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NorthTexan88
Guest
What do you do if you feel like your penance isn’t enough? Do you trust in the priest or do you add extra penance on yourself?
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CB_Catholic
Guest
IMO, you trust in the priest, because he is the one acting in the person of Christ. Christ has given him authority. Christ is in that confessional acting through the priest. Why would you not trust him? It is really not our place to second-guess the priest, who is our immediate spiritual authority. Sometimes if you feel your penance isn’t enough it may be the evil one tempting you to not rely on God’s infinite mercy and rely instead on your own judgment. Or it may be a sign of some scrupulosity, which may not be a good thing.
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Miriam1947
Guest
Why? Do you not think that Catholics (us ordinary not perfect Catholics) can actually live the precepts of the Church? And not commit mortal sin?For me, it’s a cynicism that so many people can remain free of mortal sin for years and years…
I know what those are and I try mightily never to commit one.
For those who have and do, confession is mandatory. Not for venial sins though.
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ProVobis
Guest
Where the line is drawn between mortal and venial sin isn’t the same for everyone. How much money or office equipment does one have to steal to be grave, how much gossip is grave enough, how late can you be to Mass, inappropriate sexual behavior, etc, etc.??? Seems very subjective to me.
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Spirithound
Guest
Trust the priest.
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Spirithound
Guest
I think that was implied in what I wrote. I didn’t exclude myself there. I don’t know any perfect Catholics.
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rhiannonh
Guest
too light or too heavy and if its on your miind then the only thing to do is to talk to the priest who gave you the confession. But don’t forget your sins are absolved without the priest knowing whether we have carried out the penance etc so if anyone think the penance is too heavy or light then there is something much deeper troubling them ie peace of mind. Confession is about forgiveness of sins not what penance is given to us as such in the sense of forgiveness. God is a loving God and loves us all very much. Why would he want to give a punishment that turns us away from him? He wants something that turns us to him? If the penance isn’t turning us to God then yes go back to the priest and discuss it in full because it is often our own mind that be telling us it aint enough. It will be enough because it is important for us to love God.
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Snugglebugmom
Guest
And if you really think your penance is too light (I know I did ) you can always pray a rosary (or a novena even) for, for example, the salvation of sinners or the return to the Church of fallen-away Catholics. There is no such thing as praying too much! Disclaimer: if you tend toward scrupulosity (like I do), use common sense and stick to the penance given you.
) you can always pray a rosary (or a novena even) for, for example, the salvation of sinners or the return to the Church of fallen-away Catholics. There is no such thing as praying too much! Disclaimer: if you tend toward scrupulosity (like I do), use common sense and stick to the penance given you.
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TrueLight
Guest
My first penance was to say 1 Our Father.
This was a week before I entered the Church, so I guess he didn’t want to scare me away.
This was a week before I entered the Church, so I guess he didn’t want to scare me away.
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