Saj, Marek (The Pontifical University of John Paul II in Cracow, 2012)
According to the law of the Church, contained mainly in the Code of Canon Law, priests are entitled to certain rights and obligations arising from their Holy Orders. Some of them require also appropriate faculties in addition to the orders. This is the case in relation to the sacrament of penance and reconciliation. This so-called faculty is required in order to exercise this sacrament validly. The of such faculty causes the incurrence of ecclesiastical penalty of suspension latae sententiae. This text examines the norms of the Codex regarding the conferment of the faculty to administer the sacrament of penance, its use and the ecclesiastical penalties incurred for hearing confessions without such faculties.
