Can I ask any priest to hear my confession?

[casslean]

This might be a stupidly obvious question, but I’m going to ask it anyway.

I know you can go anywhere you want for confession, or confess to any priest you want. But does that include asking a priest who happens to be visiting your church? Or does a priest have to have permission from the pastor to hear confessions in his church (like he would to perform a marriage or baptism, for instance)?

There is a really lovely priest who isn’t resident in a parish (long story) but occasionally comes by our parish to deliver talks, help out, etc. and I’ve attended confession with him before at retreat events and found him very helpful. I’ve seen him around lately, and been thinking about asking him to hear my confession again, but don’t want to do anything that isn’t appropriate.

Is it really fine to just ask any priest, or are there norms that I should follow?

 

[FrDavid96]

This might be a stupidly obvious question, but I’m going to ask it anyway.

I know you can go anywhere you want for confession, or confess to any priest you want. But does that include asking a priest who happens to be visiting your church? Or does a priest have to have permission from the pastor to hear confessions in his church (like he would to perform a marriage or baptism, for instance)?

There is a really lovely priest who isn’t resident in a parish (long story) but occasionally comes by our parish to deliver talks, help out, etc. and I’ve attended confession with him before at retreat events and found him very helpful. I’ve seen him around lately, and been thinking about asking him to hear my confession again, but don’t want to do anything that isn’t appropriate.

Is it really fine to just ask any priest, or are there norms that I should follow?

Yes, you can ask him. No problem.

All priest must have faculties to absolve. If a priest has faculties from his local bishop, he can hear confessions anywhere (as long as he hasn’t been personally prohibited). For religious order priests it is a little bit more complicated. It’s rather unusual today for any priest not-to-have universal faculties; very much so. If he’s in that very rare situation (not likely, given what you’ve already posted), he’s simply say so. However, this is so extremely rare as to be almost a non-issue. Don’t hesitate at all to ask him to hear your confession.

 

[casslean]

Thank you! I didn’t want to put him in a difficult position or unintentionally step on anyone’s toes!