Confession when you're not yet Confirmed

[Catlick]

My girlfriend is a convert to Catholicism. She believes and understands what the Church teaches. Her Baptism is certainly valid. However, she has yet to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. She will do so in a few months, having been delayed due to practical problems (in other words, no lack of enthusiasm.)

Last week  she asked a priest to hear her Confession. He refused, stating at that moment and in a later letter that (paraphrasing) 'When not in a life-threatening situation, you cannot receive the Sacrament of Penance until you have done all the Confirmation preparation and are about to be Confirmed'. Read: you'll have to wait until a few days before Confirmation. 

I've checked the Catechism, canon law, and some articles on the Internet, yet nowhere do I find support for what the priest says. Nor did the priest (solid one) who previously heard her Confession refuse her. 

Can anyone here inform me? Preferably with some statement(s) from an encyclical/Doctor/pope/etc. 

Edited April 23, 2015 by Catlick

[truthfinder]

All I can think is that the priest is concerned that your girlfriend may need more formation in order to make a good and thorough confession and particularly right before Confirmation, because no grace is received if Confirmation is received in mortal sin (the sacrament is valid, and the graces do 'kick in' if one were to receive in mortal sin after they had make a good confession). 

As to backing you up, I'm not sure any statement will help.  She can try clarifying the situation with the priest and inform him she has confessed before (and as far as I can see nothing is stopping her from just attending a regular scheduled Saturday confession).  Politely asking the priest where he's getting this edict from may help, but if he's strident in the approach, she can confess elsewhere until she's confirmed.  

[Basilisa Marie]

I agree with truthfinder, the priest is probably concerned about making sure that your girlfriend has had enough formation before going to Confession. Honestly, a quote from a pope isn't going to do you any good. There are actually lots of rules regarding the celebration of Confession in Canon Law; for example, a priest can't hear confessions in another diocese unless he has permission (or if it's an emergency, obviously). The only time when priests are absolutely obligated to hear confessions is when a person is in danger of death, and they're encouraged to pay attention to the needs of the faithful regarding when and how often to make confessions available (canon 986.1 and .2). So the only time he absolutely must hear confession is when a person is in danger of death, and otherwise it's by his discretion. 

However! I believe I have found something that could help you. 

All the faithful are free to confess their sins to a lawfully approved confessor of their own choice, even one of another church [in a different area]. (Canon 991)

Baptized persons being received into full communion should be instructed on how the sacrament of penance is celebrated and should be exhorted to go to the confessor of their choice before reception. A candidate whose baptism is doubtfully valid and who is to be conditionally baptized should not approach the sacrament of penance until after the conditional baptism. 

USA: The celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation with candidates for confirmation and Eucharist is to be carried out at a time before and distinct from the celebration of confirmation and the Eucharist. As part of the formation of such candidates, they should be encouraged in the frequent celebration of this sacrament. (National Statutes for the Catechumenate, 27 [approved by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and appended to U.S. editions of the RCIA])

If the profession of faith and reception take place within Mass, the candidates, according to their own condition, should confess their sins beforehand. They should first inform the confessor that they are about to be received into full communion. Any confessor who is lawfully approved may hear such a confession. (Rite of Reception of Baptized Christians into Full Communion of the Catholic Church, 9; RCIA (US), 482)

So based on these documents (which I got from John Huels' "The Pastoral Companion: A Canon Law Handbook for Catholic Ministry"), I understand a few things to be true. First, the priest is perfectly within his rights to refuse to hear your girlfriend's confession, unless she is in danger of death, until it's closer to her Confirmation date. Second, candidates for Confirmation should be encouraged to participate in the sacrament of Confession frequently, but it's unclear if this is something that applies to their formation before reception or if it's supposed to be part of their preparation.  Third, anyone has a right to go to Confession to whatever priest they want, as long as that priest has the valid local authority to hear confessions. 

Finally, these rules apply to the universal Church and some specifically to the Church in the USA. But bishops are totally free to make other stipulations and rules, like saying that candidates for full communion should wait until it's closer to the actual date of reception into the Church. I would urge you to look into any local diocesan guidelines. I live in the Archdiocese of Seattle, and I know we have special rules and norms for certain things that don't apply in the Archdiocese of Portland, for example. A bishop is almost always free to make rules shaping how the lay faithful may exercise their right to go to Confession (and mass, Communion, etc). So for all any of us know, it's entirely possible that your priest is following diocesan guidelines.