to the Pope or bishop to
deter or prevent, by this special restriction, persons from committing
them, either on account of the greatness of the sin itself or on account
of its evil consequences.

Q. 732. Can any priest absolve a person in danger of death from reserved
sins without the permission of the bishop?
A. Any priest can absolve a person in danger of death from reserved sins
without the permission of the bishop, because at the hour of death the
Church removes these restrictions in order to save, if possible, the
soul of the dying.

Q. 733. {189} How do you know that the priest has the power of absolving
from the sins committed after Baptism?
A. I know that the priest has the power of absolving from the sins
committed after Baptism, because Jesus Christ granted that power to the
priests of His Church when He said: "Receive ye the Holy Ghost. Whose
sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them; whose sins you shall
retain, they are retained."

Q. 734. How do we know that Our Lord, while on earth, had the power to
forgive sins?
A. We know that Our Lord, while on earth, had the power to forgive sins:
(1) because He was always God, and; (2) because He frequently did
forgive sins and proved their forgiveness by miracles. Since He had the
power Himself, He could give it to His Apostles.

Q. 735. Was the power to forgive sins given to the apostles alone?
A. The power to forgive sins was not given to the apostles alone,
because it was not given for the benefit merely of those who lived at
the time of the apostles, but for all who, having grievously sinned,
after Baptism, should need forgiveness. Since, therefore, Baptism will
be given till the end of time, and since the danger of sinning after it
always remains the power to absolve from such sins must also remain in
the Church till the end of time.

Q. 736. When was the Sacrament of Penance instituted?
A. The Sacrament of Penance was instituted after the resurrection of Our
Lord, when He gave to His apostles the power to forgive sins, which He
had promised to them before His death.

Q. 737. Are the enemies of our religion right when they say man cannot
forgive sins?
A. The enemies of our religion are right when they say man cannot
forgive sins if they mean that he cannot forgive them by his own power,
but they are certainly wrong if they mean that he cannot forgive them
even by the power of God, for man can do anything if God gives him the
power. The priest doe