Canon 965. Only a priest is the minister of the sacrament of penance.

Minister sacramenti paenitentiae est solus sacerdos.

Canon 966. §1 For the valid absolution of sins, it is required that, in addition to the power of order, the minister has the faculty to exercise that power in respect of the faithful to whom he gives absolution.

§2 A priest can be given this faculty either by the law itself, or by a concession issued by the competent authority in accordance with can. 969.

§1. Ad validam peccatorum absolutionem requiritur ut minister, praeterquam potestate ordinis, facultate gaudeat eandem in fideles, quibus absolutionem impertitur, exercendi.

§2. Hac facultate donari potest sacerdos, sive ipso iure sive concessione ab auctoritate competenti facta ad normam can. 969.

Canon 967. §1 Besides the Roman Pontiff, Cardinals by virtue of the law itself have the faculty to hear the confessions of Christ’s faithful everywhere. Likewise, Bishops have this faculty, which they may lawfully use everywhere, unless in a particular case the diocesan Bishop has refused.

§2 Those who have the faculty habitually to hear confessions, whether by virtue of their office or by virtue of a concession by the Ordinary of either the place of incardination or that in which they have a domicile, can exercise that faculty everywhere, unless in a particular case the local Ordinary has refused, without prejudice to the provisions of cann. 974 §§2 and 3.

§3 In respect of the members and of those others who live day and night in a house of an institute or society, this same faculty is by virtue of the law itself possessed everywhere by those who have the faculty to hear confessions, whether by virtue of their office or by virtue of a special concession of the competent Superior in accordance with cann. 968 §2 and 969 §2. They may lawfully use this faculty, unless in a particular case some major Superior has, in respect of his own subjects, refused.

§1. Praeter Romanum Pontificem, facultate christifidelium ubique terrarum confessiones excipiendi ipso iure gaudent Cardinales; itemque Episcopi, qui eadem et licite ubique utuntur, nisi Episcopus dioecesanus in casu particulari renuerit.

§2. Qui facultate confessiones habitualiter excipiendi gaudent sive vi officii sive vi concessionis Ordinarii loci incardinationis aut loci in quo domicilium habent, eadem facultatem ubique exercere possunt, nisi loci Ordinarius in casu particulari renuerit, firmis praescriptis can. 974, §§2 et 3.

§3. Ipso iure eadem facultate ubique potiuntur erga sodales aliosque in domo instituti aut societatis diu noctuque degentes, qui vi officii aut concessionis Superioris competentis ad normam can. 968, §2 et 969, §2 facultate confessiones excipiendi sunt instructi; qui quidem eadem et licite utuntur, nisi aliquis Superior maior quoad proprios subditos in casu particulari renuerit.

Canon 968. §1 By virtue of his office, for each within the limits of his jurisdiction, the faculty to hear confessions belongs to the local Ordinary, to the canon penitentiary, to the parish priest, and to those others who are in the place of the parish priest.

§2 By virtue of their office, the faculty to hear the confessions of their own subjects and of those others who live day and night in the house, belongs to the Superiors of religious institutes or of societies of apostolic life, if they are clerical and of pontifical right, who in accordance with the constitutions have executive power of governance, without prejudice however to the provision of can. 630 §4.

§1. Vi officii pro sua quisque dicione facultate ad confessiones excipiendas gaudent loci Ordinarius, canonicus paenitentiarius, itemque parochus aliique qui loco parochi sunt.

§2. Vi officii facultate gaudent confessiones excipiendi suorum subditorum aliorumque, in domo diu noctuque degentium, Superiores instituti religiosi aut societatis vitae apostolicae, si sint clericales iuris pontificii, ad normam constitutionum potestate regiminis exsecutiva fruentes, firmo tamen praescripto can. 630, §4.

Canon 969. §1 Only the local Ordinary is competent to give to any priests whomsoever the faculty to hear the confessions of any whomsoever of the faithful. Priests who are members of religious institutes may not, however, use this faculty without the permission, at least presumed, of their Superior.

§2 The Superior of a religious institute or of a society of apostolic life, mentioned in can. 968 §2, is competent to give to any priests whomsoever the faculty to hear the confessions of his own subjects and of those others who live day and night in the house.

§1. Solus loci Ordinarius competens est qui facultatem ad confessiones quorumlibet fidelium excipiendas conferat presbyteris quibuslibet; presbyteri autem, qui sodales sunt institutorum religiosorum, eadem ne utantur sine licentia saltem praesumpta sui Superioris.

§2. Superior instituti religiosi aut societatis vitae apostolicae, de quo in can. 968, §2, competens est qui facultatem ad excipiendas confessiones suorum subditorum aliorumque in domo diu noctuque degentium presbyteris quibuslibet conferat.

Canon 970. The faculty to hear confessions is not to be given except to priests whose suitability has been established, either by examination or by some other means.

Facultas ad confessiones excipiendas ne concedatur nisi presbyteris qui idonei per examen reperti fuerint, aut de eorum idoneitate aliunde constet.

Canon 971. The local Ordinary is not to give the faculty habitually to hear confessions to a priest, even to one who has a domicile or quasi-domicile within his jurisdiction, without first, as far as possible, consulting that priest’s own Ordinary.

Facultatem ad excipiendas habitualiter confessiones loci Ordinarius presbytero, etsi domicilium vel quasi-domicilium in sua dicione habenti, ne concedat, nisi prius, quantum fieri potest, audito eiusdem presbyteri Ordinario.

Canon 972. The faculty to hear confessions may be given by the competent authority mentioned in can. 969, for either an indeterminate or a determinate period of time.

Facultas ad confessiones excipiendas a competenti auctoritate, de qua in can. 969, concedi potest ad tempus sive indeterminatum sive determinatum.

Canon 973. The faculty habitually to hear confessions is to be given in writing.

Facultas ad confessiones habitualiter excipiendas scripto concedatur.

Canon 974. §1 Neither the local Ordinary nor the competent Superior may, except for a grave reason, revoke the grant of a faculty habitually to hear confessions.

§2 If the faculty to hear confessions granted by the local Ordinary mentioned in can.
967, §2, is revoked by that Ordinary, the priest loses the faculty everywhere. If the faculty is revoked by another local Ordinary, the priest loses it only in the territory of the Ordinary who revokes it.

§3 Any local Ordinary who has revoked a priest’s faculty to hear confessions is to notify the Ordinary who is proper to that priest by reason of incardination or, if the priest is a member of a religious institute, his competent Superior.

§4 If the faculty to hear confessions is revoked by his own major Superior, the priest loses everywhere the faculty to hear the confessions of the members of the institute.
But if the faculty is revoked by another competent Superior, the priest loses it only in respect of those subjects who are in that Superior’s jurisdiction.

§1. Loci Ordinarius, itemque Superior competens, facultatem ad confessiones excipiendas habitualiter concessam ne revocet nisi gravem ob causam.

§2. Revocata facultate ad confessiones excipiendas a loci Ordinario qui eam concessit, de quo in can. 967, §2, presbyter eandem facultatem ubique amittit; revocata eadem facultate ab alio loci Ordinario, eandem amittit tantum in territorio revocantis.

§3. Quilibet loci Ordinarius, qui alicui presbytero revocaverit facultatem ad confessiones excipiendas, certiorem reddat Ordinarium qui ratione incardinationis est presbyteri proprius, aut, si agatur de sodali instituti religiosi, eiusdem competentem Superiorem.

§4. Revocata facultate ad confessiones excipiendas a proprio Superiore maiore, facultatem ad excipiendas confessiones ubique erga sodales instituti amittit presbyter; revocata autem eadem facultate ab alio Superiore competenti, eandem amittit erga solos in eiusdem dicione subditos.

Canon 975. Apart from revocation, the faculty mentioned in can. 967 §2 ceases by loss of office, by excardination, or by loss of domicile.

Praeterquam revocatione, facultas de qua in can. 967, §2 cessat amissione officii vel excardinatione aut amissione domicilii.

Canon 976. Any priest, even though he lacks the faculty to hear confessions, can validly and lawfully absolve any penitents who are in danger of death, from any censures and sins, even if an approved priest is present.

Quilibet sacerdos, licet ad confessiones excipiendas facultate careat, quoslibet paenitentes in periculo mortis versantes valide et licite absolvit a quibusvis censuris et peccatis, etiamsi praesens sit sacerdos approbatus.

Canon 977. The absolution of a partner in a sin against the sixth commandment of the
Decalogue is invalid, except in danger of death.

Absolutio complicis in peccato contra sextum Decalogi praeceptum invalida est, praeterquam in periculo mortis.

Canon 978. §1 In hearing confessions the priest is to remember that he is at once both judge and healer, and that he is constituted by God as a minister of both divine justice and divine mercy, so that he may contribute to the honour of God and the salvation of souls.

§2 In administering the sacrament, the confessor, as a minister of the Church, is to adhere faithfully to the teaching of the magisterium and to the norms laid down by the competent authority.

§1. Meminerit sacerdos in audiendis confessionibus se iudicis pariter et medici personam sustinere ac divinae iustitiae simul et misericordiae ministrum a Deo constitutum esse, ut honori divino et animarum saluti consulat.

§2. Confessarius, utpote minister Ecclesiae, in administrando sacramento, doctrinae Magisterii et normis a competenti auctoritate latis fideliter adhaereat.

Canon 979. In asking questions the priest is to act with prudence and discretion, taking into account the condition and the age of the penitent, and he is to refrain from enquiring the name of a partner in sin.

Sacerdos in quaestionibus ponendis cum prudentia et discretione procedat, attenta quidem condicione et aetate paenitentis, abstineatque a nomine complicis inquirendo.

Canon 980. If the confessor is in no doubt about the penitent’s disposition and the penitent asks for absolution, it is not to be denied or delayed.

Si confessario dubium non est de paenitentis dispositione et hic absolutionem petat, absolutio ne denegetur nec differatur.

Canon 981. The confessor is to impose salutary and appropriate penances, in proportion to the kind and number of sins confessed, taking into account, however, the condition of the penitent. The penitent is bound personally to fulfil these penances.

Pro qualitate et numero peccatorum, habita tamen ratione paenitentis condicionis, salutares et convenientes satisfactiones confessarius iniungat; quas paenitens per se ipse implendi obligatione tenetur.

Canon 982. A person who confesses to having falsely denounced to ecclesiastical authority a confessor innocent of the crime of solicitation to a sin against the sixth commandment of the Decalogue, is not to be absolved unless that person has first formally withdrawn the false denunciation and is prepared to make good whatever harm may have been done.

Qui confitetur se falso confessarium innocentem apud auctoritatem ecclesiasticam denuntiasse de crimine sollicitationis ad peccatum contra sextum Decalogi praeceptum, ne absolvatur nisi prius falsam denuntiationem formaliter retractaverit et paratus sit ad damna, si quae habeantur, reparanda.

Canon 983. §1 The sacramental seal is inviolable. Accordingly, it is absolutely wrong for a confessor in any way to betray the penitent, for any reason whatsoever, whether by word or in any other fashion.

§2 An interpreter, if there is one, is also obliged to observe this secret, as are all others who in any way whatever have come to a knowledge of sins from a confession.

§1. Sacramentale sigillum inviolabile est; quare nefas est confessario verbis vel alio quovis modo et quavis de causa aliquatenus prodere paenitentem.

§2. Obligatione secretum servandi tenentur quoque interpres, si detur, necnon omnes alii ad quos ex confessione notitia peccatorum quoquo modo pervenerit.

Canon 984. §1 The confessor is wholly forbidden to use knowledge acquired in confession to the detriment of the penitent, even when all danger of disclosure is excluded.

§2 A person who is in authority may not in any way, for the purpose of external governance, use knowledge about sins which has at any time come to him from the hearing of confession.

§1. Omnino confessario prohibetur scientiae ex confessione acquisitae usus cum paenitentis gravamine, etiam quovis revelationis periculo excluso.

§2. Qui in auctoritate est constitutus, notitia quam de peccatis in confessione quovis tempore excepta habuerit, ad exteriorem gubernationem nullo modo uti potest.

Canon 985. The director and assistant director of novices, and the rector of a seminary or of any other institute of education, are not to hear the sacramental confessions of their students resident in the same house, unless in individual instances the students of their own accord request it.

Magister novitiorum eiusque socius, rector seminarii aliusve instituti educationis sacramentales confessiones suorum alumnorum in eadem domo commorantium ne audiant, nisi alumni in casibus particularibus sponte id petant.

Canon 986. §1 All to whom by virtue of office the care of souls is committed, are bound to provide for the hearing of the confessions of the faithful entrusted to them, who reasonably request confession, and they are to provide these faithful with an opportunity to make individual confession on days and at times arranged to suit them.

§2 In an urgent necessity, every confessor is bound to hear the confessions of Christ’s faithful, and in danger of death every priest is so obliged.

§1. Omnis, cui animarum cura vi muneris est demandata, obligatione tenetur providendi ut audiantur confessiones fidelium sibi commissorum, qui rationabiliter audiri petant, utque iisdem opportunitas praebeatur ad confessionem individualem, diebus ac horis in eorum commodum statutis, accedendi.

§2. Urgente necessitate, quilibet confessarius obligatione tenetur confessiones christifidelium excipiendi, et in periculo mortis quilibet sacerdos.