St. Elizabeth of Portugal, Queen and Widow

Baltimore track

Baltimore Catechism No. 3

Lesson 17 — On the Sacrament of Penance

Q. 725.How does the Sacrament of Penance remit sin, and restore to the soul the friendship of God?

A.The Sacrament of Penance remits sin and restores the friendship of God to the soul by means of the absolution of the priest.

Q. 726.What is Absolution?

A.Absolution is the form of prayer or words the priest pronounces over us with uplifted hand when he forgives the sins we have confessed. It is given while we are saying the Act of Contrition after receiving our Penance.

Q. 727.Does the priest ever refuse absolution to a penitent?

A.The priest must and does refuse absolution to a penitent when he thinks the penitent is not rightly disposed for the Sacrament. He sometimes postpones the absolution till the next confession, either for the good of the penitent or for the sake of better preparation--especially when the person has been a long time from confession.

Q. 728.What should a person do when the priest has refused or postponed absolution?

A.When the priest has refused or postponed absolution, the penitent should humbly submit to his decision, follow his instructions, and endeavor to remove whatever prevented the giving of the absolution and return to the same confessor with the necessary dispositions and resolution of amendment.