Wednesday, June 3, 2009

1Pet 5, 3 Be examples to the flock

(1Pet 5, 3) Be examples to the flock
[3] Do not lord it over those assigned to you, but be examples to the flock.
(CCC 1489) To return to communion with God after having lost it through sin is a process born of the grace of God who is rich in mercy and solicitous for the salvation of men. One must ask for this precious gift for oneself and for others. (CCC 1482) The sacrament of Penance can also take place in the framework of a communal celebration in which we prepare ourselves together for confession and give thanks together for the forgiveness received. Here, the personal confession of sins and individual absolution are inserted into a liturgy of the word of God with readings and a homily, an examination of conscience conducted in common, a communal request for forgiveness, the Our Father and a thanksgiving in common. This communal celebration expresses more clearly the ecclesial character of penance. However, regardless of its manner of celebration the sacrament of Penance is always, by its very nature, a liturgical action, and therefore an ecclesial and public action (Cf. SC 26-27). (CCC 1483) In case of grave necessity recourse may be had to a communal celebration of reconciliation with general confession and general absolution. Grave necessity of this sort can arise when there is imminent danger of death without sufficient time for the priest or priests to hear each penitent's confession. Grave necessity can also exist when, given the number of penitents, there are not enough confessors to hear individual confessions properly in a reasonable time, so that the penitents through no fault of their own would be deprived of sacramental grace or Holy Communion for a long time. In this case, for the absolution to be valid the faithful must have the intention of individually confessing their sins in the time required (Cf. CIC, can. 962 §1). The diocesan bishop is the judge of whether or not the conditions required for general absolution exist (Cf. CIC, can. 961 § 2). A large gathering of the faithful on the occasion of major feasts or pilgrimages does not constitute a case of grave necessity (Cf. CIC, can. 961 § 1).

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