The Manuals Side by Side
The Faculty of Choosing a Confessor
Each work's treatment of this topic, whole and in its own order, in its own column. Paragraph numbers link to the passage in its place in the manual. Back to the topic page.
Wouters, Manual of Moral Theology
Vol. II, Bk. III, Tr. V, Diss. II, Appendix. On Indulgences, Pt. II, Sect. VIII, Ch. II, Article I. On the Faculty of Choosing a Confessor
I. Nuns, and their novices, candidates, and postulants who are educated by them and live with them, and also all religious sisters of simple vows with novices, candidates, and girls being educated, though not externs and others using a common table with them, and also all oblates without vows approved by Ecclesiastical authority, with novices, candidates, girls, and others living in common with them, can choose for themselves a confessor approved by their Ordinary according to the prescriptions of the Code. This confessor can absolve them from any censures and sins, even those reserved to the Holy Apostolic See in a special manner, excepting the case of formal and external heresy.2
II. The faculty formerly granted to regulars and others, after the new Code (cf. canon 519), now lacks practical value.
1 Cf. Navarrus, Commentarius de Iubilaeo; Viva, De Iubilaeo; Van de Burgt, De Iubilaeo; Bastien, De Iubilaeo.
2 A.A.S. 1924, pp. 317, 319.
Bucceroni, Moral Enchiridion
Bucceroni, Moral Enchiridion, On the Jubilee
N. 1075. - On the Choice of a Confessor
"As to the choice of Confessor, whether he ought to have been approved by the Ordinary of the place or by the Ordinary of the Order with respect to Regulars? Resp. Regulars, according to the Apostolic Letters Gravibus Ecclesiae, for gaining the Jubilee can choose for themselves any confessor, who nevertheless has been approved by the Ordinaries of Places for hearing the confessions of secular persons." S. Poenit. 1875.
"Since the Bull of the indiction of the Jubilee concedes that a confessor may be chosen from those actually approved, and does not add, by the Ordinaries of places, can a regular choose a regular priest approved by the regular superior alone, and not by the Ordinary of the place, and receive from him the application of the privileges or faculties of the Jubilee? Resp. Affirmatively." S. Poenit. 30 Jan. 1886.
Bucceroni, Moral Enchiridion (4th ed., 1905)
Bucceroni, Moral Enchiridion (4th ed., 1905), On the Jubilee
On the Choice of a Confessor
"With respect to the choice of a confessor, must he be approved by the Ordinary of the place or by the Ordinary of the order [with respect to regulars]? - Response. According to the Apostolic Letter Gravibus Ecclesiae, in order to gain the Jubilee, regulars can choose for themselves any confessor who is nevertheless approved by the Ordinaries of the places for hearing the confessions of secular persons." Sacred Penitentiary, 1875.
"Since the Bull proclaiming the Jubilee grants that a confessor be chosen from those actually approved and does not add by the Ordinaries of the places, can a regular choose a regular priest approved only by the regular superior and not by the Ordinary of the place, and receive from him the application of the privileges or faculties of the Jubilee? - Response. Affirmative." Sacred Penitentiary, 30 January 1886.
Gury-Ballerini, Compendium of Moral Theology (8th ed., 1884)
Vol. II, Appendix. On Indulgences a…, Chapter II. On the Jubilee
- QUESTION 17. During the Jubilee, is it lawful to choose as Confessor anyone approved by the Ordinary?
Reply. Affirmatively, and this faculty particularly regards Nuns and their Novices, and indeed Regulars themselves. Thus Benedict XIV declared after Gregory XIII and Alexander VII. St. Alphonsus, no. 536.
Except, however, the case of an accomplice. For Benedict XIV declared that outside the point of death a Priest can never, even during the Jubilee, absolve his accomplice in a shameful sin, Bull Inter praeteritos.
QUESTION 18. How far does the extraordinary power concerning the absolution of sins extend?
Reply. Unless otherwise and expressly declared, all Confessors have the faculty of absolving from any sins whatsoever, even those reserved to the Apostolic See in the Bull Coenae or otherwise reserved in any manner; and also from sins reserved to the Bishop, even if this is not expressed.
Tanquerey
Vol. I, Matrimony, and Holy Orders, On Penance (Volume I), Appendix: On Indulgences
1° On the Faculty of Choosing a Confessor
- (A) Nuns properly so called, making solemn vows, and their novices, can choose for themselves, for gaining the Jubilee, a confessor from among those who, for nuns, for any monastery whatsoever, have been approved as ordinary or extraordinary confessors. But nuns of simple vows can choose for themselves a confessor simply approved.
(B) All other faithful of either sex, both lay and ecclesiastical, even Regulars of any Order whatsoever, can for the same effect choose for themselves as confessor any priest whatsoever, whether Secular or Regular, even of a different Order, approved by the Ordinary of the place for hearing the confessions of seculars. But if Regulars wish to choose a confessor of their own Order, he alone must be one of those approved by the Regular Prelate.