Coffee Inside the Confessional

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Before Mass, if I saw things correctly, the Priest left the confessional with a coffee cup. Would bringing this in there be allowed? I’m not trying to be picky, I just worry that it’s as sign of not taking the sacrament seriously. Or could it just be that since he was in there a long time, he brought in coffee for any stretches where there were no parishioners coming in?
 
Or the empty cup could have been sitting there a while and he finally got around to throwing it away!
 
C794 said:
Before Mass, if I saw things correctly, the Priest left the confessional with a coffee cup. Would bringing this in there be allowed? I’m not trying to be picky, I just worry that it’s as sign of not taking the sacrament seriously. Or could it just be that since he was in there a long time, he brought in coffee for any stretches where there were no parishioners coming in?
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The priest we made our first reconcilliation with smoked cigarettes during them. 🤷
 
C794 said:
Before Mass, if I saw things correctly, the Priest left the confessional with a coffee cup. Would bringing this in there be allowed? I’m not trying to be picky, I just worry that it’s as sign of not taking the sacrament seriously. Or could it just be that since he was in there a long time, he brought in coffee for any stretches where there were no parishioners coming in?
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Even if there was coffee in the cup, how is that “a sign of not taking the sacrament seriously” ? Can’t a priest have a little something to drink when he’s going to be enclosed in a small box and talking?
And you don’t even know it was coffee (in fact, you don’t even know there was anything in the cup). Might have been water. He might have had a sore throat. He might have had to take some medicine at a certain time.

Do you have any other reason to believe this priest doesn’t take the sacrament seriously? It’s really sad that our priests are viewed with suspicion for the tiniest little thing, like having a coffee cup in hand.
 
Thanks for the replies
agnes_therese said:
Even if there was coffee in the cup, how is that “a sign of not taking the sacrament seriously” ? Can’t a priest have a little something to drink when he’s going to be enclosed in a small box and talking?
And you don’t even know it was coffee (in fact, you don’t even know there was anything in the cup). Might have been water. He might have had a sore throat. He might have had to take some medicine at a certain time.

Do you have any other reason to believe this priest doesn’t take the sacrament seriously? It’s really sad that our priests are viewed with suspicion for the tiniest little thing, like having a coffee cup in hand.
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I agree. I mainly asked because I didn’t want any concern giving me difficulty in confession. Even if having the coffee was wrong, I’d still have to say that this priest is amazing in confession and I’d have no reason to believe otherwise. I don’t actually know why this concerned me at all. I guess I thought if he was drinking while someone was confessing then it could mean he wasn’t listening fully. Honestly, I do have to admit that I’m hyper sensitive to any little thing I see. My time coming into the Church was rough and so I may find things unjustly suspicious.
 
Drinking coffee could also mean that he takes the sacrament very seriously. May be he was very sleepy and wanted to make sure he was alert. When I have something important to do, I usually drink coffee beforehand. Knowing how busy priests can be, he might not have had time to have coffee before. That’s IF it was coffee in the cup.
 
hannajomar said:
Drinking coffee could also mean that he takes the sacrament very seriously. May be he was very sleepy and wanted to make sure he was alert. When I have something important to do, I usually drink coffee beforehand. Knowing how busy priests can be, he might not have had time to have coffee before. That’s IF it was coffee in the cup.
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That makes sense.
 
I think it’s a good idea. When he instructs the penitent to “wake up and smell the coffee”, he is being authentic.
 
C794 said:
Thanks for the replies

I agree. I mainly asked because I didn’t want any concern giving me difficulty in confession. Even if having the coffee was wrong, I’d still have to say that this priest is amazing in confession and I’d have no reason to believe otherwise. I don’t actually know why this concerned me at all. I guess I thought if he was drinking while someone was confessing then it could mean he wasn’t listening fully. Honestly, I do have to admit that I’m hyper sensitive to any little thing I see. My time coming into the Church was rough and so I may find things unjustly suspicious.
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There’s no reason I know of that a priest shouldn’t have coffee. Maybe the coffee helps him wake up an pay attention. Maybe the warm liquid makes helps his throat after talking for a long time. Maybe it was just water in a coffee cup. I wouldn’t worry.
 
Just because it was a coffee cup, doesn’t mean he even had coffee in it. I am currently drinking ginger ale out of a coffee cup. 😃

Confession at my parish starts a 4:30. The bulletin says it ends at 5:30, but it never does. Vigil Mass starts then and there can still be people at 6:30 standing in line. I would definitely need something to drink sitting there that long talking to people. 🤷
 
a priest heard my confession while eating potao chips ( utz old bay) 🤷
 
CradleJourney said:
The priest we made our first reconcilliation with smoked cigarettes during them. 🤷
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A priest that heard confessions in my city took “smoke breaks” outside when it was allowed and smokers joined him for outside confession so whatever works? !
Mary.
 
C794 said:
Thanks for the replies

I agree. I mainly asked because I didn’t want any concern giving me difficulty in confession. Even if having the coffee was wrong, I’d still have to say that this priest is amazing in confession and I’d have no reason to believe otherwise. I don’t actually know why this concerned me at all. I guess I thought if he was drinking while someone was confessing then it could mean he wasn’t listening fully. Honestly, I do have to admit that I’m hyper sensitive to any little thing I see. My time coming into the Church was rough and so I may find things unjustly suspicious.
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That ok; thus the forums to ask ?'s.
Peace in Christ,
Mary.
 
It’s said that St. John Vianney had spent between 14 to 18 hours a day in the confessional with very little sleep. :sleep:

And without coffee?:confused:
 
CradleJourney said:
The priest we made our first reconcilliation with smoked cigarettes during them. 🤷
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That sounds amazing, lol

(I don’t smoke, but I love, love, love the smell of cigarette smoke)

Anyway, the coffee is justified. Priests spend a lot of time in these confessionals and they need energy.
 
mexolic said:
It’s said that St. John Vianney had spent between 14 to 18 hours a day in the confessional with very little sleep. :sleep:

And without coffee?:confused:
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I’m sure he took breaks to eat (he was French after all 😉 ) and visit the restroom - and yes, probably have a coffee as well if he wanted one.
 
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