Do priests have a sort of sixth sense? / extra sensory perception?

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Can most priests read the person from the outside? Ie: what the person’s spiritual condition is, what trials the person is facing, if the person is genuinely repentant… that sort of thing?

I am aware that Padre Pio had such gift… but can it be said for most priests?
 
TemplarKnight1 said:
Can most priests read the person from the outside? Ie: what the person’s spiritual condition is, what trials the person is facing, if the person is genuinely repentant… that sort of thing?

I am aware that Padre Pio had such gift… but can it be said for most priests?
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The spiritual gifts of discernment, word of knowledge, and word of wisdom described in the scriptures are very useful to a priest, especially in confession and spiritual direction, but they are not more common in priests than they are among laity. Such gifts can be sought and developed, but not all priests do this.

All priests must make a decision about whether the person coming for the Sacrament is genuinely repentant, because otherwise they cannot give absolution.

One of the reasons they ask questions during confession is to understand the persons spiritual condition better.
 
TemplarKnight1 said:
Can most priests read the person from the outside? Ie: what the person’s spiritual condition is, what trials the person is facing, if the person is genuinely repentant… that sort of thing?

I am aware that Padre Pio had such gift… but can it be said for most priests?
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I would not call it that, rather they can be helped from time to time by the Holy Spirit.
I know from personal experience that this is so, I will not go on the details but the priest gave me advice, that at that moment I did not fully understand, but a few years after, I saw clearly, he was giving me advice for my trial. Hope and pray I can endure it to the end.
And the funny thing this priest was not my regular confessor, he was in a different country and could not know what I was doing.
So yeah the Holy Spirit illuminates our priests if He see’s fit. That is why we need to pray for our priests, that they be Holy so that in turn they can help us.

Peace 👍
 
I think it depends on the person. The bible is very specific that not everyone will be given all of the gifts. I believe after dealing with a variety of priests is it depends on their personality, their talents for example some are better pastors while others are more theologians than pastors. I have met some wonderful caring compassionate priests and I’ve also met some first class jerks.
 
TemplarKnight1 said:
Can most priests read the person from the outside? Ie: what the person’s spiritual condition is, what trials the person is facing, if the person is genuinely repentant… that sort of thing?

I am aware that Padre Pio had such gift… but can it be said for most priests?
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Most? I don’t think so. Such graces as cardiognosis are rare 🙂

Some? Maybe. After all, they are not given to those who are worthy, but to those who are chosen 🤷

Priest, however, do develop an expertise on these matters, due to their pastoral ministry 🙂
 
I believe the holy spirit has much to do with this regarding confession, but am a little confused as I’ve always thought this was something most people have, but just don’t speak of for some reason. . . ( According to my friend who has spoken to me regarding these things.) Forgive me for my ignorance, but I am curious as people don’t discuss this often
 
R_C said:
Most? I don’t think so. Such graces as cardiognosis are rare 🙂

Some? Maybe. After all, they are not given to those who are worthy, but to those who are chosen 🤷

Priest, however, do develop an expertise on these matters, due to their pastoral ministry 🙂
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What is cardiognosis?
 
In the real world, we call that “psychology” or “reading body language,” and so on. 🙂
 
There used to be a priest living here called Fr Athanasius who could read hearts. God help you if you left something out during confession, he soon made you know about it even if he had to name it for you. But he was a saintly man, not all priests are blessed with the same gifts, although they could be more adept at understanding human nature by confessional experience than most of us would be.
 
This may not be exactly the same thing, but a number of the sisters I had in school not only had a “sixth sense,” but eyes in the backs of their heads, too! Talk about gifts of the Holy Spirit…
 
Bix said:
What is cardiognosis?
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A special charism given by the Holy Spirit to some chosen souls. The expression comes from the New Testament (Acts 1:24, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart.”, Acts 15:8, “God, who knows the heart”). In Ascent of Mount Carmel book II ch. 26, St. John of the Cross mentions this as well:
But over and above these gifts, or graces gratis data, perfect persons, or those who are advancing to perfection, very frequently receive the knowledge of things present or distant, in a certain illumination of their purified and enlightened mind. The following words in the book of Proverbs are applicable in this sense :
As the faces of them that look therein, shine in the water,
so the hearts of men are laid open to the prudent.
This is to be understood of those who have attained to the science of the saints, in Holy Scripture called prudence.
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In the same way, too, spiritual persons understand other things, though not always when they will : for this gift is theirs only who have the habit of this knowledge, and even they sometimes are at fault, because all this depends on the good pleasure of God.
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Those persons, whose minds are purified, ascertain with great facility, some better than others, what is passing in the hearts of men, their inclinations and their capacities ; and this from certain outward signs, however slight they may be, such as expressions, motions, or gestures. …] And though they may be often deceived in their interpretation of these signs, yet for the most part they will be correct.
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Tarpeian_Rock said:
This may not be exactly the same thing, but a number of the sisters I had in school not only had a “sixth sense,” but eyes in the backs of their heads, too! Talk about gifts of the Holy Spirit…
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:sad_yes: I remember in elementary school one of the sisters had something that sounded like that…she scared us once :o We were very disciplined with her!
 
In the words of the saints, the dignity of a priest is equal to that of the angels.

That said, anyone can grow close to God. And when you are close to God through prayer and devotions, God will speak to you. The more you trust in him, the more he will give you.
 
No, most priests can’t.

Most priest, however, develop a sort of professional sense about the people they’re dealing with after they’ve been doing their job for a while. In the same way that a mechanic can hear the way an engine sounds and sometimes diagnose the problem with no more information, a priest can sometimes give someone a once-over and give an educated, pastoral guess at what’s bothering them.

I’ll share a brief story to exemplify this.

Once, at one of our Parish Council Meetings, there was talk of changing hours for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. One woman went off about how Reconciliation wasn’t important anymore, and it could be done less frequently, if at all.
During this, the elderly pastor was scribbling on a legal pad he had. Once the woman had finished her tirade, he handed the legal pad to her with the simple words “These are your sins, no?”. The glanced down at the pad, turned pale, and didn’t talk for the rest of the meeting.
After the pastor about how he did that afterwards, his only words were “Once you’ve been doing this for a while, you kind of get a feel for what’s troubling who,”.
 
I do recall an account of a priest who kept a snuff tin in the confessional because the stench of sin was overwhelming.
 
L_Marshall said:
No, most priests can’t.

Most priest, however, develop a sort of professional sense about the people they’re dealing with after they’ve been doing their job for a while. In the same way that a mechanic can hear the way an engine sounds and sometimes diagnose the problem with no more information, a priest can sometimes give someone a once-over and give an educated, pastoral guess at what’s bothering them.

I’ll share a brief story to exemplify this.

Once, at one of our Parish Council Meetings, there was talk of changing hours for the Sacrament of Reconciliation. One woman went off about how Reconciliation wasn’t important anymore, and it could be done less frequently, if at all.
During this, the elderly pastor was scribbling on a legal pad he had. Once the woman had finished her tirade, he handed the legal pad to her with the simple words “These are your sins, no?”. The glanced down at the pad, turned pale, and didn’t talk for the rest of the meeting.
After the pastor about how he did that afterwards, his only words were “Once you’ve been doing this for a while, you kind of get a feel for what’s troubling who,”.
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Wow. I still wouldn’t be surprised if that was the Holy Spirit acting!
 
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