M
Michael_Heinzen
Guest
CATHOLICS IMMUNE TO SIN?
When I made my first confession (perhaps a rather scary, police-like term changed to the softer-sounding “reconciliation” nowadays) in 1953, all the parishes in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, administered the sacrament for one hour Saturday afternoon, and some parishes also added a second hour Saturday evening from 7 to 8 p.m. Of course, in those days there were more opportunities for serious sin—listening to a Protestant preacher on the radio Sunday morning, taking a bite of bacon on Friday morning before realizing it was a day to abstain from meat, or as a teenaged boy, sneaking a peek at some “naughty” pictures in the lingerie section of the Sears Catalogue (something which promised a young man insanity later in life and the wrath of God and impending hellfire in the afterlife according to the old Irish priest I used to confess to). Of course, in those days there were more priests; most parishes had a pastor and one or more assistant pastors. Sin abounded and the line waiting for confession was long to enter the dark, little confessional box to cleanse one’s soul.
Nowadays, there are fewer priests to administer reconciliation, and apparently there are also fewer sins around to fall victim to. I recently attended a seminar at a Benedictine abbey where the priest giving the conference alluded to this. He observed how few people now take advantage of the Sacrament of Reconciliation; yet, the lines to Communion are long and robust. When I studied my Baltimore Catechism as a child (back in the Dark Ages), my teacher emphasized that before receiving the Body of Christ, my soul was to be lily white. With her warnings still troubling me, I recently entered my parish church to confess a traditionally held to be mortal sin. The priest told me not to worry about it since such acts are natural, and that I should not hesitate to receive the Eucharist with this unforgiven “sin” still tarnishing my soul (trouble is, the official teaching of the Church is that this act is still a mortal sin no matter what my doctor, psychologist or modern mores—or parish priest for that matter-- say it is).
I’ve always been a Catholic who has felt great peace in Christ’s words to the Apostles, “Those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven.” I am not perfect and I feel there is a lot of sin still out there for me to fall victim to—and I do fail more than I’d like to admit to. Even if some priests feel sin is rare and a lot of Catholics are led to believe that also, I still want to “go to confession.” And that’s another problem these days—the availability of the Sacrament. Is it due to the shortage of priests or just that they don’t like to sit in that little reconciliation room and listen to the same old stuff over and over again?
My current parish here in California only offers the Sacrament of Reconciliation once a month for one hour or by appointment. For me, at least, there is enough sin around in this hedonistic, secular world, and I’m weak enough that I need the graces of the sacrament more than once a month, and I also appreciate a certain amount of anonymity, so I don’t feel like I’m bothering a priest with a special appointment to repeat the “same ol’ stuff.” I’d also prefer that the parish secretary not know how many times I fail and need to go to confession each month; besides, she isn’t held to the seal of the confessional.
I am soon to move to Bloomington, Indiana, where my future parish indicates on their Sunday bulletin that Reconciliation is offered “Anytime by appointment and after each Mass. Communal Penance Services during Advent and Lent.” The appointment thing again, or I can commit a serious sin, skip receiving the Eucharist at Mass, and then confess. Or, I can receive Communion with mortal sin on my soul, commit a sacrilege according to my childhood catechism teacher, and then confess my sin and sacrilege after Mass. Of course, what I once thought to be sinful may no longer be a sin anyway!
It’s soooo much easier for our separated brethren—they just ask our Lord directly for forgiveness. No wonder Martin joined the Lutheran Church. I recently expressed some negative things about President Bush to my Evangelical friend. Shocked, she immediately asked Jesus to forgive me, prayed for my conversion, and then pointed out in the Bible where St. Paul warned us not to speak badly about our leaders. At least the Protestants still have sins to commit and a way to confess them.
When I made my first confession (perhaps a rather scary, police-like term changed to the softer-sounding “reconciliation” nowadays) in 1953, all the parishes in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, administered the sacrament for one hour Saturday afternoon, and some parishes also added a second hour Saturday evening from 7 to 8 p.m. Of course, in those days there were more opportunities for serious sin—listening to a Protestant preacher on the radio Sunday morning, taking a bite of bacon on Friday morning before realizing it was a day to abstain from meat, or as a teenaged boy, sneaking a peek at some “naughty” pictures in the lingerie section of the Sears Catalogue (something which promised a young man insanity later in life and the wrath of God and impending hellfire in the afterlife according to the old Irish priest I used to confess to). Of course, in those days there were more priests; most parishes had a pastor and one or more assistant pastors. Sin abounded and the line waiting for confession was long to enter the dark, little confessional box to cleanse one’s soul.
Nowadays, there are fewer priests to administer reconciliation, and apparently there are also fewer sins around to fall victim to. I recently attended a seminar at a Benedictine abbey where the priest giving the conference alluded to this. He observed how few people now take advantage of the Sacrament of Reconciliation; yet, the lines to Communion are long and robust. When I studied my Baltimore Catechism as a child (back in the Dark Ages), my teacher emphasized that before receiving the Body of Christ, my soul was to be lily white. With her warnings still troubling me, I recently entered my parish church to confess a traditionally held to be mortal sin. The priest told me not to worry about it since such acts are natural, and that I should not hesitate to receive the Eucharist with this unforgiven “sin” still tarnishing my soul (trouble is, the official teaching of the Church is that this act is still a mortal sin no matter what my doctor, psychologist or modern mores—or parish priest for that matter-- say it is).
I’ve always been a Catholic who has felt great peace in Christ’s words to the Apostles, “Those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven.” I am not perfect and I feel there is a lot of sin still out there for me to fall victim to—and I do fail more than I’d like to admit to. Even if some priests feel sin is rare and a lot of Catholics are led to believe that also, I still want to “go to confession.” And that’s another problem these days—the availability of the Sacrament. Is it due to the shortage of priests or just that they don’t like to sit in that little reconciliation room and listen to the same old stuff over and over again?
My current parish here in California only offers the Sacrament of Reconciliation once a month for one hour or by appointment. For me, at least, there is enough sin around in this hedonistic, secular world, and I’m weak enough that I need the graces of the sacrament more than once a month, and I also appreciate a certain amount of anonymity, so I don’t feel like I’m bothering a priest with a special appointment to repeat the “same ol’ stuff.” I’d also prefer that the parish secretary not know how many times I fail and need to go to confession each month; besides, she isn’t held to the seal of the confessional.
I am soon to move to Bloomington, Indiana, where my future parish indicates on their Sunday bulletin that Reconciliation is offered “Anytime by appointment and after each Mass. Communal Penance Services during Advent and Lent.” The appointment thing again, or I can commit a serious sin, skip receiving the Eucharist at Mass, and then confess. Or, I can receive Communion with mortal sin on my soul, commit a sacrilege according to my childhood catechism teacher, and then confess my sin and sacrilege after Mass. Of course, what I once thought to be sinful may no longer be a sin anyway!
It’s soooo much easier for our separated brethren—they just ask our Lord directly for forgiveness. No wonder Martin joined the Lutheran Church. I recently expressed some negative things about President Bush to my Evangelical friend. Shocked, she immediately asked Jesus to forgive me, prayed for my conversion, and then pointed out in the Bible where St. Paul warned us not to speak badly about our leaders. At least the Protestants still have sins to commit and a way to confess them.
and well aware of how often I go and how long I may be in there - and not the most comforting of matters to me!