{ title: 'Courier-Journal. (Rochester, N.Y.) 1968-current, August 25, 1988, Page 1, Image 1', download_links: [ { link: 'http://www.loc.gov/rss/ndnp/ndnp.xml', label: 'application/rss+xml', meta: 'News about NYS Historic Newspapers - RSS Feed', }, { link: '/lccn/np00020004/1988-08-25/ed-1/seq-1/png/', label: 'image/png', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/np00020004/1988-08-25/ed-1/seq-1.pdf', label: 'application/pdf', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/np00020004/1988-08-25/ed-1/seq-1/ocr.xml', label: 'application/xml', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/np00020004/1988-08-25/ed-1/seq-1/ocr.txt', label: 'text/plain', meta: '', }, ] }
Image provided by: Rochester Regional Library Council
i;3H3IK5*t*Va«R*9ra3pii .&U'^Clly&!.!.!J.^ Corpus chronology Acfivs mi&myvScm fed fry dynom- icpqstorst»ovem<i<JeCcwpMsawJ$tio te&eter JA <£&$« *& &e Dioces© of fcodxtftfcr tfwxjgfcoot tte test *QQ wmm to *&* 0#«k 809* & v 'V* v, *'r!TVJia^^»^^£i5^^Mi' ft ! Is'. vague words By Lee Strong. The National Conference of Catholic Bishops' rtew one-month norm for general ab- solution will not significantly affect practices in the Diocese of Rochester, according to di- ocesan officials. The bishops ratified the rule, which is pend- ing Vatican approval, by a vote of 205-72. The new criterion says that when a bishop is faced with the question of whether to allow general absolution in a particular situation in his dio- cese; one criterion he should use is whether, in Ms personal judgment, the penitents would ?othj«ipise,nQt haveaccess^nthesacraments for atjie^iE^eiinbiulu/T^e^eir^^f time is in- definitelSfcdelinea^by Canon 961 of the Code ^^7y^as\iFora * s ^^sT^5jnil^lv 1 ,r«feEjta.the5inr vajpmj&turje:^ Ac- \m» the sacraWent of recbriciUation, but d^)es not ~af^ to of the rest of the regulations govern- ing geTCralabsplution. Nor does the new rule affect the vlteaity^f general absolution serv- ices that have been perfSrmed;in the diocese, Father Mull said. -\- /:> \I don't see it as changingour guidelines, in that ours reflect what is in canon lawj' said the former director of the diocesan liturgy of- fice, \the new guideline has just made it more specific — defined what a suitable period of time is!' Father Mull noted that the in the diocese, general absolution isgiyen only in special cir- cumstances and during particular seasons of the year when large numbers of. penitents seek confession — both of which are allowed un- der the code. He noted, however, that \if gener- al absolution is offered in a situation where there are more penitents than a confessor can handle at a single time, instruction has to be given that those guilty of serious sin have to go to private individual confession — under the new guidelines within a month:* Previous- ly,, the diocese had said that pefiitents with seri- ous sins must make an individual confession wjthin a year of receiving general absolution. Diocesan rules -^ in keeping with the code — allow three forms of confession: individu- al confessions; communal penance services with individual confession and absolution (and with either individual OT communal penances); and general absolution services. The most common reason for conducting general abso- lution is larger numbers Of penitents than can be accommodated by the number of confes- sors available. This situation niost frequently develops during Advent and Lent. At St. Ambrose Parish, foiSexample, com- munal penanc£serocesdur^ two sea- sons frequently attract as: inany as 1,500 penitents each ^ far more than canbe han- dled evenwhen^numterOpconfesWrs are availabl^accordjng to Father James Marvin, Um^mm»?:^ -kF H&& BonnnieTi^alat/Oauriw-Jounwl Mark Miller spins Christine Serwetayk (top), and Bill Hrynczysyn does .the splits (left) as the Ukrainian Dance and' Arts Council of Rochester performs traditional dances during St. Jbsaphat's annual festival. The event also featured Ukrainian arts and crafts, demonstra- tions and food. •1 f J #•?$£ \I'm a convert to general absolution\ Fa- ther Marvin said* \I really wasn't wild about theideaiofit«t first, but wehadto do.it out Of need — there's no way two of us active pri- ests could handle the crowd. Now I'm con- vinced that it's a: good thing!' r Father Marvin reported that the services are now so Crowded that people stand along the walls and even out into the driveway. He sees more value to the services than simply accom- modating large numbers, however.- \It's recon- ciliation, within a, community context, and that's what I think thejsacrament of reconcili- ation is aHato^ _i •,«• <•* -- .... = \'j^. create' ,a : more 5|ig atmosphere than was The sesricejbalsbs ,prayeriuL,Md„;heal Around tnejJwocese>./Page^.;r ? :>•-- .;.,; Calendar^^^.^^.^^SafeS,,^ •• Colunt^^k f Vr^^MM, ' • . Editorial ;&, Qpjpio|i;v^P||g.e,.14 ; . Feat^ies>.'.i«^^SW....;.*J?^es^,'5,,6, 9 'V; World & NatiorC. •>;fV-'Tfe8&ft^% '^.^ possible at times with individual confessions, Father Marvin said. \When you have so many people coining for individual confession, you don't haveitime for quality time with themj' he explained* \(With general absolution), you have Scripture readings,^ talk and a renewal of baptismalvdws. It's a* beautiful experience and irrach more meaningful\ He also reported an increased number of people coming to individual confession as a result of general absolution. Bishop Joseph X: Mogih, who frequently conducts thie general absolution rites at St. Ambrose, Said thatthisphenomenon is com- mon. \I've been told by the pastors of parish- es that a, number ofpeople do seek private confessiorr afterwards\ he said. \ » Yet a number of parishes do not offer gener- al absolution,. Our Lady of Victory Church in downtown R6chester,for example, has had no heed for generar absolution services, accord- ing tb?FatheT>George3lo^kran2. \We wouldinever haye-'a general absolution servic^' the iprflgWal'Vicar said. \We are in auniqWst^ ;|efore-eyery 'tA^^W^tBa^e^iii^Lyes avails able regularly, sO we've never had tago to the second form (^nfoce slices with individu- al confessions), a^§\defiMte^hever^^2Saiid (general absolution)!^\ :J,- St. Leo's in Hilton is anothCTrJarishthat-has never conducted a general absolution service Father Chester Klocek, the.pastor, noted that the parish has scheduled enough confession times to meet parishioners' heeds, and added that he does not agree with general absolution as it is sometimes used. * ' . \I don't believe in general absolution, be- cause this is the mind of the Holy Father*' Fa- ther Klocek said'. He added that he thought general absolution should only be used ih emergency situations — such as during, time of war or on sinking ships at sea. \There's no emergency in this country at all; I think general absolution has been very abused *' the priest said. Father. Klocek also noted that too many peo- ple are not takingjadyantage o.f regular coo? fission throughout thejear,ifhus causing large numbers to seek confession durmg Advent=and Lent. ''Our Lady hasb^nappeaHng^^rif*; . ous places — most recently Medjugorje^an^ CoeOiweieel^ie? ,-••'-«• '.•*i .-«.>' -.*.• &&^-r**f„:~J£fa*-. r &?2LJi*\ #&%&«t$-^
