V. PENITENTIAL SERVICES

V. DE CELEBRATIONIBUS PÆNITENTIALIBUS

NATURE AND STRUCTURE

Indoles et structura

36. Penitential services are gatherings of the people of God to hear God’s word as an invitation to conversion and renewal of life and as the message of our liberation from sin through Christ’s death and resurrection. The structure of these services is the same as that usually followed in celebrations of the word of God and given in the Rite for Reconciliation of Several Penitents. (51 cf. SCR, Instr. InterOec, Sept. 26, 1964, nos. 37—39 [DOL 23, nos. 329—334)

36. Celebrationes pænitentiales sunt populi Dei conventus ad verbum Dei audiendum per quod fit invitatio ad conversionem et ad vitæ renovationem necnon nuntium de nostra liberatione a peccato per mortem et resurrectionem Christi. Eorum structura ea est quæ de more in celebrationibus verbi Dei servatur, et quæ in Ordine ad reconciliandos plures pcenitentes proponitur.

It is appropriate, therefore, that after the introductory rites (song, greeting, and opening prayer) one or more biblical readings be chosen with songs, psalms, or periods of silence inserted between them. In the homily these readings should be explained and applied to the congregation. Before or after the readings from Scripture, readings from the Fathers or other writers may also be selected that will help the community and each person to a true awareness of sin and heartfelt sorrow, in other words, to bring about conversion of life.

    Convenit, ergo, ut post ritum initii (cantum, salutationem et orationem) una vel plures lectiones e sacra Scriptura proferantur, cantibus vel psalmis vel silentii momentis interpositis, quae per homiliam fidelibus congregatis explicentur et applicentur. Nihil prohibet quominus sive ante lectiones Scripturæ sive post illas, aliæ aliam lectiones fiant ex Patribus vel scriptoribus qui reapse communitatem et singulos adiuvent ad veram cognitionem peccati et ad veram cordis contritionem, ad conversionem scilicet provocandam.

After the homily and reflection on God’s word, it is desirable that the congregation, united in voice and spirit, pray together in a litany or in some other way suited to general participation. At the end the Lord’s Prayer is said, asking God our Father “to forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us . . . and deliver us from evil.” The priest or the minister who presides concludes with a prayer and the dismissal of the people.

    Post homiliam et meditationem verbi Dei, expedit ut coetus fidelium uno corde et una voce oret, per precem aliquam litanicam vel alio modo apto ad participationem fidelium promovendam. Postremo semper oratio dominica dicatur ut Deus Pater noster, « dimittat nobis debita nostra sicut et nos dimittimus debitoribus nostris ... et liberet nos a malo ». Sacerdos, sive minister qui congregationi præest, concludit cum oratione et populi dimissione.

BENEFIT AND IMPORTANCE

Utilitas et momentum

37. Care must be taken to ensure that the faithful do not confuse these celebrations with the celebration of the sacrament of penance.  (cf. SCDF, Pastoral Norms for General Absolution, Norm X [DOL 361, no. 3048]   Penitential services are very helpful in promoting conversion of life and purification of heart. (1bid)

37. Caveatur ne hæ celebrationes, in opinione fidelium, cum ipsa sacramenti Pænitentiæ celebratione confundantur.st Hæ autem cele brationes pænitentiales perutiles sunt ad conversionem et cordis purificationem promovendam

It is desirable to arrange them especially for these purposes:

Celebrationes pænitentiales convenienter instituuntur præsertim:

      —to foster the spirit of penance within the Christian community;

— ad spiritum pænitentiæ in communitate christiana fovendum;

      —to help the faithful to prepare for individual confession that can be made later at a convenient time;

— ad fideles adiuvandos in præparatione confessionis quæ postea, temporibus opportunis, a singulis fieri potest;

      —to help children gradually form their conscience about sin in human life and about freedom from sin through Christ;

— ad pueros educandos ut gradatim sibi efforment conscientiam de peccato in vita humana et de liberatione a peccato per Christum;

      —to help catechumens during their conversion.

— ad catechumenos in conversione adiuvandos.

Penitential services, moreover, are very useful in places where no priest is available to give sacramental absolution. They offer help in reaching that perfect contrition that comes from charity and that enables the faithful to receive God’s grace through a desire for the sacrament of penance in the future. (cf. Trent, sess. 14, De Sacr. Paen., Chapter 5: Denz-Schön 1677)

    Præterea, ubi nullus sacerdos præsto est ad sacramentalem absolutionem impertiendam, celebrationes pænitentiales utilissimæ sunt, utpote quæ ad contritionem ex caritate perfectam auxilium præbeant, qua fideles in voto pænitentiæ sacramentalis futuræ gratiam Dei consequi possunt P

VI. ADAPTATIONS OF THE RITE TO VARIOUS REGIONS AND CIRCUMSTANCES

DE APTATIONIBUS RITUS AD VARIAS REGIONES ET ADIUNCTA

ADAPTATIONS BY THE
CONFERENCES OF BISHOPS

De aptationibus quas Conferentiæ Episcopales facere possunt

38. In preparing particular rituals, the conferences of bishops have the authority to adapt the rite of penance to the needs of individual regions so that, after confirmation of the conference’s decisions by the Apostolic  cf., the rituals may be used in the respective regions. It is the responsibility of the conferences of bishops in this matter:

38. Conferentiis Episcopalibus competit, in Ritualibus particularibus apparandis, hunc Ordinem Pænitentiæ accommodare singularum regionum necessitatibus, ut, actis ab Apostolica Sede probatis, in regionibus ad quas pertinent, adhibeantur. Qua in re Conferentiarum Episcopalium erit:

     a) to establish regulations for the discipline of the sacrament of penance, particularly those affecting the ministry of priests;

    a) Normas circa disciplinam sacramenti Pænitentiæ statuere, in iis præsertim quæ ad ministerium sacerdotum et reservationem peccatorum spectant.

     b) to determine more precisely regulations about the confessional for the ordinary celebration of the sacrament of penance (see no. 12) and about the signs of repentance to be shown by the faithful before general absolution (see no. 35);

    b) Normas pressius determinare quoad locum aptum ad ordinariam sacramenti Pænitentiæ celebrationem et quoad signa pænitentiæ a fidelibus exhibenda in absolutione generali (cf. supra n. 35).

     c) to prepare translations of texts adapted to the character and language of each people; also to compose new texts of prayer for use by the faithful and the minister, keeping the essential sacramental formulary intact.

    c) Versiones textuum parare, quæ uniuscuiusque populi indoli et sermoni vere sint accommodatæ, et etiam novos textus componere pro precibus sive fidelium sive ministri, formula sacramentali integre servata.

COMPETENCE OF THE BISHOP

De iis quæ ad Episcopum spectant

39. It is for the diocesan bishop:

39. Ad Episcopum dioecesanum pertinet:

    a) to regulate the discipline of penance in his diocese, ( cf. LG no. 26 [DOL 4, no. 146])  even to the extent of adapting the rite according to the rules proposed by the conference of bishops;

   a) Disciplinam pænitentiæ in sua dioecesi moderari 54 etiam per opportunas ipsius ritus aptationes secundum normas irr ipsa Conferentia Episcopali propositas.

    b) to make the decision, after considering the conditions required by the law (see no. 31[b]) and the criteria agreed on with the other members of the conference of bishops, regarding the cases of need in which general absolution may be permitted. (cf. Cong. Doctr. Faith, Pastoral Norms on General Absolution, June 16, 1972, Norm V: AAS 64 (1972) 512. CIC, can. 961, §§1 and 2)

   b) Decernere, collatis consiliis cum aliis membris Conferentiæ Episcopalis, quando liceat sub condicionibus a Sancta Sede statutis absolutionem sacramentalem generali modo conferre.

ADAPTATIONS BY THE MINISTER

De accommodationibus, quæ ministro competunt

40. It is for priests, and especially parish priests (pastors):

40. Ad presbyteros vero, parochos præsertim, spectat:

    a) in celebrating reconciliation with individuals or with a community, to adapt the rite to the concrete circumstances of the penitents. They must preserve the essential structure and the entire form of absolution, but if necessary they may omit some parts of the rite for pastoral reasons or enlarge upon them, may select the texts of readings or prayers, and may choose a place more suitable for the celebration according to the regulations of the conference of bishops, so that the entire celebration may be enriching and effective;

    a) In celebratione reconciliationis, sive pro singulis sive pro communitate, ritum ad adiuncta concreta pænitentium aptare, servatis structura essentiali et formula integra absolutionis, partes quasdam, si oportet, ob rationes pastorales omittendo, vel uberiores reddendo, textus seligendo sive lectionum sive orationum, locum eligendo ad celebrationem magis accommodatum, iuxta normas a Conferentiis Episcopalibus statutas, ita ut tota celebratio uber simul et fructuosa exsistat.

    b) to celebrate and prepare occasional penitential services during the year especially in Lent. In order that the texts chosen and the order of the celebration may be adapted to the conditions and circumstances of the community or group (for example, children, sick persons, etc.), priests may be assisted by others, including the laity.

    b) Celebrationes pænitentiales aliquando per annum, præsertim tempore Quadragesimæ, proponere et præparare, aliis, etiam laicis, adiuvantibus, ita ut textus selecti et ordo celebrationis ad condicionem et adiuncta communitatis vel coetus (ex. gr. puerorum, infirmorum, etc.) vere sint accommodati.