2007-02-06 06:40:57 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Any priest (including the pope) can hear the confession of any Catholic.
No priest (including the pope) can absolve himself.
The pope needs to go to another priest to give his confession.
"The priest is not a priest for himself. He does not give absolution to himself. He does not administer the sacraments to himself. He does not exist for himself, he exists for you" (Cure of Ars: Monnin II 453).
What a comfort to the guilty, when, stung with remorse and repenting of his sins, he hears the word of the priest who says to him in God's name: "I absolve thee from thy sins!" These words fall, it is true, from the lips of one who, in his turn, must needs beg the same absolution from another priest. This does not debase the merciful gift; but makes it, rather, appear greater; since beyond the weak creature is seen more clearly the hand of God through whose power is wrought this wonder. (Encyclical of Pope Pius Xi on the Catholic Priesthood) http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/pius_xi/encyclicals/documents/hf_p-xi_enc_19351220_ad-catholici-sacerdotii_en.html
With love in Christ.
2007-02-06 07:22:35 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 3⤊ 1⤋
he doesn't absolve himself, he actually goes through confession just like an ordinary person. Pope John Paul II actually had confession everyday.
2007-02-06 14:47:28 · answer #2 · answered by Franky 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Pope can go to any ordained priest for confession. Sacramentally the Pope isn't any different from any baptized Catholic.
The only sacrament where rank matters is ordination; only a bishop can ordain a man to the priesthood.
2007-02-06 14:48:33 · answer #3 · answered by Church Music Girl 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Good question.
I suppose he has a priest or priests. The really interesting question is, what does the Pope confess? For example, does he make just ONE confession for running the world's largest organization of serial pedophiles, or maybe one for each diocese, or...?
2007-02-06 14:48:09 · answer #4 · answered by jonjon418 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm pretty sure he gives his confession to a priest or bishop. I know that John Paul II went to confession once a week to show his humility.
2007-02-06 14:46:34 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The pope confesses as anyone else.
2007-02-06 14:48:33 · answer #6 · answered by carl 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He has a priest who listens and absolves his sins.
2007-02-06 14:44:17 · answer #7 · answered by Lives7 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He'll be absolved posthumansly through Mormon's proxy baptism!
2007-02-06 14:49:00 · answer #8 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes he confesses to another priest
2007-02-06 14:45:47 · answer #9 · answered by Sternchen 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He absolves, then dissolves.
the hopefully he'll apoligise for the crusades!!
2007-02-06 14:45:10 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋