Case LXVI: Absolution of Nuns

Case.—Father Narcissus, an approved confessor, while visiting a hospital conducted by nuns is asked to hear the confession of one of the sisters, who is seriously though not mortally sick. This he agrees to do, arguing with himself that since the latest decree regarding the confessions of nuns places the latter on the same level as the ordinary faithful, and since he possesses diocesan faculties, he may hear the confessions of nuns even within the convent.

Question.—How is the decree Cum de Sacramentalibus of Feb. 3, 1913, to be interpreted?

Solution.—In addition to the decree of Feb., 1913, treating of the confessions of nuns, Pius X. issued a further decree, on August 5th, 1913, which grants to approved confessors over the whole world the faculty of giving absolution to members of religious Orders, Congregations or Institutes, without being obliged to inquire whether permission was previously obtained by said religious or not. The faculty thus granted includes the power to absolve validly and licitly even from sins which are reserved sub censura in the Order or Institute. This faculty is an extension of the one which had been given earlier to priests residing in the Holy City. Nothing is said herein about hearing confessions within religious houses. The point touched upon is that the confessor is not obliged to ask whether the religious has obtained permission or not. This implies that the confession is heard outside of the convent. If the priest was hearing confessions inside the religious house we would have an indication that the superior had given permission for the Procedure. Now, if we turn to the general decree of February 1913, we read in the first paragraph that only one ordinary confessor shall be assigned to each house, unless necessity demands the appointment of two or more. In the fourth paragraph it is said that the “Ordinary will assign several priests whom the religious in particular cases can easily send for to hear their confessions.” Now, are these to be reckoned as ordinary confessors? Evidently not, since in the first paragraph we read that each house is to have only one ordinary confessor. The several are not to be held as extraordinary, for the words “particular cases” rule out such an interpretation. Extraordinaries are for general, not for particular cases. Hence they must belong to the third class provided for in this decree, viz., to the special confessors. The decree provides for the calling of a special confessor at the request of a nun, “for the peace of her soul, or for her greater progress in spiritual perfection.” Does this refer to any confessor who has the jurisdiction and approbation necessary to hear confession in the diocese, or does it refer to the several mentioned above? Upon this point there is some doubt. Some think it refers to any priest having jurisdiction and approbation; others think it excludes all but the several assigned by the bishop for that purpose. To us it seems that it refers only to the several actually designated by the Ordinary. If not, then what is the reason for the appointment of the several, since they are neither ordinary nor extraordinary? In the fifteenth paragraph it is laid down that a sick sister “may call any priest approved for hearing confessions.” Here it distinctly says any priest. In the preceding part the term any is not used, but there seems to be a connection between the several who are for particular cases and the special who are to be called at the request of the individual nun. We are inclined, then, to believe that any priest having jurisdiction and approbation in a diocese for the confessions of the faithful may not validly or licitly hear confessions within the walls of a religious house except in case of sickness. While nuns when absent from their convent may confess to any priest who can hear the confessions of the faithful, the statement that they are by recent legislation put on a level with the faithful as regards the convent itself, cannot be admitted until Rome definitely pronounces upon this point.