The Catholic Church is 'forgiving sins' for people with the coronavirus?

[justme6272]

Articles are saying the Catholic Church is 'forgiving sins' for people with the coronavirus. Isn't it God that forgives sins, not any church? I don't know much about Catholics, so this is a surprise to me. I can't believe what I'm reading. Here's the link.

Church forgives sins of those stricken by virus

"A decree published by the Vatican also covers healthcare workers and those who pray for their wellbeing. Relatives who care for their sick family members may also be forgiven.

The conditions include the sick saying a certain number of prayers or following important celebrations from a distance.

Those who pray for the caregivers' wellbeing must also read the Bible "for at least half an hour"."

A conditional church forgiveness depending on a certain number of prayers? How many? How do they police how long someone read their Bible?

 

[SkyWriting]

Church forgives sins of those stricken by virus

This is a very good idea. There is never too much.

Colossians 3:13
Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.

Matthew 6:14-15
For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Luke 6:37
“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;

Ephesians 4:32
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Matthew 18:21-22
Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.

 

[HTacianas]

Articles are saying the Catholic Church is 'forgiving sins' for people with the coronavirus. Isn't it God that forgives sins, not any church? I don't know much about Catholics, so this is a surprise to me. I can't believe what I'm reading. Here's the link.

Church forgives sins of those stricken by virus

"A decree published by the Vatican also covers healthcare workers and those who pray for their wellbeing. Relatives who care for their sick family members may also be forgiven.

The conditions include the sick saying a certain number of prayers or following important celebrations from a distance.

Those who pray for the caregivers' wellbeing must also read the Bible "for at least half an hour"."

A certain number of prayers? How many? How do they police how long someone read their Bible?

As to the forgiveness of sins:

Jhn 20:23 - “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

To saying prayers and reading the bible:

Jas 2:18 - ...I will show you my faith by my works.

 

[AvilaSurfer]

1. I don’t get my Catholic news from Yahoo.
2. Straight from the Bible, priests forgive sins.

 

[nonaeroterraqueous]

2. Straight from the Bible, priests forgive sins.

It doesn't say "priests," or any facsimile thereof.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Articles are saying the Catholic Church is 'forgiving sins' for people with the coronavirus. Isn't it God that forgives sins, not any church? I don't know much about Catholics, so this is a surprise to me. I can't believe what I'm reading. Here's the link.

Church forgives sins of those stricken by virus

"A decree published by the Vatican also covers healthcare workers and those who pray for their wellbeing. Relatives who care for their sick family members may also be forgiven.

The conditions include the sick saying a certain number of prayers or following important celebrations from a distance.

Those who pray for the caregivers' wellbeing must also read the Bible "for at least half an hour"."

A conditional church forgiveness depending on a certain number of prayers? How many? How do they police how long someone read their Bible?

As a former Catholic, it is one of the sacraments. The Pope can make any changes he wants to RCC doctrine because they see him as the "Vicar of Christ". So sins are forgiven! These sick people can not make it into a confessional.
Be blessed and stay healthy!
II. Reconciliation (Confession)
The sacrament of Reconciliation is a sacrament in which the priest, as the agent of God, forgives sins committed after Baptism, when the sinner is heartily sorry for them, sincerely confesses them, and is willing to make satisfaction for them.

 

[AvilaSurfer]

It doesn't say "priests," or any facsimile thereof.

LOLOL. Ok.

 

[Albion]

The Pope cannot "make any changes he wants to RCC doctrine."

Ordained Catholic ministers are called "priests."

Yes, they forgive sins but it's understood as being done on behalf of God.

The prayers that are supposed to be said AFTER the penitent's sins have been absolved do not make the forgiveness work. They are prayed as a gesture of the person's repentance.

 

[renniks]

No, they can say they forgive sins but that doesn't make it so. Only God forgives sins. Sounds kinda like indulgences. Doing good stuff to earn forgiveness, or giving money, all nonsense according to God's Word.

 

[Albion]

Sounds kinda like indulgences. Doing good stuff to earn forgiveness, or giving money, all nonsense according to God's Word.

It may "sound kinda like" that to people who are unfamiliar with the issue, but it's not like indulgences, and forgiveness isn't believed to be earned by giving money or saying the prayers that penitents recite after making their confessions.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

The Pope cannot "make any changes he wants to RCC doctrine."

Ordained Catholic ministers are called "priests."

Yes, they forgive sins but it's understood as being done on behalf of God.

The prayers that are supposed to be said AFTER the penitent's sins have been absolved do not make the forgiveness work. They are prayed as a gesture of the person's repentance.

I don't mean to be combative but since I have a bit of time on my hands, I will give you a few examples. If you need more, let me know. Blessings

Alexander
Inaugurated the custom of blessing houses with holy water.
Pius
Decreed that Easter should only be celebrated on a Sunday.
Soterius
Declared that marriage was valid as a sacrament blessed by a priest.
Sicirius
Commanding celibacy for priests.

 

[Albion]

I don't mean to be combative but since I have a bit of time on my hands, I will give you a few examples. If you need more, let me know. Blessings

I'll try explaining it a little differently.

You said that "the Pope can make any changes he wants to RCC doctrine because they see him as the "Vicar of Christ". That is not true. The title (Vicar of Christ) is one used by the Pope, but it is not a policy or belief in the RCC that a Pope can simply make doctrinal changes as he chooses.

And as for your "examples." These are not examples of doctrine. You clearly wrote that you think the Pope can make "any changes he wants to RCC doctrine."

 

[Maria Billingsley]

I'll try explaining it a little differently.

You said that "the Pope can make any changes he wants to RCC doctrine because they see him as the "Vicar of Christ". That is not true. The title (Vicar of Christ) is one used by the Pope, but it is not a policy or belief in the RCC that a Pope can simply make doctrinal changes as he chooses.

And as for your "examples." These are not examples of doctrine. You clearly wrote that you think the Pope can make "any changes he wants to RCC doctrine."

I believe celibacy for Priests is considered a doctrine.
But think as you wish.
Be blessed and stay healthy!

 

[charsan]

Celibacy is a discipline not a doctrine, you will find married Priest in the Catholic Church also

 

[public hermit]

you will find married Priest in the Catholic Church also

I did not know that. Is that right?

 

[Maria Billingsley]

Celibacy is a discipline not a doctrine, you will find married Priest in the Catholic Church also

It seems as though this is just another way of twisting the truth. You can not be a RCC Priest unless you vow celibacy. It is much more than a discipline.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

I did not know that. Is that right?

For clarity, I am speaking of the Roman Catholic Church and no you can not marry.

 

[charsan]

I did not know that. Is that right?

Yes it is. Fr. Longnecker is a married Catholic Priest About Fr. Longenecker and there are over two hundred from the Anglican oridninate (sp) plus in the Eastern rite Priest can be married before they enter the Priesthood. The discipline of mandatory Celibacy is only a western rite thing

 

[charsan]

It seems as though this is just another way of twisting the truth. You can not be a RCC Priest unless you vow celibacy. It is much more than a discipline.

Not true as my previous post illustrated. That idea is a myth among many Protestant and Catholics alike. A myth I myself thought when I was a Catholic

 

[public hermit]

Yes it is. Fr. Longnecker is a married Catholic Priest About Fr. Longenecker and there are over two hundred from the Anglican oridninate (sp) plus in the Eastern rite Priest can be married before they enter the Priesthood. The discipline of mandatory Celibacy is only a western rite thing

Okay, I thought you meant the RCC.