Catholic Confession vs Other denominations' form of confession

[KathleenGee]

Understood, Constantine.

I remember hearing a Dominican stating that in ancient times, not that many went to confession, and if they did, it was severe, and yes, it got out to the members of the Church. Part of the reason is that in those days, people could be killed for being Christian, so on and off for 300 years, their faith in most cases was practiced discreetly.

If a person committed a grave sin, he could not receive the sacraments for a year. And after that, still had a stigma. Remember, people back then thought Christ was coming in their times.

It was the Irish that developed the confessional box. St. Patrick died shortly after 400 AD.

 

[ConstantineTG]

Understood, Constantine.

I remember hearing a Dominican stating that in ancient times, not that many went to confession, and if they did, it was severe, and yes, it got out to the members of the Church. Part of the reason is that in those days, people could be killed for being Christian, so on and off for 300 years, their faith in most cases was practiced discreetly.

If a person committed a grave sin, he could not receive the sacraments for a year. And after that, still had a stigma. Remember, people back then thought Christ was coming in their times.

It was the Irish that developed the confessional box. St. Patrick died shortly after 400 AD.

Actually in the early Church, most people would hold off on baptism until the very last moment. Constantine the Great was accused of not accepting Christianity until the very last moment of his life, but this is not true. He lived as a Christian since his vision. Waiting for the last moment was standard practice in his time because of the strict canons of the Church against sinners. So people were afraid to get baptized, stumble, and get severe punishment. So instead they remain Catechumens almost their entire lives and then get baptized at the last moment. And being an emperor doesn’t hurt, so Constantine would always have clergy around him all the time ready to baptize him at a moment’s notice.

Having a confessional box is against Eastern praxis. For one thing, all Sacraments is given to a person by name. If the priest cannot see who you are, how can he absolve you by name? And how does he put his stole on top of your head if there is a wall in between?

 

[KathleenGee]

Unfortunately, there are all kinds of people in the world.

St. Patrick brought the faith to Ireland without the shedding of blood. The Irish are naturally inclined to spirituality and contentment in the world the Heavenly Father has given them. Very delicate souls, and I think it is also partly to blame for the sex abuse in Ireland, the faithful too trusting of priests and religious.

And you damage an Irish soul with shame and accusations and abuse with other people watching, it is like the Church itself is condemning you, and then you have one less Irishman in the Church, the life of their soul destroyed.

Anybody who is into power and dishing out their superiority through put downs, have a very tough constitution. I have a relative in prison ministry, and admits that unfortunately it takes Death Row before a murderer will finally turn to the Lord for forgiveness, – and many don’t.

Or the rich man who squanders all his riches in the face of suffering people. Our Lord said it is most difficult for them to get to heaven…but all things are possible.

The soul of the devout is most sensitive and must be handled with care.

At a Franciscan retreat awhile back, the priest said you never show a person their sins…didn’t our Lord say we are to pull the log out of our eye?

There is great wisdom in having a confessional box. It is hard for me to go for the sins that I have committed, always an ordeal to go in there to the priest.

One of the stories I heard in grade school was true. There was a boy in the school who had a very raspy voice. He tried to change his voice for confession. At the end of confession, the priest said ‘You are forgiven, Frank.’ I heard that from our sister.

I heard the parish priest of our children’s grade schoolers preparing for their first confession tell them, “This is not a tape recorder. This is a hearing device to help you better.” He used to be a chaplain for the orphans in the city. He took each class to confession every two months, face-to-face confession.

Priests recognize people’s voice. I even tried to change my voice once, I was so embarrassed by my sins, and I sensed the priest picked up something was goofy…it was me. But my sins were absolved.

It is absolution from Christ through the priest, who wears his stole at confession, not the stole itself. He is following proper form in wearing his stole. You can go face to face. I do it for penance. Face or voice recognition, or respect for the penitent by maintaining privacy are the reality in the Latin Church.