Another confession post.

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Shae

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I intend to go to regular confession-monthly and thats coming up next week. Will be my second, in 3 decades of nil confessions with a priest.

How constrictive is this style of confession? He is behind the curtain, and theres a light beaming on my head. If I can see him, its as clear as day with the help of the light on my head, he will see me. I just feel like saying, lets do away with the curtain, already.

Fair enough I can list my sins, grocery list style, but I want help and support with my sins, discussion of sorts to even find out, if they are sins. It is not personal or tailored enough for me. I am sorry for my sins and I’ve unloaded them, but I need help in not committing them again, this help I dont get.

Can I interrupt the confession and ask him if we can talk about them?

I do have a slight inferior complex with priests, but do respect them for the work they do.

shae
 
Maybe instead of starting your confession listing sins, tell the priest you would like to first talk about the sins you are having the hardest time with, and then bring up the ones you’re not sure about. Over the years I’ve found some priests are more helpful than others in the confessional, and if you don’t seem to be getting much help from this particular priest, then keep looking until you find one who is.
 
Veritas41 said:
Maybe instead of starting your confession listing sins, tell the priest you would like to first talk about the sins you are having the hardest time with, and then bring up the ones you’re not sure about. Over the years I’ve found some priests are more helpful than others in the confessional, and if you don’t seem to be getting much help from this particular priest, then keep looking until you find one who is.
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I agree about looking for a good confessor.

Pray hard for it. Also, whoever the confessor you’ll be having confession with, pray that the Holy Spirit will guide him and through him, you will be instructed what to do.

Also, just right before coming into the room, pray with St. Michael the Archangel to protect you. I’ve found this so helpful and that when I am inside the room to confess, I feel peace while confessing and therefore, I am not afraid to confess all my sins.
 
Perhaps you could talk to the priest outside the confessional a day or even an hour in advance. Simply ask him if you can approach confession a little more “conversationally” or if he only permits the grocery list style. I am more conversational in my confessions and my priest is more than willing to provide some spiritual insights on those sins that I can’t seem stop doing.

I just talked to my priest about this the other day because I noticed that some people go into confession and they are out of there in less than a minute. I always take several minutes (unless there is a long line, of course) and I have receive a lot of insight as well as absolution! He said as far as the “less than a minute” people, some people have lists, others just don’t have a lot to say… which is fine… to each his own!

If your priest only wants to to list the sins and get moving for confession, he might agree to meet with you on another occasion(s) to provide you with some spiritual guidence. If you get a bad feeling from the priest (like maybe he is real cold to you) consider getting another priest to hear your confessions.

PS> I have never once used the partition, and that helps me alot. But I know a lot of people prefer it.
 
My parish has the option of face-to-face Confession, which I prefer. People who like the screen have that option too. See if your parish has face-to-face.

Also, you might want to make an appointment with the priest for Confession. He may even hear your Confession in his office in the rectory instead of in the Confessional in Church.
 
lak611 said:
He may even hear your Confession in his office in the rectory instead of in the Confessional in Church.
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Catholic Church Canon Law 964, Sub-paragraph …

§ 1. The proper place for hearing sacramental confessions is a church or oratory.

§ 3. Except for a just reason, confessions are not to be heard elsewhere than in a confessional.
 
Sir_Knight said:
Catholic Church Canon Law 964, Sub-paragraph …

§ 1. The proper place for hearing sacramental confessions is a church or oratory.

§ 3. Except for a just reason, confessions are not to be heard elsewhere than in a confessional.
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“Just reason” can be interpreted quite broadly. For example, a priest may only celebrate Mass in the presence of at least one member of the laity, except for “just cause”, which can mean “for the priest’s own spiritual benefit”. I believe a similar interpretation should be given here.
 
That reasoning gets you out of the confessional (§ 3) but it doesn’t get you out of the church (§ 1).

When I asked to make a confession outside of regular hours because I had to bring communion to a homebound individual (I’m an EMHC), the priest had me walk over with him in the pouring rain to the church. We were both drenched.

He then gave me the option to confess either in the confessional or in the private room next to the chapel.

§ 3 but not § 1.
 
Hmm, when I had my general confession it was in the rectory. The priest said that would be a quiet, more relaxed place.
 
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