YOUCAT Lesson 234
YOUCAT the catechism for Catholic youth
234 When is a Catholic obliged to confess his
serious sins? How often should one go to
confession?
Upon reaching the age of reason, a Catholic is obliged to
confess his serious sins. The Church
urgently advises the faithful to do this at least once a year. At any rate one must go to confession before
receiving Holy Communion if one has committed a serious sin. [1457]
By “the age of reason”, the Church means the age at which
one has arrived at the use of reason and has learned to distinguish between
good and bad. 315-320
“It is not correct to think we must live like this, so that
we are never in need of pardon. We must
accept our frailty but keep on going, not giving up but moving forward and
becoming converted ever anew through the sacrament of Reconciliation for a new
start, and thus grow and mature in the Lord by our communion with him.” Pope Benedict XVI, February 17, 2007
Age of Reason
The age of reason, also called the age of discretion, is the age at which children attain the use of reason and begin to have moral responsibility. On completion of the seventh year a minor is presumed to have
the use of reason,[3] but mental retardation or insanity prevent some individuals from ever attaining
the use of reason. The term "use of reason" appears in the Code of Canon Law 17 times, but "age of reason" does not appear.[4] However, the term "age of reason" is used in canon law
commentaries such as the New Commentary on the
Code of Canon Law published by Paulist
Press in 2002.
Children who do not have the use of reason and the mentally
handicapped are sometimes called "innocents" because of their inability to commit sins: even if their actions are objectively
sinful, they sometimes lack capacity for subjective guilt.
The
confession of sins
.......1457 According to the Church's command, "after having attained the age of discretion, each of the faithful is bound by an obligation faithfully to confess serious sins at least once a year."(compare Codex Iuris Canonici, Can. 989; Council of Trent (1551): Denzinger-Schönmetzer 1683; DS 1708.)56 Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion, even if he experiences deep contrition, without having first received sacramental absolution, unless he has a grave reason for receiving Communion and there is no possibility of going to confession.(compare Council of Trent (1551): Denzinger-Schönmetzer1647; 1661; Codex Iuis Canonici, can. 916; Corpus Canonum Ecclesiarum Orientalium, can. 711.)57 Children must go to the sacrament of Penance before receiving Holy Communion for the first time.58
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