A Traditional Confession

[OldYoungGuy]

Here is a quick question for fellow "Trad"s.

In my missal there is a guide for going to confession and in it says to recite the Confiteor and to state your sins either before or after “mea culpa” I can’t remember which and I don’t have my missal on me. I was raised in an N.O. parish and was taught: “Bless me Fr. for I have sinned, my last confession was… My main faults are…”

Does anybody who attends a parish where the priest does all sacriments according to 1962 recite the Confiteor during confession?

 

[corsair]

No, we don’t recite the Confiteor at Confession; we recite an Act of Contrition.

 

[Joannm]

I made my first confession in 1961 and it really wasn’t much different than it is today when going behind the screen. The only difference was that absolution was in latin. I say the same introduction I said then (bless me father), name sins, listen for counsel, get a penance, same act of contrition that I did then.

 

[jj_nycguy]

Here is a quick question for fellow "Trad"s.

In my missal there is a guide for going to confession and in it says to recite the Confiteor and to state your sins either before or after “mea culpa” I can’t remember which and I don’t have my missal on me. I was raised in an N.O. parish and was taught: “Bless me Fr. for I have sinned, my last confession was… My main faults are…”

Does anybody who attends a parish where the priest does all sacriments according to 1962 recite the Confiteor during confession?

A very long time ago, the Confiteor was recited at confession. After “mea culpa”, you would have stated “I accuse myself of the following sins”. After confessing your sins, you would recite the remaining part of the Confiteor. I, myself, have used this old method in the past. If you feel this takes too long, say the Confiteor prior to confession.

 

[JReducation]

There isn’t really a “traditional rite of penance”. The ritual was modified, very slightly about 75 years ago when the confiteor was taken out. I don’t have a copy of one of those books, but from people who remember, they say that there was no big difference other than that.

The rite was later translated, but the parts remain the same.

1. Confession of sins
2. Expression of sorrow
3. Absolution
4. Penance

The only part that is the same across the Latin Church are the words of absolution. Every priest says the same words in whatever language he uses.

The Confession of sins is pretty obvious. You use your language.

The expression of sorrow varies from one culture to another. In the USA we use the Act of Contrition. In other countries they have other prayers that say the same thing and in some countries they use a tanslation of the same Act of Contrition that we use.

Reconciliation is pretty straight-forward. There is not much that you can do with it.

Even the screen has never been an absolute. Priests have been hearing confessions face to face since the sacrament came into existence. We can’t exaclty say that the use of a screen makes confession more traditional. I would say, more common. Because it became the common practice.

When I was in Europe they had some older churches with a very interesting arrangement. There was a kneeler with a screen. The priest on one side and you on the other. There was no booth. In other churches they had booths, but no doors or curtains. In any case, you had to walk right past the priest to go to confession or leaving the confessional if you wanted to go up to the front to say your prayers, because the confessionals were usually in the rear.

I recall saying to another brother, “Oh well, so much of anonymity.” The other brother responded, “Don’t wear a name tag the next time you come.” We had been at a conference and I was still wearing my name tag.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[mangy_dog]

Here is a quick question for fellow "Trad"s.

In my missal there is a guide for going to confession and in it says to recite the Confiteor and to state your sins either before or after “mea culpa” I can’t remember which and I don’t have my missal on me. I was raised in an N.O. parish and was taught: “Bless me Fr. for I have sinned, my last confession was… My main faults are…”

Does anybody who attends a parish where the priest does all sacriments according to 1962 recite the Confiteor during confession?

I have alway confessed with the same formula I was taught from that era 1962 and prior:

Bless me father for I have sinned.

It has been (however long it’s been) since my last confession and these are my sins.

• after having told the priest all my sins I say:

for these and any sins I can’t recall, I ask forgiveness.

The priest will give his advice and my pennance and tells me to do an act of contrition.

Deus meus ex toto corde penitet me omnium…etc.

Then the priest gives me absolution and tells me to go in peace and sin no more.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

A very long time ago, the Confiteor was recited at confession. After “mea culpa”, you would have stated “I accuse myself of the following sins”. After confessing your sins, you would recite the remaining part of the Confiteor. I, myself, have used this old method in the past. If you feel this takes too long, say the Confiteor prior to confession.

I have seen that described in some of my grandparent’s books from 1900 or so. However, I have never encountered it since I first went to confession in the early 1940’s. I learned the same procedure mangy dog describes.

 

[laszlo]

When I learned how to confess (in 1946) the sequence was the following:

• sign of cross by the penitent
• I confessed my sins last time …
• list of sins
• priest’s questions and admonition, giving penance
• prayer for the act of contrition by the penitent and simultaneously the words of the absolution by the priest
• dismission by the priest