Confession & Penance

[Jeremiah2911]

I’d like to ask a question regarding Confession and Penance. As a Non-Catholic, I understand that when you go to Confession, as I’ve heard it, you sit and the Priest/Father sits behind a screen and you share your heart, is this still the case, or can you speak to a Catholic Priest in person? Secondly, is Confession part of Penance?

Thank You for your time and look forward to the answer.

 

[uxordepp]

Confession can be given face-to-face or behind a screen in most places.

Penance/Reconciliation/Confession are all the same sacrament. The various names point out different aspects of the sacrament.

Confession is telling (taking responsibility for) your sins; Reconciliation usually follows, and that is coming back into a state of grace if/when the priest grants absolution ; Penance is something you are counselled to do/pray/read…which may in some way make up for what you’ve done, or to simple strengthen you not to commit the sin again.

The sacrament of Confession is an awesome gift.

 

[Scoobyshme]

I’d like to ask a question regarding Confession and Penance. As a Non-Catholic, I understand that when you go to Confession, as I’ve heard it, you sit and the Priest/Father sits behind a screen and you share your heart, is this still the case, or can you speak to a Catholic Priest in person? Secondly, is Confession part of Penance?

Thank You for your time and look forward to the answer.

Confession (a.k.a., the Sacrament of Penance) is usually offered both ways: behind a screen, or face-to-face. Your choice. Both are equally valid.

Confession comes from John 20:19 and following.

You might also enjoy listening to a good talk on Confession by Fr. Larry Richards (very dynamic and entertaining speaker). You can download it in .mp3 form from the following:

alabamacatholicresources.com/Downloads/Confession.mp3

God bless and enjoy!

 

[VetA]

Confession (a.k.a., the Sacrament of Penance) is usually offered both ways: behind a screen, or face-to-face. Your choice. Both are equally valid.

Confession comes from John 20:19 and following.

You might also enjoy listening to a good talk on Confession by Fr. Larry Richards (very dynamic and entertaining speaker). You can download it in .mp3 form from the following:

alabamacatholicresources.com/Downloads/Confession.mp3

God bless and enjoy!

[BIBLEDRB]John 20:19[/BIBLEDRB]

 

[Victorious]

I’d like to ask a question regarding Confession and Penance. As a Non-Catholic, I understand that when you go to Confession, as I’ve heard it, you sit and the Priest/Father sits behind a screen and you share your heart, is this still the case, or can you speak to a Catholic Priest in person? Secondly, is Confession part of Penance?

Some points about the Sacrament of Confession/Penance/Reconciliation:

– You have to confess your sins to a priest. It may be done face-to-face or behind a screen. I personally prefer behind a screen.

– You tell the priests the kind and number of your sins. If you can’t remember an exact number, you do the best you can. The priest needs to know the number in order to advise you (large number of one kind of sin = major area that needs work).

– Since Jesus delegated to His priests the power to forgive sins, the priest needs to hear what the sins are. Jesus told His Apostles (the predecessors of the bishops, to whom all validly ordained men trace their lines of ordination) that whose sins they forgive are forgiven, and whose sins they retain are retained (John 20:23). The prerequisite for the exercise of this power is knowing what the sins are; and in order for a priest to know what the sins are, he has to have the penitent tell him.

– Having to confess one’s sins is humbling; and since it costs us something to do so, it is in itself a powerful discouragement to sin.

– After a penitent confesses his sins, the priest assigns him a penance. The purpose of a penance is to give the penitent the opportunity to make reparation for the harm he has done to God by sinning. The penance is usually in the form of prayers (e.g., three Hail Marys and three Our Fathers). This doesn’t seem like much, but even a small penance has the added merit of being done under obedience – in other words, we have humbled ourselves by obeying our confessor in making the penance, rather than undertaking a more severe penance that we think up ourselves; it is a means of surrendering our will to that of God, Who gives the priest this authority.

Probably more than you wanted to know, but some clarity seemed called for.

 

[bilop]

One thing to add, confession MUST be offered anonymously (i.e. in “the box”, or behind a screen), if the penitent so desires. Likewise, the priest has the right to offer ONLY anonymous confession.

Face-to-face MAY be offered if both confessor and penitent are fine with it, but there is no canonical right to face-to-face.

God Bless

 

[wheels10]

Great posts everyone!

I would just like to add that after the sacrament of confession, we also need to forgive ourselves. We are asked to be like Christ, and since Christ has forgiven us through the sacrament of confession, we are being like Christ by forgiving ourselves!

As Catholics we are very fortunate to have the sacrament of confession. After a good confession we are restored to perfection. So for that moment in time we get a taste of Sainthood!

 

[diggerdomer]

Confession can be given face-to-face or behind a screen in most places.

Penance/Reconciliation/Confession are all the same sacrament. The various names point out different aspects of the sacrament.

Confession is telling (taking responsibility for) your sins; Reconciliation usually follows, and that is coming back into a state of grace if/when the priest grants absolution ; Penance is something you are counselled to do/pray/read…which may in some way make up for what you’ve done, or to simple strengthen you not to commit the sin again.

The sacrament of Confession is an awesome gift.

What is common in most places is not behind a screen.

 

[Chatter163]

What is common in most places is not behind a screen.

No, that depends entirely on where you are. In every diocese and parish in which I have lived (three different parts of the country), the overwhelming majority of confessions have been done behind a screen, and that was not only in traditional parishes.

 

[Trinity117]

No, that depends entirely on where you are. In every diocese and parish in which I have lived (three different parts of the country), the overwhelming majority of confessions have been done behind a screen, and that was not only in traditional parishes.

Same here - every church that I have attended offers “in the box” or behind the screen confession. I have been to retreats where you are in a room with the priest and choose one of the chairs - the one in front of him (face to face) or the one behind his back. ?? Considering he is my parish priest, I think he knows it’s me!

I remember one instance in my current church when my daughter was making her first Reconciliation - Father offered to hear the family’s confessions - and it was behind the altar, face-to-face, on chairs. (There was music playing so that folks in the pews couldn’t hear what was said)

I am certain that I could also request a face-to-face with Father, but I prefer the feeling of solitude speaking to him in the confessional. It just feels more “traditional.” Again, I’m sure he knows it’s me - so it isn’t really a privacy thing with me!

 

[diggerdomer]

No, that depends entirely on where you are. In every diocese and parish in which I have lived (three different parts of the country), the overwhelming majority of confessions have been done behind a screen, and that was not only in traditional parishes.

You’re right, it depends on where one is. I am in the U.S., and in all the places I’ve lived, the norm is not a screen. But, again, there may be local preferences/differences.

 

[paramedicgirl]

Confessing ones sins also requires contrition for the sins confessed. Imperfect contrition, which is being sorry for your sins because you fear hell, is sufficent for forgiveness. Perfect contrition, which is being sorry for your sins because you offended God and love Him, is even better!

 

[phoenixrrt62]

paramedicgirl;:

Confessing ones sins also requires contrition for the sins confessed. Imperfect contrition, which is being sorry for your sins because you fear hell, is sufficent for forgiveness. Perfect contrition, which is being sorry for your sins because you offended God and love Him, is even better!

I hope I don’t pull this off topic by asking this, but I am trying to clarify something in my mind.
When I went to mass as a child/teen, I do recall people saying that they would have to go to confession before recieving communion. I am guessing you’d have to recieve the host with a clean concious(?sp) so to speak? Yes?
Another thing…we weren’t supposed to even eat breakfast until we came home from mass. Why would that be? I always thought that rather odd…but we kids really didn’t question it…

 

[diggerdomer]

I hope I don’t pull this off topic by asking this, but I am trying to clarify something in my mind.
When I went to mass as a child/teen, I do recall people saying that they would have to go to confession before recieving communion. I am guessing you’d have to recieve the host with a clean concious(?sp) so to speak? Yes?
Another thing…we weren’t supposed to even eat breakfast until we came home from mass. Why would that be? I always thought that rather odd…but we kids really didn’t question it…

Catholics are not allowed to receive communion if they are in a state of mortal (grave) sin.

Catholics are required to fast from solid food and drink (except water, and barring any medical etc. conditions) one hour before receiving communion.

 

[paramedicgirl]

I hope I don’t pull this off topic by asking this, but I am trying to clarify something in my mind.
When I went to mass as a child/teen, I do recall people saying that they would have to go to confession before recieving communion. I am guessing you’d have to recieve the host with a clean concious(?sp) so to speak? Yes?
Another thing…we weren’t supposed to even eat breakfast until we came home from mass. Why would that be? I always thought that rather odd…but we kids really didn’t question it…

The Church now allows a one hour fast prior to receiving Holy Communion. It used to be a three hour fast, and prior to that, was an overnight fast (I think that was in the 1950’s). The fast is a discipline, and not a doctrine, so it can be changed by the Church. (Doctrines can never be changed as they are set by God.)

And yes, we still must go to confession before receiving Holy Communion if we are in a state of mortal sin. People used to be more conscious of when they needed to go to confession; now it seems that standards about this have laxed, and everyone goes up for Communion. It would be good to see longer line up for the Confession!

 

[paramedicgirl]

Just a further thought on this:

Frequent communions should be balanced with frequent confessions. That seems logical, since we are all sinners. Sin and breaking the Eucharistic fast are the two barriers to receiving Our Lord in Holy Communion. Since it’s almost impossible to break the lax one hour Eucharistic fast, people who stay in their seats are most likey presumed by others to either have a lack of piety or to be in a state of mortal sin. That can create social pressure to make a sacrilegious Communion.

Before the change from the three hour Eucharistic fast, one who did not receive most likely had not kept the Eucharistic fast, and those who did receive must have thoughtfully prepared themselves for it by remembering to go without food in preparation of receiving Our Lord.

The habit of routinely receiving Communion without frequent confessions is prevalent everywhere I have been, and I believe it can show more piety and respect for Our Lord to stay in your seat during Communion than it does to go up and automatically receive when you haven’t been to confession in a while.

 

[Victorious]

The Church now allows a one hour fast prior to receiving Holy Communion. It used to be a three hour fast, and prior to that, was an overnight fast (I think that was in the 1950’s). The fast is a discipline, and not a doctrine, so it can be changed by the Church. (Doctrines can never be changed as they are set by God.)

As a matter of fact, it was Pope Pius XII who instituted the 3-hour fast, right after World War II, and allowed exceptions for medicine and natural water. The document in which he made the change (whose name escapes me) discussed the fast, and the importance of the fast; but he also considered it important in these times not to put too many disciplines in the way of receiving Communion.

 

[katy]

I am in the U.S., and in all the places I’ve lived, the norm is not a screen.

Don’t think I could do that.

 

[preV2tradcath]

In case it hasn’t been mentioned, traditionally, when going behind the screen, you are kneeling during the sacrament of penance/reconciliation, going to confession. Those who go face to face with the priest are sitting like him. The option of going face to face is one of the changes since Vatican II.

 

[Trinity117]

The Church now allows a one hour fast prior to receiving Holy Communion. It used to be a three hour fast, and prior to that, was an overnight fast (I think that was in the 1950’s). The fast is a discipline, and not a doctrine, so it can be changed by the Church. (Doctrines can never be changed as they are set by God.)

And yes, we still must go to confession before receiving Holy Communion if we are in a state of mortal sin. People used to be more conscious of when they needed to go to confession; now it seems that standards about this have laxed, and everyone goes up for Communion. It would be good to see longer line up for the Confession!

Amen, paramedicgirl!!

I second the whole longer line thing – perhaps lines for confession can be the new vogue in church.