We all know that catholics confess their sins to their preacher, but who does the preacher confess their sins to. And who does the pope confess their sins to? I'm not trying to show any disrespect here, I'm just very curious?
2007-07-19 20:20:11 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
No priest (including the pope) can absolve himself.
Therefore every priest up to and including 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
2007-07-20 17:40:36 · answer #1 · answered by imacatholic2 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are NOT preachers. They are PRIESTS. And they confess to other priests, of course. The Pope may confess any sins to any priest, but each Pope has a "right hand man" to name him somehow, who they go to.
2007-07-19 20:24:47 · answer #2 · answered by zytlaly 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Actually, I have a friend who is a priest, and they confess to their superiors in the church, who confesses to his superior, and so on, and the pope himself is confessed by one of his most trusted archbishops.
2007-07-19 20:26:58 · answer #3 · answered by Cheese Fairy - Mummified 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Another Priest or the Bishop
2007-07-19 20:26:25 · answer #4 · answered by MrCool1978 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i believe they confess to someone older than they or bigger in hierearchy. the pope confesses to some bishop i suppose..it's like waht monks do, they confess to one another, provided the one who gines absolvtion is older and thus wiser.
2007-07-19 20:25:21 · answer #5 · answered by metafrastria 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
another priest and the pope a priest they are only human too >.>
2007-07-19 20:23:32 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
well they better be confessing to god or their not following the bible.
2007-07-19 20:32:55 · answer #7 · answered by just a christian 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋