QUESTION:
5/20/2010: Do Orthodox priests give out penances after Holy Confession? If so, why...? If during confession, we have asked for and received, through the priest, forgiveness for our sins? Is this at the discretion of a priest and if so, what criteria does he use is deciding to give out a penance e.g. to say an Our Father and Hail Mary? |
ANSWER:
Orthodox priests (and in fact primarily bishops) can and do give penances. The Roman Catholic custom (not almost discontinued) of giving our recitations of Our Father or Hail Mary is not practiced in Orthodoxy - the priest's penance may be of various forms according the pastoral and spiritual needs at hand. In serious cases, the penance can be suspension from receiving Holy Communion, as the ancient canons indicate. In this case, absolution may not be given since its effect is precisely to reunite a penitent to the Church.
In a way, there are two forms of confession: the first is the one that can reunite someone separated from the unity of the Church by grave sins. This should be rare! The second is more pastoral in nature, seeking mutual accountability, counselling, guidance, encouragement, etc.
In confession and absolution, the representative of the Church declares the assurance of forgiveness and reconciliation in Christ to the penitent, in accordance to the Lord's mandate found in Matthew 18 and John 21. |
