Development 400-600

This letter intends merely to clarify practical points regarding the administration of the anointing of the sick, viz., who is to administer it; but in reality it sums up the contemporary teaching. It links the anointing with the text of James; the oil is blessed by the bishop; it is used, apart from the sacramental rite, also for other purposes; the anointing is done by bishops or priests; it is called a'sacrament' which, however, must not be understood in the later technical sense as one of the seven sacraments. Still, the fact that those who undergo penance and hence are excluded from the Eucharist cannot receive it, indicates that it is considered as something more than a pious custom.

[Your next question] concerns the text from the epistle of the blessed apostle James: "Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the Church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven" (James 5:14). This must undoubtedly be accepted and understood as referring to the oil of Chrism, prepared by the bishop, which can be used for anointing not only by priests but also by all Christians whenever they themselves or their people are in need of it. The question whether the bishop can do what undoubtedly can be done by priests seems superfluous, for priests are mentioned simply because bishops are prevented by other occupations and cannot visit all the sick. But if a bishop is in a position to do so and thinks it proper, he, to whom it belongs to prepare the Chrism, can himself without hesitation visit the sick to bless them and anoint them with Chrism. But it may not be used on those undergoing penance for it is of the nature of a sacrament. How could one think that one kind of sacrament should be allowed to those to whom the rest is denied?

Neuner-Dupuis 1604/236, (2001), pp. 658-659
Reconciliation at the time of death remained controversial on various grounds: 1) suspicions concerning the sincerity of those in danger of death, as they seemed to seek absolution only out of fear; 2) the need for works of satisfaction which seemed indispensable for reconciliation. In this official letter Pope Celestine insists on offering reconciliation to the dying who ask for it. His letter reflects a great pastoral concern for the faithful in the decisive hour of their death, and an absolute trust in God's mercy.

It came to our notice that penance is denied to the dying, and the desire of those who in the hour of death wish to be helped by this remedy for their souls is not fulfilled. We confess to be horrified that anyone should be so impious as to despair of God's mercy, as if he could not succour one who takes refuge in him at any time and liberate him or her who is oppressed by the weight of sins, from the burden of which one wishes to be freed. What else is this but to inflict death on the dying, and by one's cruelty to kill his/her soul that it may not be absolved? Because God is most ready with his assistance, he adds this promise to the invitation to penance: "On whatever day sinners will turn to me, their sins will not be remembered against them" (cf. Ez 33:12 and 16 Vulg).[...] Since God is the knower of the heart, at no time must penance be denied to one who asks for it.

Neuner-Dupuis 1605/308, (2001), pp. 659-660
This great Pope also takes up the doctrinal and pastoral problems of the penitential discipline, mainly the need to offer reconciliation to the dying. In this letter, he explains the role of the priest in reconciliation. His role is indispensable. lt is described by Leo as 'supplication', which reflects the consciousness of the early Church that in forgiving sins the priest does not act in his own right but carries out the mediating mission of Christ. Yet this supplication is not merely a personal prayer of the priest, but the official intercession of the Church who has the mandate to lead sinners through penance to reconciliation with God.

God's manifold mercy comes to the aid of human beings who have fallen so that the hope of eternal life may be restored not only through the grace of baptism but also through the remedy of penance. Thus, those who have violated the gifts of their new birth can come to the forgiveness of their crimes by a judgment in which they condemn themselves. These remedies of the divine goodness have been so ordained that God's forgiveness cannot be obtained except through the supplication of the priests. For "the one mediator between God and humankind, the man Jesus Christ" (1 Tim 2:5) gave to those who hold authority in the Church the power to grant the discipline of penance to those who confess and, after they have been purified through salutary satisfaction, to admit them to the communion of the sacraments through the door of reconciliation.

I order that all measures be taken to eradicate the presumptuous deviation from the apostolic rule through an illicit abuse of which I have learned of late. In the procedure of penance, for which the faithful ask, there should be no public confession of sins in kind and number read from a written list, since it is enough that the guilt of conscience be revealed to the priests alone in secret confession. Though such fulness of faith seems praiseworthy which out of the fear of God is not afraid of shame before human beings, yet not all sins are such that those who ask for penance would not fear them to become publicly known. Hence this objectionable practice must be removed lest many be kept away from the remedies of penance, either out of shame or for fear that their enemies rnay com.e to know of facts which could bring harm to them through legal procedures. For that confession is sufficient which is first offered to God, then also to the priest whose role is that of an intercessor for the sins of the penitents. Finally a greater number will be induced to penance only if the conscience of the penitent is not made public for all to hear.

Neuner-Dupuis 1607, (2001), p.661
The 11^th canon of this regional Council is of particular interest as it belongs to a period of transition. It sternly reasserts the old penitential order with its basic structure of exclusion from the community, satisfaction through a protracted period of time, and finally reconciliation. Ever since Hermas, this way of penance was granted only once in a life-time. The Council reflects the new practice of granting reconciliation to penitents as often as they ask for it, according to a new code of canons. The new practice had come from Ireland and England to France, and from there had spread also to Spain. The text is found in Mansi, IX, 995.

It came to our knowledge that in some Churches in Spain people go through the discipline of penance for their sins, not according to the canons but in a most shameful manner, viz., as often as they happen to fall into sin they ask for reconciliation from the priest.	XI Quoniam comperimus per quasdam Hispaniarum ecclesias, non secundum canonem, sed ffoedissime pro suis peccatis homines agere poenitentiam, ut quotienseumque peccare libuerit, totiens a presbytero reconciliari expostulent;
To eradicate this execrable presumption this holy Council commands that penance be granted according to the old canons, which means that [the priest] first suspends from the communion the person who repents of one's deed, that he lets the person come frequently to the imposition of hands along with the other penitents,	et ideo pro coercenda tam execrabili praesumptione, id a sancto concilio jubetur, ut secundum formam canonum antiquorum dentur poenitentiae, hoc est, ut prius eum, quem sui poenitet facti, a communione suspendum, faciat inter reliquos poenitentes ad manus impositionem crebro recurrere;
that after he or she has completed the time of satisfaction with the approval of the priest, the priest restores the person to communion. But those who fall back into their former vices, either during the time of penance or after reconciliation, should be condemned in accordance with the severity of the earlier canons.	expleto autem satisfactionis tempore, sicuti sacerdotalis contemplatio probaverit, eum communionirestituat. Hi vero qui ad priora vitia, vel infra poenitentiae tempus, vel post reconciliationem relabuntur, secundum priorum canonum feveritatem damnentur.

It came to our knowledge that in some Churches in Spain people go through the discipline of penance for their sins, not according to the canons but in a most shameful manner, viz., as often as they happen to fall into sin they ask for reconciliation from the priest. To eradicate this execrable presumption this holy Council commands that penance be granted according to the old canons, which means that [the priest] first suspends from the communion the person who repents of one's deed, that he lets the person come frequently to the imposition of hands along with the other penitents, that after he or she has completed the time of satisfaction with the approval of the priest, the priest restores the person to communion. But those who fall back into their former vices, either during the time of penance or after reconciliation, should be condemned in accordance with the severity of the earlier canons.

help others—living or dead—to become ever more intimately united with the Father in heaven.