Sacrament of Penance: NZ bishop denies ‘radical reform’ charge

Sydney
4 November 2001

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Sacrament of Penance: NZ bishop denies ‘radical reform’ charge

By NZ Catholic and Catholic Weekly staff

Auckland’s Bishop Patrick Dunn was surprised to learn that a Vatican-based news service had reported him as proposing a “radical reform of the sacrament of Penance” at the October Synod of Bishops.

The report, by Antonio Gaspari of Inside the Vatican magazine (part of which was reproduced in last week’s Catholic Weekly), described Bishop Dunn as one of the “reformers” who had “raised eyebrows” at the synod. It said he had suggested a reform of the sacrament of Penance “which included eliminating the sacrament in its current form”.

What Bishop Dunn proposed to the synod was much less radical, said the bishop in an email commenting on the Inside the Vatican report to his local Catholic newspaper, NZ Catholic.

His principal suggestion, he said, was that there should be a forum where representatives from episcopal conferences could meet with bishops of the Roman Curia to discuss issues.

The synod structure has its role, but it is very formal and focused on a set topic and provides no opportunity for dialogue or discussion in the main assembly, he said.

“The idea of such a forum is not exactly new, or radical. It was raised at the consistory of cardinals earlier this year and found considerable support there, too.”

The bishop said he then mentioned topics that might be discussed at such a forum, one of them being the sacrament of Penance.

“In our parishes, few people are coming to this sacrament and it really concerns our priests (and me, too). My suggestion was simply that we might discuss ways to make it more meaningful for people, on the assumption that I believe people still do feel a sense of guilt when they have done wrong, but obviously (they) do not seem to find the sacrament of Penance as it is now celebrated all that relevant, “ he said.

“I just thought it might be helpful to discuss such an issue, especially since we know that ways of celebrating Penance have evolved over the centuries.”

Bishop Dunn said he quoted the Pope in Novo Millennio Inuente (The New Millennium), where he wrote of looking for “more confidence, creativity and perseverance” in the use of the sacrament. “If that is ‘radical’,

I am slightly bemused,” said Bishop Dunn.