Aspects of the sacrament of reconciliation in the Papal Magisterium between 1983 and 2016

Abstract

The VI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops with the theme, “Penance and Reconciliation in the Mission of the Church” was held from 29 September to 29 October 1983. The Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Reconciliatio et Paenitentia reports that one of the common concerns among the synod fathers was: “The Sacrament of Penance is in crisis.” Accepting the Sacrament of Reconciliation is one of the most important opportunities for Christians in which they experience intimate individual relationship with God who forgives sins. Since the synod, the three popes, John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis, have tirelessly invited people to this precious gift of God through their Magisterium on various occasions such as papal documents, homilies and speeches. Their teachings, starting with the reality of loss of the sense of sin dominating our society, cover from the theological nature of the sacrament to the practical instructions on the pastoral praxis. These teachings of the popes are addressed not only to the faithful, but many of them are addressed to confessors, the minsters of the sacrament, which include the human and spiritual qualities of the confessor and his attitude in the confessional as well as in his life as a priest. The teachings of the popes are always consistent, but the emphasis on each theme often varies for each pope and also depending on the situation. This dissertation intends to clarify their teachings on the Sacrament of Reconciliation, especially on its theological foundation, the responsibility of the confessor, and the pastoral praxis of the sacrament, focusing on the three popes’ emphasis on each theme.