Some months back, I had an issue with a confession outside of my home church where the Priest who was in a hurry, simply asked me if I was sorry for all my sins, that he didn’t have to hear them… I was very taken aback by this, let me tell you!
When I got back to my home parish, I asked my Pastor about this next time I went to Confession, and he used a Latin phrase (silly brain, can’t think what it was?) that means that if the Priest is lacking, the Church itself makes up for… just don’t go to that particular Priest again for a confession!!
I was quite relieved that I didn’t have to do the entire confession again in its entirety, and I believe in this case, God arranged for there to have been a deficiency in that first Priest to spare me having to say those sins outloud, anyhow. I think Mother Church is wonderful that there are such dispensations available for all that is lacking in our human nature, that She supplies it through the Eternal Merits of Jesus’ Blood.
In Jesus through Mary,
Patti