Communal penance services

[scylla]

Penance services are fine, especially in Parishes where there isn’t a resident priest and they can bring them in.

Now when they get all elaborate then I would maybe agree that they are a waste of time because we are there for confession primarily. Not to have sister try and give some sort of penance homily. This is where you make it some sort of crazy lay service with some even going to the extreme of having general absolution.

Most anything can be abused these days, the dissidents look for every opportunity to change things and try and make themselves special.

Having multiple priests available though is an excellent idea as it makes confession possible when you are in areas where it generally isn’t. My parish benefits greatly when we have penance services, we just need to get rid of the abuses.

I prefer to go to confession at the scheduled time, usually there are 1 or 2 people in line and it is pretty convenient.
(most the people in my parish are saints so they don’t sin as much as I do)

The most important thing is worrying about your own salvation and if you change maybe the parish will change a little. But who cares if you complain all day and end up going to Hell. It is much better to work out your own Salvation and maybe effect your parish positively.

God Bless
Scylla

Elzee, I don’t believe that is how a proper penance service is supposed to work, unless you guys are possibly going to die that day.

 

[jmcrae]

Very few people in our parish go to confession (maybe 1-2 a week in an **extremely **large parish). We have two communal services a year and maybe 3 dozen people show up. The reason the ones who do go to confession prefer the communal service? From what I’ve had people tell me, they like the fact that the Act of Contrition is said as a group so they don’t have to say it by themselves with the priest, and they like that one penance is assigned for the whole group - so they don’t have to hear the priest give them an individual penance.

We do the Act of Contrition as a group before going in for the individual Confessions, but I’ve never heard of them giving a group penance before - that sounds really odd to me, too.

 

[Harsalter]

Are Communal penance services licit for mortal sins? Fr Vincent Serpa just posted that they were licit, but since they only take place a couple of times a year, one shouldn’t wait. But again my original question, are Communal penance services licit for mortal sins?

 

[dylanschrader]

If by “Communal penance service” you mean a service during which people make individual sacramental confession to a priest and receive absolution, then it’s definitely licit.

If you mean general absolution, then it depends on the circumstances because general absolution is only licit–and only valid–where there is the impossibility of individual confession.

 

[Texas_Roofer]

Are Communal penance services licit for mortal sins? Fr Vincent Serpa just posted that they were licit, but since they only take place a couple of times a year, one shouldn’t wait. But again my original question, are Communal penance services licit for mortal sins?

We just had our annual service there were about 6 Priests spread about with 6 lines ( 4 had closed doors and 2 did not) We each took an individual turn, that is when we were individually absolved and received our individual penance. We did recite the act of contrition first as a group (instead of individually doing it last) which was just to save time. My guess is about 110-150 people were present. I finished early but I am sure it went on for quite some time.

 

[lak611]

We just had our annual service there were about 6 Priests spread about with 6 lines ( 4 had closed doors and 2 did not) We each took an individual turn, that is when we were individually absolved and received our individual penance. We did recite the act of contrition first as a group (instead of individually doing it last) which was just to save time. My guess is about 110-150 people were present. I finished early but I am sure it went on for quite some time.

My parish does this twice a year as you described. The service starts with a prayer, a reading and an examination of conscience. Then all pray the Act of Contrition together and each person goes to a priest to confess and receive penance and absolution. It really is no different than the regular confession, except for the Act of Contrition said first by all. This type of penance service would be legit for mortal sins because the penitant would confess those to the priest privately.

On the other hand, general absolution should not be used except in a situation where individual confession is impossible. For example, general absolution was acceptable on 9/11 when the priest in NYC absolved all the people shortly before their deaths.

 

[dylanschrader]

Are Communal penance services licit for mortal sins? Fr Vincent Serpa just posted that they were licit, but since they only take place a couple of times a year, one shouldn’t wait. But again my original question, are Communal penance services licit for mortal sins?

What exactly happens at your communal penance services?

 

[AngelRose81]

Ours does them twice a year as well (Advent and Lent). I’ve not been (I made an appointment for my first confession), but I hear they are usually really long at my parish. They explained them as a simple prayer service that lasts a few minutes then the priests there hear the confessions. I know that our parish invites 4-5 other priests other than our own and sets up the rooms around the church for confession. So we have about 6 priests or more on hand. But our RCIA team said that this may be the only time you want to sit at the back of the church b/c the lines are always LONG. The service starts at 7 and can last up to Midnight. I know that the Advent one lasted until about 11, but I’m not sure about the Lenten one.

I’ve got mixed feelings about them b/c the crowd makes it seem like that is the only time many people go to confession, once or twice a year. And I know that confession during Lent is our Easter obligation (i think that is what it is called), but I think the sacrament of reconcilliation should be a lot more often than once a year. Just my :twocents:

 

[Harsalter]

Thanks for the replies. My parish doesn’t seem to have these services at all, and I thought about attending one somewhere else, but I didn’t realize everyone waited to actually go into a private confession, so obviously these services would be licit and valid.

I rarely see anyone at my parish go to confession at all, except for the same dozen or so people. Maybe they are all like me and go often to confession out of town.

 

[puzzleannie]

Are Communal penance services licit for mortal sins? Fr Vincent Serpa just posted that they were licit, but since they only take place a couple of times a year, one shouldn’t wait. But again my original question, are Communal penance services licit for mortal sins?

a communal penance service that is actually the second form of the Rite for the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation is certainly licit because it includes individual confession of all sins to a priest. It is not a penance service, it is a sacramental rite.

If by a communal penance service you mean a gathering with prayers, examination of conscience etc. that does not allow individuals to confess all (not just one) of their sins to a priest is not a sacrament. It is not wrong, they are often done as an aide to help people prepare for confession which will take place soon, but at another time and place, but they are not sacramental and no sins are not forgiven through participation.

 

[puzzleannie]

What exactly happens at your communal penance services?

I won’t answer this question because as I said what this term covers can vary. I will describe what happens in the second form of the Rite for the Sacrament of Penance and REconciliation, and will go get a link when I get time.

Prayer
Examination of conscience, usually led by a priest or deacon who reads from source that encourages those present to examine their lives in the light of the commandments and beatitudes.
sometimes appropriate music
individual confessions, usually several priests gather from neighboring parishes for this.
either individuals say their own assigned penance and leave, or there is a closing prayer, which includes an act of contrition and the same penance for everyone, and the Our Father.

you can probably find the rite on the bishops website, got to go.

 

[lak611]

I rarely see anyone at my parish go to confession at all, except for the same dozen or so people. Maybe they are all like me and go often to confession out of town.

I don’t travel out of town, but I frequently go to confession at another parish with more convenient times for confession. So you would only see me in the confession line at my parish about 3 or 4 times a year. I usually go monthly, so the other 8 or 9 times will be someplace else.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Are Communal penance services licit for mortal sins? Fr Vincent Serpa just posted that they were licit, but since they only take place a couple of times a year, one shouldn’t wait. But again my original question, are Communal penance services licit for mortal sins?

Of course. Keeping in mind that a Penance service is a communal examination of conscience with individual Confessions. Fr. is right a person should not wait if they realize that they have committed a Mortal sin for the next Penance service.

 

[pumpkinbeast]

Apparently, where I live, the sacrament of penance is licit in it’s 3rd form, but Rome is soon going to change that, and I’m glad. I heard there was going to be a penitential service at our church; I was happy, convinced a couple of my Catholic friends to come too (Confession is good for your soul!) and then preceded to be confused for the next hour while we had an entrance hymn, a reading, a psalm, what I think was a Gospel reading, an examination of conscience, a procession up to the priest so he could lay his hands on everyone’s heads, a general penance given to the entire congregation, and then an exit hymn. Apparently, this is licit in my university’s diocese, but not back home, and not at the home parishes of my friends, either. But, as afore mentioned, it will soon not be licit, due to a ruling that is supposed to be released from the Vatican soon. I was rather disappointed, as I had scheduled an hour in my evening, expecting it to be a half-hour or so prep for confession, and then the opportunity for a private one afterwards, like my home parish. I’m planning to get to confession this weekend, when I go to visit my boyfriend, who happens to be going to university in my home parish. (Really romantic date, huh? )

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Apparently, where I live, the sacrament of penance is licit in it’s 3rd form, but Rome is soon going to change that, and I’m glad. I heard there was going to be a penitential service at our church; I was happy, convinced a couple of my Catholic friends to come too (Confession is good for your soul!) and then preceded to be confused for the next hour while we had an entrance hymn, a reading, a psalm, what I think was a Gospel reading, an examination of conscience, a procession up to the priest so he could lay his hands on everyone’s heads, a general penance given to the entire congregation, and then an exit hymn. Apparently, this is licit in my university’s diocese, but not back home, and not at the home parishes of my friends, either. But, as afore mentioned, it will soon not be licit, due to a ruling that is supposed to be released from the Vatican soon. I was rather disappointed, as I had scheduled an hour in my evening, expecting it to be a half-hour or so prep for confession, and then the opportunity for a private one afterwards, like my home parish. I’m planning to get to confession this weekend, when I go to visit my boyfriend, who happens to be going to university in my home parish. (Really romantic date, huh? )

The Vatican has never approved this and has said so, that General Absolution is only licit in certain very narrow circumstances. Pope Benedict has also just mentioned this prohibition again in his latest Apostolic Exhortation released a week or so ago.

 

[lak611]

The Vatican has never approved this and has said so, that General Absolution is only licit in certain very narrow circumstances. Pope Benedict has also just mentioned this prohibition again in his latest Apostolic Exhortation released a week or so ago.

Good. I personally think that Confession is one of the best Sacraments we have. I like to go monthly. The graces of the Sacrament are wonderful. Many Catholics who do not receive this Sacrament regularly do not know what they are missing.

 

[pumpkinbeast]

The Vatican has never approved this and has said so, that General Absolution is only licit in certain very narrow circumstances. Pope Benedict has also just mentioned this prohibition again in his latest Apostolic Exhortation released a week or so ago.

Good! ^^ Hopefully things will be fixed next time… Confession is a wonderful sacrament.Jesus died for us, endured immense physical, spiritual, and mental suffering for our sake, the least we can do is 'fess up when we screw up.

 

[Marian_Carroll]

Papal Penance service described here:

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=142281

 

[dylanschrader]

I won’t answer this question because as I said what this term covers can vary. I will describe what happens in the second form of the Rite for the Sacrament of Penance and REconciliation, and will go get a link when I get time.

Prayer
Examination of conscience, usually led by a priest or deacon who reads from source that encourages those present to examine their lives in the light of the commandments and beatitudes.
sometimes appropriate music
individual confessions, usually several priests gather from neighboring parishes for this.
either individuals say their own assigned penance and leave, or there is a closing prayer, which includes an act of contrition and the same penance for everyone, and the Our Father.

you can probably find the rite on the bishops website, got to go.

Thanks.

I am familiar with the Rite. I was asking because I was trying to make sure that the term wasn’t being used in place of “general absolution.” I also wanted to find out why the O.P. would have thought them to be invalid or illicit.

It’s a moot point now.

 

[thomasf]

I went to a communial confession service tonight at my sister-in-law’s church. It was nice, but I’m not sure that it’s recognized or treated the same as a regular confession. Like I said it was a nice service, not a full mass, and the scripture readings and homily and reflections were very helpful. But I’m not sure I get the same ‘feeling’ I do from one on one confession.