Argued with my confessor!

[DL82]

I was rushing to confession today, didn’t spend my usual time in recollection and prayer beforehand, knew what I had to confess, ran into church and straight into the confessional.

Anyway, I feel like I was argumentative with my confessor, I started trying to explain things away when he offered advice, tried to justify myself, tried to question his judgment. It wasn’t in a nasty way, I just felt like I hadn’t made myself clear when confessing the things I was confessing. Anyway, I wondered why he gave me a heavier penance than usual, but I guess I really didn’t show much in the way of humility or contrition.

I’m not going to get scrupulous about this or go and confess it again, I know in my heart I was contrite, I just didn’t show it in those 5 minutes in the confessional, and I know I’ve received absolution. All the same, I feel like I should apologise to the priest personally for my insolence towards him. Should I? Is it ok to do so at my next confession? This priest only turns up to our parish to hear confessions, so I’m not likely to see him any other time to say sorry.

 

[Cordelil]

Many years ago when I was quite polemical I got into a small type argument with a priest during confession. It was ridiculous thing to do considering the childess content of the subject which perturbed me: why the Cardinal granted interviews with the local major American newspaper which I considered to be anti-Catholic. Looking back the priest did his best to defend his superior and was patient with me up to a point then he became abrupt since I was probably trying his patience and time.

Oh, things we do when we are young and of course, know everything. Thankfully, those days are over (I hope?).

John

 

[CatholiCommit]

I never hear much about people arguning with their confessor, and I hope to not be in that prediciment myself, maybe you could have re did your wording so it would not seem like you were starting argument, and listen more to what the priest is saying, not that you were not trying your best, we always want counsel and absolution when we confess but unless we stop and listen we may miss something important, and maybe the reason he gave you a heavier pentenace was because you questioned his judgement.

 

[EasterJoy]

Confess it next time. In the meantime, watch out for this behavior outside the confessional. This kind of thing is a common habit that most of us have.

As for the priest, do not worry that you can’t apologize to him. Most of them make an effort to forget what they hear in the confessional. It is entirely likely that if he saw you on the street, he wouldn’t even connect that confession with you.

If you have the option, though, choose that confessor next time, if the choice is open to you.

 

[rwoehmke]

I have been making an annual retreat at the same Jesuit retreat house for over thirty-five years. I still remember a time back in the late sixties when the Jesuit in charge told the group that they were there to draw closer to God and not to argue with the retreat master or those priests assisting with confession and private conferences about the state of the Church, the Liturgy, or something their priest back home said or did. He said there are appropriate times and places for such things and confession and private retreat conferences were not it. I can attest that it keeps one on track to obey that command. I think it has prevented a lot of guys from going home more angry than they were when they arrived on Thursday evening.