Confession outside of Confessional

[Mary_Estelle]

I hope you realise that Don Ruggero is a priest. Your tone to him is disrespectful.

I am well aware that he is a priest. Because he is a priest I feel he could have tried a different tact with someone who’s new , learning, and has only made a few post. I am respectful of his knowledge as a priest and of Cannon Law, but if you review how he responded to a new member, you may wonder why he was a bit harsh.

There are well over 5,000 “Rules” for Catholics to follow. I can not expect someone to know them all or even a fraction of them, esp. a new, young member of CA. Peace

 

[Mary_Estelle]

I would think a poster who is new, and very young wouldn’t presume to comment on Canon Law. It seems people are VERY unaccustomed to having a priest correct them anymore.
Under the premise of being “nice”.

It wasn’t a simple correction, but contained an undertone of hostility. It could have been a wonderful, productive teaching moment. Peace.

 

[pianistclare]

It wasn’t a simple correction, but contained an undertone of hostility. It could have been a wonderful, productive teaching moment. Peace.

I don’t know how one can label it “undertone”.
However, the “backstory” is…Father gets untold horrible emails, ridiculous presumptions, awful attacks, and general disrespect all. the. time.
I doubt any of us would be capable of the profound kindness he so often exhibits when faced by the many simply odd things that are said here.
People wonder why many of the queries are odd.
This is why. We’re always worried about how we will sound.
Do I sound annoyed? I am. There are few priests here. I’d like to keep them.

Peace ME…

 

[Mary_Estelle]

I wish you had taken a kinder, gentler tone with the new, young poster and made it a teaching, learning response, but…then, what do I know. Peace.

I don’t feel that my response was disrespectful , but only a personal observation that he could have taken a different approach. I get corrected all the time here. Do any of you feel that a priest is beyond reproach? Peace

 

[tawny]

If you lack the competence to comment on what the canon actually declares…why would you even try to comment? Much less laugh at it. That is an incredible lack of respect to those who spent years studying canon law, in a faculty of canon law

 

[pianistclare]

I don’t feel that my response was disrespectful , but only a personal observation that he could have taken a different approach. I get corrected all the time here. Do any of you feel that a priest is beyond reproach? Peace

I do.
WAY above my pay grade.
Are some cranky? Yes.
Are some overly sentimental? Yes.
Are some great Administrators? Yes.
Are some not so great teachers? Yes.

But they all deserve a high level of respect. Period.

The person that is able to correct a priest is properly…his Bishop.

 

[tawny]

I would think a poster who is new, and very young wouldn’t presume to comment on Canon Law. It seems people are VERY unaccustomed to having a priest correct them anymore.
Under the premise of being “nice”.

Again, poor or lack of Catechesis.

 

[Casilda]

I don’t know how one can label it “undertone”.
However, the “backstory” is…Father gets untold horrible emails, ridiculous presumptions, awful attacks, and general disrespect all. the. time.
I doubt any of us would be capable of the profound kindness he so often exhibits when faced by the many simply odd things that are said here.
People wonder why many of the queries are odd.
This is why. We’re always worried about how we will sound.
Do I sound annoyed? I am. There are few priests here. I’d like to keep them.

Peace ME…

Few priests. It’s probably why the OP is here asking their question. The multitudes of laity have few priests to turn to with their spiritual questions. It is sad when they get hammered and ridiculed. No compassion nowadays. Too many annoyed people who should not be working in God’s employ.

 

[FrDavid96]

I know Canon Law says Confession must not be heard outside of a confessional without a just cause.

I have actually had confessions where I ask the priest to hear mine within 1/2 hour of mass and he agrees to hear my confession right in the pew as opposed to walking to the confessional.

With respect to Canon Law is this a valid confession since it was not in the confessional? I believe everything else was proper form. I wonder if the “just cause” is the fact it’s shortly before mass and he needs to be in the pew area? Do priests have leeway on what “just cause” is? Hoping it is valid and I’m not being scrupulous!

Thanks!

Two points:

1. The location (inside or outside a confessional) has nothing to do with whether nor not a Confession is valid. There is actually very little required to have a valid absolution, and the Church does this intentionally in order to make the Mercy of God available with the least burden.
2. To your last question: yes, the priest does indeed have a lot of leeway in deciding what constitutes a “just cause.” That phrase (sometimes translated as “good reason”) is actually the lowest standard in canon law. In a certain sense, it means that as long as the priest has some good reason, as opposed to some not-good reason, then he can do it. That’s the key point: it cannot be a wrong reason.

It’s difficult to think of a not-good-reason to give for an example. If a priest says “I don’t think that confession inside a confessional is valid” then that would not be a ‘just cause.’ Something downright silly like “I only hear confessions standing beneath a living tree” would be another. Even in situations like that, the only consequences would be that the priest himself lacks good judgement (maybe the bishop needs to talk to him); it still doesn’t make the absolution invalid.

 

[phil19034]

I don’t know how one can label it “undertone”.
However, the “backstory” is…Father gets untold horrible emails, ridiculous presumptions, awful attacks, and general disrespect all. the. time.
I doubt any of us would be capable of the profound kindness he so often exhibits when faced by the many simply odd things that are said here.
People wonder why many of the queries are odd.
This is why. We’re always worried about how we will sound.
Do I sound annoyed? I am. There are few priests here. I’d like to keep them.

Peace ME…

I agree 100%. I think this is why many priests do not post here (or in other sites). And it’s a shame because I 100% value what priests, like Father Ruggero post.

Father Ruggero tells you how it is and often makes you reconsider your position. I wish more priests were like him.

 

[Casilda]

Two points:

1. The location (inside or outside a confessional) has nothing to do with whether nor not a Confession is valid. There is actually very little required to have a valid absolution, and the Church does this intentionally in order to make the Mercy of God available with the least burden.
2. To your last question: yes, the priest does indeed have a lot of leeway in deciding what constitutes a “just cause.” That phrase (sometimes translated as “good reason”) is actually the lowest standard in canon law. In a certain sense, it means that as long as the priest has some good reason, as opposed to some not-good reason, then he can do it. That’s the key point: it cannot be a wrong reason.

It’s difficult to think of a not-good-reason to give for an example. If a priest says “I don’t think that confession inside a confessional is valid” then that would not be a ‘just cause.’ Something downright silly like “I only hear confessions standing beneath a living tree” would be another. Even in situations like that, the only consequences would be that the priest himself lacks good judgement (maybe the bishop needs to talk to him); it still doesn’t make the absolution invalid.

Great response, what people hope for when they ask questions!

 

[Mary_Estelle]

I don’t know how one can label it “undertone”.
However, the “backstory” is…Father gets untold horrible emails, ridiculous presumptions, awful attacks, and general disrespect all. the. time.
I doubt any of us would be capable of the profound kindness he so often exhibits when faced by the many simply odd things that are said here.
People wonder why many of the queries are odd.
This is why. We’re always worried about how we will sound.
Do I sound annoyed? I am. There are few priests here. I’d like to keep them.

Peace ME…

Sorry that you are annoyed. So am I. LOL! I only expressed my personal opinion in my org. response. 99.9% of the time Father is spot on with his advise and comments. However, only God is perfect. Peace

 

[twf]

Yes, as others have noted, “just cause” is completely at the priest’s discretion. I’ve made my confession in the living room of a rectory, in priests’ offices, sitting in a pew in the back of a church, in the sacristy, and of course in a confessional / reconciliation room.

 

[adamhovey1988]

I have gone to confession at a Parish office before because it would have just been too difficult to get to the confessional. I hope to remind everyone here that Eastern Christians don’t have confessionals and historically there was a good chunk of time before they were widely available in the West

 

[Sbee0]

Thank you everyone, all your answers were reassuring and made sense!

I suppose then this part of canon law is a guideline for the priest when hearing confessions as opposed to the confessor him or herself.

 

[FrDavid96]

Thank you everyone, all your answers were reassuring and made sense!

I suppose then this part of canon law is a guideline for the priest when hearing confessions as opposed to the confessor him or herself.

Actually, the requirement applies to both the priest (the priest is actually the confessor) and the penitent. As a matter of regular practice, confessions are to be hear in a proper confessional.

Having said that, though, remember that an exception can be made for a just cause. So if a penitent prefers not to use the confessional, then that is usually enough to constitute a just cause.

Again, as long as the reason makes some sense, that’s enough to satisfy the canon and allow the exception. It is almost (but not quite literally) a matter of saying that as long as the reason itself is not something irrational or misguided then that’s good enough.

 

[Sbee0]

Actually, the requirement applies to both the priest (the priest is actually the confessor) and the penitent. As a matter of regular practice, confessions are to be hear in a proper confessional.

Having said that, though, remember that an exception can be made for a just cause. So if a penitent prefers not to use the confessional, then that is usually enough to constitute a just cause.

Again, as long as the reason makes some sense, that’s enough to satisfy the canon and allow the exception. It is almost (but not quite literally) a matter of saying that as long as the reason itself is not something irrational or misguided then that’s good enough.

Ah, I understand. Thank you Father.

 

[pianistclare]

Here’s a partial quote from the great CAtholic blogger, Simcha Fisher:

*In Giovanni Guareschi’s celebrated series of stories about a faithful but very human priest, the beleaguered Don Camillo once pitifully prays to Christ to help him blow his nose in a way that won’t be offensive to the congregation. He knows that he is under more public scrutiny than any other man in the village, and no matter what he does or how he does it, someone is going to complain.

I always keep this prayer in mind when a priest gets on my nerves, and I try very hard not to criticise him. Priests baptise our children. They bury our dead. They forgive our sins. They anoint and bless and guide us. And they give us Christ.*

 

[porthos11]

There are lots of just reasons.

Father is jogging and is accosted by a poor sinner asking for absolution from mortal sin. In his kindness, Father sits down on a park bench, hears the confession and absolves. Just reason.

Father is preparing for Mass in the sacristy five minutes before Mass. A poor sinner in mortal sin asks for confession so that he can receive Communion. Father in his kindness hears a one-minute confession that releases the sinner from his state. Just reason.

Father is praying his breviary in a pew and a poor sinner asks for confession. Nobody else is in church. He invites the penitent to sit down beside him and hears his confession. He then continues is Office afterwards. Just reasons.

For most priests and penitents, the confessional is not a hill to die on.

 

[babochka]

Here’s a partial quote from the great CAtholic blogger, Simcha Fisher:

*In Giovanni Guareschi’s celebrated series of stories about a faithful but very human priest, the beleaguered Don Camillo once pitifully prays to Christ to help him blow his nose in a way that won’t be offensive to the congregation. He knows that he is under more public scrutiny than any other man in the village, and no matter what he does or how he does it, someone is going to complain.

I always keep this prayer in mind when a priest gets on my nerves, and I try very hard not to criticise him. Priests baptise our children. They bury our dead. They forgive our sins. They anoint and bless and guide us. And they give us Christ.*