Communal Penance Service & RCIA

[tizzidale]

My parish is having a communal penance service tonight. I’m not exactly sure how it all works, but my RCIA director says that we candidates can participate. This doesn’t sound correct, as I’m not exactly Catholic as of yet. I don’t want to do anything amiss. He also says that this could ‘take the place of’ our confession before we are received.

confused as always,

rusty

 

[asquared]

My parish is having a communal penance service tonight. I’m not exactly sure how it all works, but my RCIA director says that we candidates can participate. This doesn’t sound correct, as I’m not exactly Catholic as of yet. I don’t want to do anything amiss. He also says that this could ‘take the place of’ our confession before we are received.

confused as always,

rusty

he is quite right, you can participate in the communal prayer and meditations, but cannot yet confess individually to the priest. You will be prepared for your first confession at another time.

 

[mommyof4]

I could be wrong, but the director could mean that you can go and participate in the prayers, readings, etc. You would just be unable to go to the individual confessions, but could stay in your pew and pray for yourself and the ones going to confession. I think it is a good idea to go, as it may give you an idea as to how parish reconcilation services are carried out, and thus make it easier for you to participate next year when you are fully in the church. If you are still unsure, I would call the director or the priest and clarify the details with them.

 

[tizzidale]

No, I’m quite confident that he meant that I could participate by confessing. And he made it clear that this would ‘take the place of’ the confession necessary b/f being received.

rusty

 

[mommyof4]

Well, I really don’t know what they mean by all this. By all means, call the director and/or priest and get clarificaiton.

 

[kage_ar]

When I was in RCIA, there were some who were baptized Christians coming into the Church who were ready for Confession way before the rest of the group, they understood, believed, felt the need, and Father agreed that they were indeed ready. Those few did recieve the Sacrement of Confession for the first time during Advent.

All of those who are baptized Christians will go to Confession at some time after the Rite of Acceptance and before Easter Vigil. If you are Baptized and have gone through the Rite of Acceptance, well, Confession is the next step. I agree, talk to your Pastor about this, if you are not ready, there will be plenty of opportunities before the Easter Vigil.

 

[puzzleannie]

I must be reading OP wrong, I thought you said this penance service would not take the place of your first confession. If your director told you that you can take this opportunity for your first confession, and you have been prepared and know how, and have examined your conscience, yes you can participate, and should also go again right before your confirmation, in Lent sometime (or any time you feel you have fallen into mortal sin).

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

My parish is having a communal penance service tonight. I’m not exactly sure how it all works, but my RCIA director says that we candidates can participate. This doesn’t sound correct, as I’m not exactly Catholic as of yet. I don’t want to do anything amiss. He also says that this could ‘take the place of’ our confession before we are received.

confused as always,

rusty

Yes, as a Candidate (already Baptized Christian) you can participate in the communial Penance service and make your first individual Confession, with the permission of the pastor. You should then begin a habit of monthly Confession. You should also have an opportunity to attend another communial Penance service during Lent. Don’t let this Confession be your only one before being received into the Church.

 

[AngelRose81]

We had a communal Penance service at Christmas but there were still 6 priests to hear confessions. We’ll have another one similar to this one during Lent from what I understand. I’m in RCIA too and the next 3 weeks are the discussions on confession. We were told that once that was done we could make our 1st confession anytime between then and confirmation/1st communion. However, the associate pastor recommended waiting until the week of easter so that we don’t have to keep going back everyweek in case we commit a mortal sin. I would say that it would be better to do a 1 on 1 confession anyway instead of a communal penance service even if it would take the place of 1st confession. I just think you would get more out of it.

 

[Jennifer_J]

We had a communal Penance service at Christmas but there were still 6 priests to hear confessions. We’ll have another one similar to this one during Lent from what I understand. I’m in RCIA too and the next 3 weeks are the discussions on confession. We were told that once that was done we could make our 1st confession anytime between then and confirmation/1st communion. However, the associate pastor recommended waiting until the week of easter so that we don’t have to keep going back everyweek in case we commit a mortal sin. I would say that it would be better to do a 1 on 1 confession anyway instead of a communal penance service even if it would take the place of 1st confession. I just think you would get more out of it.

A communal penance service must still have individual confessions for it to be correct. Usually the communal penance service mean we all meet in the Church for prayers, scripture reading and a group examination of conscience and group act of contrition. Then everyone goes to a priest for individual confessions. Just hoping to clarify.

Jennifer

 

[baltobetsy]

However, the associate pastor recommended waiting until the week of easter so that we don’t have to keep going back everyweek in case we commit a mortal sin. I would say that it would be better to do a 1 on 1 confession anyway instead of a communal penance service even if it would take the place of 1st confession. I just think you would get more out of it.

Regardless of what your associate pastor says, frequent confession is a wonderful thing, even weekly if you wish. If you want to go to confession a few times before Easter, go for it!

And, to second Jennifer J, the penance service, in order to be correct, must have the opportunity for individual confession. If your parish has six priests at the service, it’s almost certainly compliant with this rule. The only reason you might not want to attend is that gazillions of people usually go, and you might feel rushed. A regular Saturday might be more relaxed for you.

Welcome home!

Betsy

 

[dnar]

I am currently in RCIA. I studied Catholicism for quite sometime, and I had a deep desire to go to confession before I even started RCIA. I was already baptized a Baptist, and confirmed that my baptism was valid.

I went to confession a month before RCIA began and I have been going to confession monthly, and I never okayed with it a priest, I just went.

I hope all those confessions were valid.