ROME CONDEMNS A MODERNIST FORMULA THAT INVALIDATES THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM

In an official statement, the Vatican has indicated that Baptism is not valid when these words are used with a modified formula invented by Modernists.

Vatican, 7.08.2020. - Changing the words of the formula for baptism render the sacrament invalid, said the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Specifically, a Baptism administered with the formula “We baptize you …” instead of “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost” is not valid because it is the person of Christ through the minister who is acting, not the assembly.

The doctrinal congregation’s ruling was published yesterday as a brief response to questions regarding the validity of Baptisms using that modified formula.

The congregation was asked whether a Baptism was valid if it had been performed with a formula that seeks to express the “communitarian significance” and participation of the family and those present during the celebration.

INVALID BAPTISM

For example, it said there have been celebrations administered with the words:

“In the name of the father and of the mother, of the godfather and of the godmother, of the grandparents, of the family members, of the friends, in the name of the community we baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.”

A Baptism administered with this kind of modified formula is not valid, the Congregation said, and the Baptisms would have to be redone for those individuals who had been baptized with the improvised wording.

VALID BAPTISM

The correct formula in the Rite of the Sacrament of Baptism spoken by the bishop, priest or deacon is:

“I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”

The doctrinal congregation said modifying “the form of the celebration of a sacrament does not constitute simply a liturgical abuse, like the transgression of a positive norm, but a ‘vulnus’ (wound) inflicted upon the ecclesial communion and the identifiability of Christ’s action, and in the most grave cases rendering invalid the sacrament itself".

Terrible Omission

It is a terrible omission what many families do with their sick relatives, whom they do not conveniently dispose, in case of danger of death, to receive the holy sacraments.

Providing the last aid of religion to the sick is not only an act of meritorious charity in the eyes of God, but also a sacred duty that is not infringed without incurring a terrible responsibility. If one becomes guilty of homicide when he lets his fellow man die of hunger, what name to give to the horrible crime of letting a soul perish for not supplying the aid of our holy religion?

And yet, how many times does experience show us that this crime is committed even by Catholic families! Whether by terrifying terrors or by an inexcusable weakness, the priest is called as late as possible and sometimes when the patient has already lost consciousness. We are not speaking here of the families that wait until the patient is dying, and that make religion a vain formality of pure convenience. Let us look away at the sight of so much indignity! We speak here of the families, in which there is still enough faith to consider the sacraments as holy things to wish that the sick receive them with a Christian disposition and in which, however, there is no talk of confession until after they have lost all hope of healing. And what happens often in this case? They still hesitate, delaying the moment; the terrible symptoms are present; and then they hurry, they run in search of a priest, but they arrive late, everything is over! God forbid that you be treated like this in your last hour!

But what is stopping the fulfillment of this sacred mission? - "I dare not speak to them about a priest", you say, "I fear frightening them". -And even if they got scared, do you prefer to expose their soul to eternal damnation or to a long expiation in purgatory? Scare them! If they were sleeping on the edge of an abyss or in a house invaded by flames, would you hesitate to wake them up to avoid frightening them?

You say that you will call the priest, when the sick person asks for it. But do you not know that the sick rarely realize their seriousness? It is your duty to prepare the sick person so that he receives timely religious help. Come in time to your parish or the known priest, who will facilitate the fulfillment of this grave duty.

Dispel from your mind the false preoccupation that the sick person will be frightened if you speak to him of sacraments.

Experience teaches that the patient knows that the priest comes to fulfill at his side the sweetest and most beneficial of all the ministries, to purify and console his soul, to bring him, finally, in the midst of the most cruel anguish, the peace and the sweetness of Jesus Christ.

The first step that must be taken when a patient is in danger is to call the parish priest or confessor to administer the sacraments of Penance, Eucharist and Extreme Unction and apply the plenary indulgence in the article of the death (very few know about this great grace, ask for it to the priest).

Note: In some countries there are groups, whose members promise to notify each other in case of serious illness, in order to receive spiritual aid in time. We could form one of those groups among us. Or, commit to it with two or three relatives. Another aspect to consider is to always be in sanctifying grace (confessed) before any surgery, even if the risk is low. Let us not forget that the commands of the Holy Mother Church force confession at least once a year (minimum minimorum) or if there is danger of death. Finally, it must be noted that the patient must have his scapular on and if it has not been imposed on him, ask the priest who attends him to do so. Every Catholic should always carry it.

O Mother of Mercy, listen to the prayers of Christian families, so that no one dies in their homes without receiving The Holy Viaticum!

EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE FOR CONFESSION

Confession is the easiest sacrament for us to receive, it is available to everyone and it does not require difficult conditions. Therefore, anyone willing to make a good Confession will always achieve their objective. Hence, those who are greatly afraid of making a bad Confession tend to make the best ones, due to this very fear.

Disciple: Should we pray before we go to Confession?

Master: It is a matter of faith that without the aid of divine grace we cannot make a good Confession. We must ask for this aid through prayer before the examination of conscience, and so we should:

1) Revive the faith in this sacrament, which is the principal means of salvation.

2) Greatly thank Jesus, who wanted to give us such a great gift, at the expense of His passion and death.

3) Entrust ourselves to Our Blessed Mother, who is Refuge of sinners, to our Guardian Angel and to the souls in purgatory; once we have done this we should examine our consciences.

D.- Oh, Father, it is at this point where my worries start. I am not capable of making a good examination of conscience… either I cannot remember my sins or I forget them when I am in front of the confessor.

M.- Slow down, my friend, slow down, let us not muddy the waters with an excessive zeal. Fear will never help us to achieve anything; however, if we try to proceed with calm and trust in God, we will certainly get what we want. Let us do our part and God will take care of the rest. Normally, the less satisfied we are, the more satisfied He is.

It is compulsory to make a serious (deep) and thorough examination for everyone who:

1) Commits mortal sins.

2) Goes to Confession very occasionally.

3) Has not made a good Confession in a long time.

These persons must confess their grave sins along with the circumstances that modify the type of sin, also the number of times they committed each, and, of course, they have to examine their conscience seriously and carefully in advance.

D.- What do we have to do to make a good examination of conscience?

M.- In order to examine thoroughly our consciences we have to consider one by one the Commandments of God and of the Church, together with one’s duties of state; examining if we have failed, and how many times, in thoughts, words, deeds or omissions, taking into account our ruling passion and the cause of our most ordinary faults.

In the First Commandment, we should examine if we have sinned against faith in any of the truths of our sacrosanct religion; if we have uttered or heard words; read books, journals or newspapers contrary to religion; if we have committed sacrileges, either by making bad Confessions or by receiving Communion sacrilegiously, or by showing contempt towards sacred persons or things; if we have engaged in superstitious practices or taken part in spiritualist acts.

In the Second Commandment, we should examine if we have blasphemed the Holy Name of God, the Blessed Virgin Mary, the saints or sacred things, and if we have taken false or unlawful oaths.

In the Third Commandment, we should examine if we have attended Mass properly on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation; if we have not listened to the sermons on purpose or have not attended catechism lessons; if we have engaged in servile works or if we have profaned the festivals engaging in illicit or dangerous distractions, this is to say, indulging in dissipation, or spending the day in taverns, clubs or dangerous places.

In the Fourth Commandment, we should examine if we have been disrespectful towards our parents or superiors, by word or by deed, if we have insulted them; if we have hit them or made them cry due to our bad behavior.

In the Fifth Commandment, we should examine if we have wounded somebody seriously; if we have sworn vengeance; if we have uttered imprecations or curses; if we have given scandal, that is to say, if we have induced other people to sin with our words or deeds.

In the Sixth and Ninth Commandments, we should examine if we have had thoughts or actions contrary to chastity, and if we have willfully entertained in them instead of discarding them immediately; if we have had or listened to impure conversations or if we have read immodest books; if we have committed impure actions alone or with others and if so, the nature, gender and status of those involved in such acts, since these circumstances modify the malice of the sin; if we commit them occasionally or if they have become a habit; and if we have frequented immodest places of dance or shows.

In the Seventh and Tenth Commandment, we should examine if we have stolen money or things of significant value, either from homes or from other people; if we have wronged our neighbor in their property; if we have desired in thought to take what is not ours.

In the Eighth Commandment, we should examine if we have told serious or harmful lies about our neighbor; if we have slandered or libeled someone; or if we have harmed others by telling lies against their honor or good name.

Moving on now to the Commandments of the Church, it is sufficient to examine if we have eaten meat on forbidden days and if we have not fasted, in case we are obliged to do it, or if we have not confessed our sins and received Holy Communion once a year during prescribed time.

We should add to the previous examination something related to vices and deadly sins, examining if we have committed serious sins of pride, gluttony, wrath and envy.

Finally, we should take a look at our obligations related to our duty of state.

D.- Should we also examine ourselves about the obligations of our duty of state?

R.- Of course! A father or a mother, a husband or a wife, a teacher, a superior or a clerk may observe diligently all the Commandments of God and of the Church, yet fail gravely in their duties of state; therefore, it is of the utmost importance to examine ourselves about it, if we wish to make a good Confession. The following anecdote is true:

During one of his trips, the emperor Charles the V lodged in a convent and wanted to make a Confession. A very kind and venerable religious listened intently to the emperor’s confession, and once he had finished, he told him: “Confessus es pecenta Caroli, nunc confitere peccata Caesarin”. You have confessed the sins committed by Charles, that is to say, as if you were not the emperor, now you should confess all the sins you have committed in the position you occupy. And with great ability and sagacity he began to interrogate him about how he ruled his people. The emperor was so moved that later on he said: “I have finally found a Father who has explained to me certain issues and has given full peace to my conscience.”

D.- Father, is it possible for everyone to make a perfect and diligent examination?

M.- If we do not succeed in making such an examination, it will suffice if we go to the confessor, willing to tell him everything we remember and to answer honestly the questions he asks us.

D.- But what happens if the confessor does not ask us and we forget to tell him some mortal sins?

M.- All sins, even mortal sins that we unintentionally forget, are forgiven together with the ones that we do confess, remaining only the obligation to confess them, if we remember them, in the next Confession we make.

D.- Do we also have to examine our thoughts and desires?

M.- Yes, of course, because thoughts and desires, if impure or evil, are also sins.

One time a candid child said to his mother: If what you have told me that nothing gets lost in the world is true, then where do thoughts and desires go?

- Son, said the mother, seriously, those deposit in the mind of God and remain there forever.

- Forever!, exclaimed the child, shocked.

For a while, he was thoughtful and a bit reflective, and then hugging his mother closely he said to her:

- I am scared!

If our thoughts are good, why would we be scared? But if certain thoughts make us feel afraid, it is a clear sign that we should examine them and abhor them.

D- Are bad thoughts always sins?

M.- No, my friend. Sometimes bad thoughts are not sins at all, other times they are venial sins, however, they can also be mortal sins. The next example will help clarify what we are saying:

If a spark of fire falls on a white cloth but we remove it immediately it does not leave a stain. If we leave it there for a brief instant, it will leave a blackened smear.

However, if we leave it there to see what happens, it will burn the cloth completely. The same happens with bad thoughts, if we discard them immediately, they do not cause any harm at all, if we entertain for an instant in them, they become venial sins, and if we indulge in them with full knowledge and consent, they become mortal sins.

D.- Who is not obliged to make a thorough (deep) examination of conscience?

M.- Timorous souls, who in addition confess frequently, are in no way obliged to make a thorough examination, the reason being that either they do not commit mortal sins, or having committed one they do not forget it easily (since they are recent sins. If they remember all of them, then it will not be necessary a deep examination).

D.- Now, Father, tell me, are those who anguish and agitate because they cannot find any sins at all acting wrong?

M.-Most probably yes. What is so wonderful about not finding any sins because they do not commit them? They should thank God and carry on without committing them with the powerful aid of the sacraments… sins, if not committed, cannot be found.

CONFESS WELL!

Fr. Luis José Chiavarino

IN THIS POST WE HAVE SEEN ONLY ONE OF THE CONDITIONS NECESSARY FOR MAKING A GOOD CONFESSION, TO SEE ALL OF THEM CLICK HERE: http://www.catholicityblog.com/2015/12/five-steps-necessary-for-making-good.html

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Source of information: Blog CATOLICIDAD http://www.catolicidad.com/2016/01/modo-practico-de-confesarse-el-examen.html Translated from Spanish by: Fabiola Lozano.

FIVE-STEPS NECESSARY FOR MAKING A GOOD CONFESSION

1) Examination of Conscience

An examination of conscience consists in making a review of the faults committed (i.e thoughts, words, deeds and omissions), principally the grave ones (mortal sins) since your last good confession. You can examine your life in the light of the Ten Commandments, the commandment of ‘love of neighbor’, the Precepts of the Church, the deadly sins and/or the duties of one’s state in life (i.e. family, occupation, etc.). A practical piece of advice is to examine one’s faults mainly in the light of the Ten Commandments. You can find examinations of conscience (click here) in missals, devotional books, manuals, etc. that are very useful in making a good confession.

2) Sorrow for sins committed (also known as ‘heart-felt sorrow’)

Upon finishing the examination of conscience, you should ask Our Lord to grant you the grace of experiencing a profound contrition of all the sins committed, especially for those mortal sins that have offended Him. Immediately after that you should make an act of sincere repentance. In order to do so, it is advisable to recite the “Act of Contrition” along with the following prayer/poem:

To Christ Crucified

My God, it does not move me to befriend Thee

that Thou hast promised heavenly salvation,

and terror of eternal condemnation

is not what moves my ceasing to offend Thee.

To see Thee moves me, Lord, as nails suspend Thee

upon the Cross, in great humiliation;

Thy wounded body shows Thy tribulation

as we to cruel disgrace and death do send Thee!

Thy love so moves me naught to prize above Thee

that were there not a Hell I yet would fear Thee

and were there not a Heaven I would love Thee.

Thou needst not give me more to have me love Thee,

for, had I not such hope of being near Thee,

I yet would love Thee just as now I love Thee.

Types of sorrow (repentance)

a) “Perfect contrition” consists of feeling a deep sorrow for sins committed, motivated by the love of God, and the realization that these sins offend Him. The sinner regrets having offended God and firmly resolves to sin no more. The grief that arises due to love to God, together with a firm determination to go to confession at the earliest opportunity, gives the sinner justification (i.e. where the sinner is free from the penalty of sin) and grants him sanctifying grace; however, he is obligated to confess his mortal sins to a priest as soon as possible (Luke, 7:47). Nevertheless, if death should overtake him, even before the sacramental confession takes place, he is saved. It is therefore advisable to recite an act of perfect contrition every day, just before going to bed. In addition, when a person’s sins are mortal, an act of perfect contrition never sanctions a person to receive Holy Communion without first going to confession (there is no obligation to confess venial sins in order to be able to receive Communion).

b) “Imperfect contrition” or ‘attrition’ is the sorrow that one feels due to fear of divine punishments (eternal or temporary) fairly deserved for our sins. This kind of sorrow is sufficient for remission of sin through Confession but not for obtaining divine grace without it. This means that, by itself, attrition does not wipe away sins but rather only after first confessing to a priest.

3) Firm Purpose of Amendment (not to sin again)

A purpose of amendment is a firm resolution of the sinner to not offend God anymore. This intent needs to be made before going to Confession. Jesus said to the sinner: “Go and sin no more” (John 8:11) and the sinner must make this purpose of amendment (i.e. ‘I don’t want to sin ever again’). If there is not a real purpose of amendment, the confession is deemed invalid.

Moreover, this purpose must be coupled with repentance (or heart-felt sorrow). It also has to be firm, effective and universal (specifically embracing all mortal sins). It must rise from true repentance and it can be achieved by awareness of all types of evil caused by sin.

It doesn’t necessarily mean that the sinner will never sin again, but it does signify that he is determined to do everything possible to avoid sinning. It’s not a matter of certainty but of determination not to fall again, with God’s grace. It’s about being sure of not wanting to sin from that moment on. This is similar to what happens when leaving the house: you don’t know if you’re going to trip over something, but you’re certain you don’t want to.

This purpose must not be only negative: not to do this, not to say that… We should also make positive purposes: pray more attentively, be nicer to everybody, to speak well of others, not to speak when angry, to be thankful, to watch only good TV shows, to speak to the person I don’t like, etc.

4) Confession (to list all committed sins to a priest)

Confession compels us to tell to the priest ALL mortal sins committed since our last good confession. Additionally, one must say the number of times a specific kind of mortal sin was committed and any aggravating factors (i.e. the circumstances that increase the gravity of a mortal sin); for example, stealing from a poor man is worse than stealing from a rich one. It is convenient to say venial sins, too, though the latter is not compulsory.

5) Satisfaction (To do penance)

The satisfaction is the penance imposed by the priest to the penitent in order to redress, make amends and give satisfaction for the debt contracted by offending God. There must be willingness to accept and fulfill the penance (however, if it can’t be done due to forgetfulness without fault of negligence, etc., the sacrament is still valid).

There are some sins where restitution is required, too. Thus, we must restore stolen money. Or if we have libeled someone, we need to tell the truth about that person in order to restore their honor. Restitution obliges as far as it’s really possible, so if someone has stolen but does not have the means to return what was stolen, this obligation remains in abeyance until he has the means, since nobody is expected to do the impossible. It is licit to make restitution without exposing ourselves as thieves or slanderers, provided we don’t lie or let someone else (an innocent person) take the blame for our sin. In many cases, it is a matter of exercising discretion and intelligence. If there is not a real intention of restoring what was stolen (to the extent of our ability), confession will be futile, due to it being an essential requirement for it to be valid.

-oOo-

Lastly, it is important to bear in mind that it is God Himself who forgives our sins when we make a good confession. Christ left us this sacrament, which is a tangible sign of a real judgment. The priest, by the power received from Christ, becomes a judge. In that judgment, sins are withheld or forgiven. As an instrument of God, this judge is obliged (under pain of mortal sin and excommunication), to maintain an absolute silence about everything related to the confession. “Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.’” (John 20:21-23). Only heretical arrogance tries to bypass the tribunal established by God Himself for the forgiveness of sins, with those declaring the absurd and worthless claim of “confessing directly and only to God”. Unfortunately, many have been victims of this deceit. Let us pray much for those souls of good faith who have been drawn into such error so they can realize the deception.

You can reproduce this article provided you quote this site.

Source of information: Blog CATOLICIDAD http://www.catolicidad.com/2012/03/cinco-pasos-que-se-requieren-para.html Translated from Spanish by: Fabiola Lozano.

Click here: Examination of Conscience