Who is the ordinary minister of the Sacrament of Penance?

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Study for the Canon Law Midterm Exam. Prepare with multiple choice questions and insightful explanations. Understand key concepts and excel in your exam!

Multiple Choice

Who is the ordinary minister of the Sacrament of Penance?

Explanation:
The ability to forgive sins in the Sacrament of Penance rests with those who have the authority to absolve, which is given to ordained ministers. A bishop is a priest, so he shares the same faculty to hear confessions and grant absolution. Deacons do not have the ordinary power to absolve sins, and laypeople do not possess sacramental authority to forgive sins. Therefore, the ordinary minister can be a bishop or a priest—covering both possibilities in the statement. This aligns with canon law, which reserves absolution to those who are validly ordained as priests.

The ability to forgive sins in the Sacrament of Penance rests with those who have the authority to absolve, which is given to ordained ministers. A bishop is a priest, so he shares the same faculty to hear confessions and grant absolution. Deacons do not have the ordinary power to absolve sins, and laypeople do not possess sacramental authority to forgive sins. Therefore, the ordinary minister can be a bishop or a priest—covering both possibilities in the statement. This aligns with canon law, which reserves absolution to those who are validly ordained as priests.

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