Confused about penance

  • Thread starter Thread starter Cimachol
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
C

Cimachol

Guest
I had a rather confusing thing happen at confession today at a parish I had never visited before. To make a long story short, the priest had apparently just finished hearing confessions when I came in, but he said he’d hear mine anyway. After I confessed, he said to be sure to spend 10 minutes in prayer every day with my family. Then he had me say an Act of Contrition, gave me absolution and dismissed me.

I should have asked for clarification at the time, but I was a little flustered and knew he was in a hurry to leave. I initially thought the 10 minutes a day in prayer with my family was just priestly advice and that he would assign an actual penance. But since he didn’t, I don’t know if he meant for that to be the penance. I have never heard of a penance being given that involves doing something every day for an unspecified number of days. Basically, that would mean I would never be done with that penance. Plus, including other people in one’s penance seems odd.

Should I assume that he was just making a suggestion and that he either forgot to assign a penance, or that perhaps I mis understood him? (English was clearly not his first language.) I spent 10+ minutes praying in the church thinking that perhaps that was what he meant, but now I’m troubled.
 
I would think it’s only advice. After all, spending ten minutes praying every day with the family might not even be possible for many people -not all in the same place at the same time, family members objecting, people coming to the door - many reasons why it wouldn’t be possible. And as you say, the fact that there was no time limit argues against it being a penance.

It sounds to me that he just forgot to give you a penance. You have done your best. You do know that your confession is valid even without doing a penance, don’t you?
 
Cimachol said:
I had a rather confusing thing happen at confession today at a parish I had never visited before. To make a long story short, the priest had apparently just finished hearing confessions when I came in, but he said he’d hear mine anyway. After I confessed, he said to be sure to spend 10 minutes in prayer every day with my family. Then he had me say an Act of Contrition, gave me absolution and dismissed me.

I should have asked for clarification at the time, but I was a little flustered and knew he was in a hurry to leave. I initially thought the 10 minutes a day in prayer with my family was just priestly advice and that he would assign an actual penance. But since he didn’t, I don’t know if he meant for that to be the penance. I have never heard of a penance being given that involves doing something every day for an unspecified number of days. Basically, that would mean I would never be done with that penance. Plus, including other people in one’s penance seems odd.

Should I assume that he was just making a suggestion and that he either forgot to assign a penance, or that perhaps I mis understood him? (English was clearly not his first language.) I spent 10+ minutes praying in the church thinking that perhaps that was what he meant, but now I’m troubled.
Click to expand...
A penance that has no time limit (e.g. daily) is not permitted to be given by the priest.
 
OP, this is nothing to worry about. Absolution is not dependent on any penance. If you wanted to, you could return to this priest and ask him if he had a specific penance for you. I don’t think that it is necessary, however.
 
Next confession - ask for a change in the penance from the last confession if that was the penance. It can be a different Priest even. That will settle it in your mind and bring a completion to things for ya.
 
Cimachol said:
I had a rather confusing thing happen at confession today at a parish I had never visited before. To make a long story short, the priest had apparently just finished hearing confessions when I came in, but he said he’d hear mine anyway. After I confessed, he said to be sure to spend 10 minutes in prayer every day with my family. Then he had me say an Act of Contrition, gave me absolution and dismissed me.

I should have asked for clarification at the time, but I was a little flustered and knew he was in a hurry to leave. I initially thought the 10 minutes a day in prayer with my family was just priestly advice and that he would assign an actual penance. But since he didn’t, I don’t know if he meant for that to be the penance. I have never heard of a penance being given that involves doing something every day for an unspecified number of days. Basically, that would mean I would never be done with that penance. Plus, including other people in one’s penance seems odd.

Should I assume that he was just making a suggestion and that he either forgot to assign a penance, or that perhaps I mis understood him? (English was clearly not his first language.) I spent 10+ minutes praying in the church thinking that perhaps that was what he meant, but now I’m troubled.
Click to expand...
It sounds to me as if the priest gave you advice, but not a penance. Don’t be troubled, though. If you misunderstood, you misunderstood. If Father forgot, he forgot. You are still absolved.
 
Here are some extracts from the liturgical book “Rite of Penance”.

“18. … Next, the priest imposes an act of penance or expiation on the penitent; this should serve not only as atonement for past sins but also as an aid to a new life and an antidote for weakness. As far as possible, therefore, the penance should correspond to the seriousness and nature of their sins. This act of penance may suitably take the form of prayer, self-denial, and especially service to neighbour and works of mercy. These will underline the fact that sin and its forgiveness have a social aspect.”

“44. … If necessary, the priest helps the penitent to make an integral confession and gives him suitable counsel. … The priest proposes an act of penance which the penitent accepts to make satisfaction for sin and to amend his life.
The priest should make sure that he adapts his counsel to the penitent’s circumstances.”

This is from the book “The Rites, Volume One”, published 1990, ISBN 081466015, pages 535 and 546.
 
I think it was more advice. I’ve been to confession where the Priest didn’t give me a penance. So I went and did my own! Don’t worry if he didn’t give you a specific penance.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top