’t even know was there.
When you are the Pope, I imagine pride is a tough sin to keep ahead of.
Then again, you who wonder about the frequency of the Pope’s sins might well consider how often he would confess if he had your sins on his conscience. I think he probably sets his own personal bar for piety fairly high. At least I would hope so, were I a Catholic.
Bricker: What with being Pope, and all, couldn’t His Holiness, if out on the town, so to speak, just make whichever priest was available his confessor by Fiat ex Cathedra? Of course, reality makes it unlikely that His Holiness is going to be more than fifty feet from a brace of Cardinals, a six pack of bishops, and a phalanx of priests.
Tris
“When they’re handin’ out the hartaches, you know you got to have you some.” ~ Juice Newton
I suppose he could – the pontiff has full, immediate, and universal legislative power, so the Code of Canon Law could be, theoretically, re-written by him on the fly to include an asterisk that says, “…except when I say so.”
