I applaud ZENIT for publishing this fine discussion. As the most recent comments have indicated, the Sacrament of Penance is strengthened and made stronger by allowing options to penitents. The Spirit moves among the People of God as it will, and the magisterium of the Church is wise to allow penitents as many options as possible for them to return to the Lord as quickly and fervently as possible.
It is my hope that this will be a growing trend: more options, not fewer, need to be introduced into the sacramental celebration of penance. Life is full of diversity — even sin comes in many colors. Should we not recognize that grace comes in even more forms than sin? Our entire experience as creatures, after all, is a «graced horizon.»
Dr. John B. Switzer
Spring Hill College Theology Dept
