THE LAW

The pertinent sections of Canon Law which are of importance to the patrons of the SSPX (indeed, to all Catholics) respecting the administration of the sacrament of penance are as follows:

PENANCE

Canon 966

Section 1 - For the valid (effective, effectual) absolution of sins it is required that, besides the power received through sacred ordination, the minister possess the faculty to exercise that power over the faithful to whom he imparts absolution.

COMMENT: Because Society priests do not approach the local ordinary (bishop) for permission to administer the sacraments in his diocese, Society priests do not possess the faculty to exercise that power over the faithful.

Section 2 - A priest can be given this faculty either by the law itself or by a concession granted by competent authority in accord with the norm of canon 969.

COMMENT: As the "law" does not give Society priests the faculties for the administration of the sacraments, they must approach the local bishop to obtain it. This the Society does not do. Therefore, none of the confessions of the faithful who approach Society priests are valid.

Canon 969

Section 1 - The local ordinary alone is competent to confer upon any presbyters whatsoever the faculty to hear the confessions of any of the faithful; however, presbyters who are members of religious institutes should not use such a faculty without at least the presumed permission of their superior.

Canon 970

The faculty to hear confessions is not to be granted to presbyters unless they are found to be qualified by means of an examination or their qualifications are evident from another source.

Canon 973

The faculty to hear confessions habitually is to be granted in writing.

COMMENT: The underlined part of Canon 969 is what is referred to in Canon 966. Society priests, not having approached local bishops, cannot, therefore, have been found "qualified," and, as such, cannot validly hear confessions. Ask any Society priest to see his written certification from the local bishop to hear confessions - if they insist they have the authority to administer these sacraments.

We see from these sections of Canon Law that Society priests do not possess the faculty to hear the confessions of the faithful. As for the laity, they might as well be telling a stranger on the street their sins for all the good it will do. The only place priests of the Society could ever have legitimately held faculties is the Swiss diocese in which it was canonically established (if, indeed, Lefebvre ever had the permission of Rome to ordain priests in the first place). The problems attendant with the hearing of confessions by Society priests also exists with respect to the sacrament of matrimony.