Confession at a Tridentine Parish

[Efrasios]

I only really feel comfortable Confessing in the Traditional style in the private old fashioned box behind the screen. The method of Confessing (for the Penitent) is no different at a Tridentine Parish- you kneel down the box and say the usual “Bless me father for I have sinned, it’s been…since my last Confession” and then after the Confession of your sins he will give you advice, give a Penance and then Absolve you- however, in the Tridentine Confessional the Priest will not ask you to say the Act of Contrition & listen to you say it and then give you Absolution after you’ve made your act of Contrition. In the Traditional Confessional the Priest would usually say “now recite the Act of Contrition as I give you Absolution” and the Penitent would say quietly an Act of Contrition in their own language whilst the Priest says quietly the formal prayer of Absolution in Latin at the same time as you’re making your Act of Contrition- it’s longer than the one in most Novus Ordo style Confessions- both are of course 100% valid- assuming you are Confessing to a Priest in Communion with Rome like FSSP not SSPX who have no jurisdiction of faculties. Then after Absolution I believe you are supposed to respond “Deo Gratias”-Thanks be to God- but that is the only thing you might have to say in Latin, although it’s not 100% needed and most people would just respond “Amen”.

Another difference would be that very often there are two sides to the Confessional box- with the Priest sitting in the middle and two Penitents kneeling on each side, the Priest opens the screen on one side, hears that person’s Confession, Absolves them- closes the screen (the next person in the line then comes forward and kneels down) but the Priest turns to the other side and opens the screen and hears the Confession on the other side and then does the same thing and goes back to the other side- although this custom is rare now except in very Traditional Churches like for example Westminster Cathedral in London and I’ve seen it in Rome etc.

 

[crazzeto]

I only really feel comfortable Confessing in the Traditional style in the private old fashioned box behind the screen. The method of Confessing (for the Penitent) is no different at a Tridentine Parish- you kneel down the box and say the usual “Bless me father for I have sinned, it’s been…since my last Confession” and then after the Confession of your sins he will give you advice, give a Penance and then Absolve you- however, in the Tridentine Confessional the Priest will not ask you to say the Act of Contrition & listen to you say it and then give you Absolution after you’ve made your act of Contrition. ** In the Traditional Confessional the Priest would usually say “now recite the Act of Contrition as I give you Absolution” and the Penitent would say quietly an Act of Contrition in their own language whilst the Priest says quietly the formal prayer of Absolution in Latin at the same time as you’re making your Act of Contrition-** it’s longer than the one in most Novus Ordo style Confessions- both are of course 100% valid- assuming you are Confessing to a Priest in Communion with Rome like FSSP not SSPX who have no jurisdiction of faculties. Then after Absolution I believe you are supposed to respond “Deo Gratias”-Thanks be to God- but that is the only thing you might have to say in Latin, although it’s not 100% needed and most people would just respond “Amen”.

Another difference would be that very often there are two sides to the Confessional box- with the Priest sitting in the middle and two Penitents kneeling on each side, the Priest opens the screen on one side, hears that person’s Confession, Absolves them- closes the screen (the next person in the line then comes forward and kneels down) but the Priest turns to the other side and opens the screen and hears the Confession on the other side and then does the same thing and goes back to the other side- although this custom is rare now except in very Traditional Churches like for example Westminster Cathedral in London and I’ve seen it in Rome etc.

Actually this can happen in the OF confession as well, though the absolution would not be in Latin and would be the new prayer. Actually I prefer this as well.

 

[C794]

So I need to revive this thread because I will be going to a Latin Mass soon and this will include going to confession. As a result, I have a few more questions. Will the priest be bothered that I, as a scrupulous person, am going to him, when he is not my confessor? Granted, I will have to change soon and there a chance that this priest will eventually fill that role. Also, would the priest mind if I give background information while confessing one of my sins? I feel that I may have sinned throughout one situation and it’s hard to separate them into individual sins. It’s not that I’m too nervous to do so, it’s just that I believe that this way will be best and ensure that I communicate effectively.

Thanks

 

[crazzeto]

So I need to revive this thread because I will be going to a Latin Mass soon and this will include going to confession. As a result, I have a few more questions. Will the priest be bothered that I, as a scrupulous person, am going to him, when he is not my confessor? Granted, I will have to change soon and there a chance that this priest will eventually fill that role. Also, would the priest mind if I give background information while confessing one of my sins? I feel that I may have sinned throughout one situation and it’s hard to separate them into individual sins. It’s not that I’m too nervous to do so, it’s just that I believe that this way will be best and ensure that I communicate effectively.

Thanks

A priest should never be bothered by taking confession, though he could rightly suggest you go to a specific confessor regularly. This is a good recommendation always, but the sacrament is open to all baptized catholics.

 

[C794]

I’ll find a specific confessor soon, but right now I don’t see much of a point. Any confessor I choose, will only work for a short time. Once I move I’ll have to change any way.

 

[crazzeto]

I’ll find a specific confessor soon, but right now I don’t see much of a point. Any confessor I choose, will only work for a short time. Once I move I’ll have to change any way.

 

[Credo_in_Deum]

So I need to revive this thread because I will be going to a Latin Mass soon and this will include going to confession. As a result, I have a few more questions. Will the priest be bothered that I, as a scrupulous person, am going to him, when he is not my confessor? Granted, I will have to change soon and there a chance that this priest will eventually fill that role. Also, would the priest mind if I give background information while confessing one of my sins? I feel that I may have sinned throughout one situation and it’s hard to separate them into individual sins. It’s not that I’m too nervous to do so, it’s just that I believe that this way will be best and ensure that I communicate effectively.

Thanks

The priest will not be bothered that you are going to him because you are not obligated to go to one confessor. Yet this doesn’t change the fact that it is a good practice to have a normal confessor (a practice you are already aware of). The priest will not mind that you give information which relates to the circumstances of your sins; however, you should think about what you are going to say and try to be as clear and direct as possible. One priest said there are a lot of people who will go into a big story just to confess that they lied about something. We must take into account that priests have to exercise a lot of energy when hearing our confessions and if we don’t filter out the useless details it leaves them with this burden. We should help them help us.