ASK FATHER: Priest Attacked Me For How I Made My Confession

[yankeesouth]

ASK FATHER: Priest attacked me for how I made my confession. | Fr. Z's Blog

First, I am really sorry. I would like to apologize to you for every stupid thing he said and did. I will do some penance in reparation for his bad treatment of you.

Second, lay people don’t have to take this mistreatment. I suggest that you write a brief letter to that Capuchin’s superior, either in the house in which he lives or his provincial.

 

[Irishmom2]

Thanks for sharing that.

 

[mdgspencer]

I had a bad experience with a priest at confession, also about the way I made my confession. I took care of it by not going to him again. I still think once a awhile how he acted, but I have put it behind me.

 

[HeDa]

What I like about our confessionals (at least in the ones I have been to) is that there are cheat sheets in them with what the priest and the penitent say. Different colours for different languages. The 5-10 most common languages of the parish members are printed as well as the priest´s languages. Sins are said in the common language or penitents go to a priest who speaks their language for confession if it is within resonable distance to travel.

This helps a lot when you are new to the country and language, just converted or recently returned to the faith. Even though I speak the language it is not fun to repeat after the priest what I am supposed to say as I am not used to that country´s way of saying confessions and the priest didn’t accept my translation of what we say where I live. That makes me feel like I am a naughty kid in primary school being sent to the principal. Learnt the hard way and now I always bring a cheat sheet with me when I am travelling abroad for a retreat.

 

[BoomBoomMancini]

I wonder if what the person in the story heard was actually what the priest said. Sometimes our perceptions aren’t reality.

 

[Roseeurekacross]

This is total hearsay. We do not know in what tone the priest told the person this. We do not know if this person has issues with Scruples.

This is quite disgraceful, trial by media.

 

[BoomBoomMancini]

That’s what I’m thinking too. Granted, we don’t know the priests name, but even so I’m surprised the second priest just took it at face value.

Maybe the priest was genuinely a jerk, who knows? But it could also be he was trying to shake the person out of their scrupulous obsession with lists.

 

[JimG]

Everyone is different. Some like to make lists, others just summarize from memory. Some are scrupulous, some are lax. Confessors have to deal with every type of penitent, and confessors have their own preferences which may differ from penitents’.

We just need to cut one another some slack, and accept each other’s foibles because chances are nobody’s personality is going to change. The important thing is that confession is a sacrament which effects what it signifies. Our sins are forgiven. Relax and breath a sigh of relief.