Chapter IX. The Confessors of Religious

THE local Ordinary can give jurisdiction to hear the confessions of the members of a clerical order of exempt religious, as we have seen. Their religious superior, in accordance with the Constitutions, can likewise grant jurisdiction for hearing the confessions of the religious, of the novices, and of others who by day and night live in a house of the religious as servants, scholars, guests, or for the sake of their health. The religious superior can grant jurisdiction for hearing the confessions of all these to secular priests also, and to priests of other religious institutes.

In an exempt institute of laymen the superior proposes a confessor to the local Ordinary from whom he ought to obtain jurisdiction (Can. 875).

In an institute of laymen who are not exempt the local Ordinary designates a priest to hear confessions (Can. 529).

In each house of clerical religious it is prescribed that several lawfully approved confessors be appointed according to the number of the inmates, with power to absolve from cases reserved in the order in the case of exempt religious (Can. 518, sec. 1).

In institutes of laymen it is prescribed that an ordinary and an extraordinary confessor be appointed; and if a religious ask for a special confessor the superior should grant the request without in any way inquiring into the reason for the request, or showing displeasure at it (Can. 528).

To hear the confessions of novices in orders of men it is prescribed that one or more ordinary confessors be appointed according to the number of novices. In the case of clerical orders, these ordinary confessors should live in the novitiate; in the case of orders of laymen, they should at least frequently come to the novitiate to hear the confessions of the novices.

Besides the ordinary confessors some other confessors should also be appointed, and free access to them should be allowed the novices.

Moreover, at least four times in the year an extraordinary confessor should be allowed the novices, and all of them should present themselves to him at least to ask for his blessing (Can. 566). y Finally, while the Constitutions which prescribe or advise confession at fixed times to appointed confessors should be observed, if a religious even though exempt, for his peace of conscience, go to a confessor approved by the local Ordinary, even though he is not one of those designated for religious, the confession is lawful and valid, and any privilege to the contrary is revoked; and such confessor can absolve the religious even from sins and censures reserved in the order (Can. 519).

To hear the confessions of religious women in their convents lawfully and validly, both secular and religious priests of any degree or office, except Cardinals, require a special jurisdiction which the Ordinary of the place grants where the convent is situated, and any special law or privilege to the contrary is revoked (Can. 876).

To hear the confessions of such religious women one ordinary confessor only is to be appointed for each convent, unless the great number of the religious or some other cause require more (Can. 520).

The ordinary confessor is appointed for three years, but under certain conditions his office may be prolonged for a second or even for a third period of three years (Can. 526).

An extraordinary confessor for each community of religious women should be granted at least four times in the year, and all the religious and novices should present themselves to him at least to ask for his blessing (Can. 521).

The local Ordinary should appoint some special confessors for every house where a religious community lives to whom any nun may easily have recourse in particular cases, and if any religious asks for such a confessor no superioress in any way may inquire into the reason for the request, refuse it, or show displeasure at it (Can. 521).

Besides these confessors a religious sister, for the quiet of her conscience and for greater progress in the way of God, may ask for some special confessor or spiritual director, and the Ordinary should readily grant the request, while taking care that abuse does not creep in (Can. 520).

A religious sister may also go to any confessor approved for women by the local Ordinary in any church or oratory, even semi-public, or in a place lawfully set apart for hearing the confessions of women, without being obliged to refer to her superioress; indeed, the superioress is not allowed to forbid her going, or to inquire about it even indirectly (Can. 522).

A religious sister who is seriously ill, though not in danger of death, may call any priest approved for hearing the confessions of women though not designated for religious, and confess to him as often as she wishes during her serious illness, nor can the superioress forbid it, directly or indirectly (Can. 523).: Any priest can absolve anyone in danger of death.

The confessors of religious women should be conspicuous for probity and prudence, forty years of age, unless in the judgement of the Ordinary a good reason otherwise require, and they have no power over the religious in the external forum.