The faith of our fathers - Carmel Apologetics

THE SACRAMENT OF PENANCE. 401mit that no spot or wrinkle had yet deformed herfair visage in this, the golden age of her existence.These remarks suffice to convince us that Sacramental Confession was not instituted since the time ofthe Apostles.I shall now endeavor to prove to yoursatisfaction that its introduction into the Church, sincethe A postolic age, was absolutely impossible.There are two waysin which we may suppose thaterror might insinuate itself into the Church, viz. :suddenly, or by slow process. Now the introductionof Confession in either of those ways was simplyimpossible.First, nothing can be more absurd than to suppose that Confession was immediately forced uponthe Christian world. For experience demonstrateswith what slowness and difficulty men aredivestedof their religious impressions, whether true or false.Now, if such is the case with individuals, how ridiculous would it seem for whole nations to adopt in asingle day some article of belief which they hadnever admitted before. Hence, we cannot imagine,without doing violence to our good sense, that allthe good people of Christendom went to rest, onenight, ignorant of the sacrament of Penance, androse the next morning firm believers in the Catholic doctrine of auricular Confession. As well mightwe suppose that the citizens of the United Stateswould retire to rest at night believing they wereliving under a Republic, and wake up impressedwith the conviction that they were under the ruleof Queen Victoria.