I have a problem with a priest

  • Thread starter Thread starter Meggie18
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
letters2mary said:
Your feelings are understandable, but priests are trained to have good ‘forgettors’ and absent extreme circumstances, they are forbiddent to break the seal. Chances are they have heard everything. Remember, too, that what you think is awful may not be shocking to experienced ears. You have been absolved: start living in to that.

–One who knows!
Click to expand...
Actually, priests are NEVER permitted to break the seal of confession. If it’s a choice between dying and breaking the seal, they’re required to die.

While not the same, if it’s any consolation to the OP, I’m not a priest, but I do work regularly with people who commit grave sins, some on the unthinkable side such as pedophilia, child porn, indecent acts (the sky is the limit on these, I’m learning), sexual interference, prostitution, etc. I have to see these people on a regular basis, and when I first meet them, they have to tell me exactly what they did. I don’t sit there and dwell on what these people tell me, nor to I make judgements on them outside of what’s required of my duties to ensure they get the help they need. I don’t think differently about them because of what they did. Sure, I don’t want to hear the detail, but it’s part of my job. When I see them again, I don’t even really think about what they did, but rather what are they doing now.

Confession is nothing like that, so I assure you your priest doesn’t think differently about you. I can understand your concern, as I dropped a big sin on my confessor once. Nothing embarrassing, but if someone told you it, you’d be concerned for the person. It took some CBT to get over myself and the constant feeling of my confessor watching me to “make sure I’m ok”. :rolleyes:
 
Meggie18 said:
It was a face to face confession and it so happens that our paths frequently cross at my parish 😦

And I know that he’s not supposed to treat me differently because of what I said to him, but just imagining what he may think of me gives me a hard time…
Click to expand...
As you note, your problem is not with the priest, it is with your own remaining shame. This priest knows you better than most people now. This means he is more capable of loving you truly.

Do you believe that Christ loves and respects you in spite of knowing you very well indeed? Do you believe that Christ sees you as precious and gave his life to demonstrate his love for you WHILE you were yet a sinner? Do you believe that forgiveness of sins is something the priest truly believes in and practices along with these other attitudes in his ministry, or do you think he is a hypocrite?

Your own shame is is keeping you from giving this priest a chance to demonstrate how he lives out his vocation as a priest. TRUST him in this. Especially trust him if he was good in hearing your confession. Finally, find ways to forgive yourself. Christ has and your priest mediated this forgiveness to you. Take that seriously too. Move forward no longer in bondage to the past. THAT is what your priest wants for you. That is what Christ wants for you.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top