Etiquette of confession: a quick question

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SPONP4US

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Today I attended confession, I was a little nervous granted. The priest greeted me with a good morning and just as I about to amswe he also slipped in, a just about audible, " The peace of Jesus Christ be with you".

Before I’d realised this, I simply had already started to say “Good Morning Father” and had my mind on getting right on with the opening sign of the cross (partly due to feeling a little nervous today though not usually) and getting down to the serious business of confessing, but also not sure

Should I have answered " and with your spirit, Good morning Father? … There was a short silence after I just said “Good Morning Father” and I thought perhaps it seemed I was being rude or ignoring his welcome warranting a response but nerves and a blank mind for the better of my intuition this time and I proceeded with the procedures as usual.

Most often I enter in the confessional, and there is nothing but silence, sometimes I’m not even sure there is anyone there and hope I’m not talking to myself. I make the sign of the cross and hope the Priest signals his presence by the “Amen” which usually happens, or an understanding “yes” which I often feel a slight relief upon hearing … Until I’ve confessed everything.

This priest is very nice a good confessor and he helped make sure my confession was very good one which I am thankful for. I prayed for him and all our Priests. I’m just unsure as to what my response should have been. Does anyone know?

Or is me perhaps seeing something out of nothing? 🙂
 
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Thanks Father, although I was meaning it more in terms of manners, rather than the sacrament being unaffected. That does put my mind at ease however.
 
I guarantee you the priest didn’t think a thing of it. That confession was your only confession of the day. It wasn’t Father’s.
 
SPONP4US said:
Most often I enter in the confessional, and there is nothing but silence, sometimes I’m not even sure there is anyone there and hope I’m not talking to myself.
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That made me remember one time when I saw Father sitting in the confessional and it was empty. I struggled to make myself go, but when I finally stepped into the confessional I waited to hear Father say the words of greeting, and I was just silent. After some seconds I realized that Father had left haha. So I went out looking for him and he came back in a couple of seconds and pointed towards the confessional.
Funny moment and awkward moment haha.
 
😂 yes I often wondered if that had happened.

Once upon a time at confession, I got to the point where I began in the usual way and was about to confess my first sin (complete silence as is often the case ) and then as I was about to get my first and worst sin out of the way.

I suddenly heard a frail voice, in a havey Scottish accent call out " Oh, could you just hang on a moment please, I am just figuring out how to turn the this heater on here, It’s a little chilly … Then i’ll be with you" followed a minute or two later with “Ok would you like to start again”

I found the thing rather amusing and it was alot easier the second attempt. It even slightly allayed my nervousness, thankfully 🙂

I guess every confession is unique (to the confessee only, of course).
 
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Father,
Today our pastor heard confessions through to the end of the liturgy of the word (maybe a little past that), while a visiting priest said Mass. I certainly appreciated it as it gave me a chance to go to confession (I got nervous when the line hadn’t ended at the start of Mass). Yet I’ve been to other churches where there are signs that state confessions will stop once Mass starts…even if the confessor and celebrant are not the same person. Does the Church actually provide any guidance on this issue? There seems to be some strong opinions both ways.
 
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