In the continuing process of updating the English translations of the liturgical texts of the Church, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops published the new texts that pertain to the Sacrament of Reconciliation and penitential practices. The new texts were permitted to be used beginning Ash Wednesday 2023 and are mandated April 16, 2023, Divine Mercy Sunday. There are no major changes to how the ritual is celebrated. Just a few translation updates and the updating of the Scriptural texts used, including the new translation of the Psalter.
One immediate difference is the title of the text: Order of Penance. Previously the book was called the Rite of Penance. What’s the difference? Translations guidelines for liturgical texts have been updated. That is why there was a major revision of the texts for the celebration of the Mass in 2010 to be more of a literal translation, especially preserving the Latin cognates in English. No longer is the book called Sacramentary. Instead it is more in keeping with the Latin name Missale Romanum; hence we call the book now Roman Missal.
The Latin name of the book for celebrating the Sacrament of Reconciliation is Ordo Paenitenciae. So a faithful English translation is Order of Penance. Why the change from “rite” to “order”? This is an extremely important and complex issue and deserves a column of its own. Suffice it to say that the Church’s understanding of the Latin word ordo implies much more that simply a description of the details of the ceremonial actions, gestures and words. Ordo means the entire reality of penance, penitence, and reconciliation as sacraments and as liturgies. It’s not just a manual on celebrating Confession. Ordo in Latin implies not just the activity of the Church, but what the effects are in the persons involved in the mysteries of redemption which the sacraments and liturgies of the Church whereby Christ is present among us.
Ordo is not just a process. It is also the resulting state in the believer after the rite. Think of how the words “holy orders” refers to the persons and the vocational state of those ordained for sacred ministry. I suspect some of you will know where this is going. Sure enough, when the new translation of the liturgical texts that cover Christian Initiation is published, we will no longer have an RCIA. Instead there will be an Order of Christian Initiation. When that text is published, we will really see how the liturgical book governs not just the celebration of the various stages of initiation, but the whole process and the persons involved.
Yes, the texts for celebration are essential, but they are just one part of the complex and amazing journey of conversion and entrance into the Church that the rites imply. The word Ordo governs the external realities of the rites, but also the deeper internal transformation that comes about in the communal sacramental and liturgical life of the Church.
I encourage you to check out the latest issue of the Catholic Missourian where there is a brief article about the new translation of the Order of Penance. That article highlights the reasons for a new translation and focuses on the minor tweaks to the Prayer of Absolution. Also note the article by Bishop Robert Reed from Boston who has a very practical take on celebrating Reconciliation. Bishop Reed was one year ahead of me in my theological studies. We did a lot of music ministry together and quite a few dinners out in Rome. Another very good catechesis can be found here: http://pastoralliturgy.org/resources/TheRevisedOrderofPenance.pdf
You may want to refer to my previous bulletin article from April 3, 2022 that is archived at our parish website. That will refresh your understanding of the communal dimension that penance takes in the Church. In the remainder of this article, I would like everyone to focus on one particular aspect of the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation that affects the individual penitent, the Prayer of the Penitent, that takes place before the Absolution is given.
Yes, the new Order of Penance has published a new translation of the Prayer of the Penitent, commonly called the act of contrition. My experience in the confessional indicates that we need to brush up on our memorization skills. This is a great opportunity to memorize an Act of Contrition if you never have, or rememorize the one you were originally taught. The best way to learn it is to develop the habit of saying it every night before you go to bed. Your night prayer should at least give thanks to God for the day, examine your consciousness for signs of God’s presence or absence, express sorrow for what you did wrong, ask God’s help in managing all that comes your way, and pray for a good night’s sleep and a hopeful new day.
It is important to note that almost any profound prayer of sorrow and contrition the penitent says in the confessional satisfies the requirement that the penitent expresses a prayer of sorrow. Sometimes the penitent asks me if they can say their own words. Their heartfelt contrition is always evident in what they say.
The Order now says, “The Priest then invites the penitent to express his (her) contrition, which the penitent may do in these or similar words: “O my God, I am sorry and repent with all my heart for all the wrong I have done and for the good I have failed to do, because by sinning I have offended you, who are all good and worthy to be loved above all things. I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid the occasions of sin. Through the merits of the Passion of our Savior Jesus Christ, Lord, have mercy.”
That formula is not too different from the one that second graders have been memorizing for the last thirty years: “My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy.” You can see some slight changes in the translation. It is still a valid expression of contrition.
Many folks use this one, which I learned in 1969 and still say every night: “O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended you, and I detest all my sins because of your just punishments, but most of all because they offend you, my God, who are all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of your grace, to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen.”
Finally a note about the celebration of individual confession and absolution. The new Order of Penance has prompted me to pay more attention to some movements of the rite which I have not headed as well as I should. The welcoming of the penitent should be accompanied by the Sacred Scripture, no matter how brief. Expect me to include a scripture quote when I welcome you the next time you come to confession.
The other thing pertains to the conclusion of the ritual. Both penitent and priest offer a prayer of thanksgiving. This has been part of the rite since 1973, but is often skipped. I will say, “Give thanks to the Lord for he is good,” and you will say, “For his mercy endures for ever.” Then I will give the dismissal, which requires no response from the penitent.
I’ll have some cheat sheets available outside the confessional to assist. In the meanwhile, let us all use this sacred time of penitence to prepare for a good confession and a community reconciled with God.