Penance Question

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AngelRose81

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Ok, so I’ve been Catholic since April 2007 and every time I’ve been to confession I always recieve the penane of a few Hail Marys, Our Fathers, etc. The only different one I’ve received was to pray on the Beatitudes. Anyway, Sunday I went and Father told me for my penance to pray the 2nd Luminous mystery and offer it for my suffering, my struggles, and some others’ struggles (won’t mention names). I wasn’t sure whether or not to just pray the one decade or to pray an entire rosary offering just that decade for those specific things, so I decided to pray the entire rosary. Was that ok?
 
JMJ

Yes, in a way it is. You did do what Father told you to do. I think, it would be wrong if you did say the third sorrowful mysteries instead. Although what I tend to do, the priest says to pray the second mysteries and I feel that I should pray all the mysteries, I will pray the second set first, take a break then pray the first, third fourth and fifth. I do this because of holy obedience.

Just some thoughts.
 
You can never go too far wrong praying the rosary, and you DID do what Father asked you to do. Sounds like you’re doing just fine, to me. 👍
 
You are fine. A word of advice would be if you are ever unsure when you get your penance ask the Priest exactly what he means.

I seem to try and always do more than what is required. My feeble mind can’t get around the idea that something as simple as 1 Hail Mary can make up for everything I did. So I do more, not that I have to, I just feel better about it.

Usually if I’m told to do 1 Hail Mary, I’ll pray few extra and a few Our Fathers, and I ask God to please accept them as a personal addition to my penance.
 
Our priest always gives me the same penance. Take time to thank God for His love for you, and ask Him for the grace to avoid whatever sins it was that I confessed. It’s somewhat disappointing to always get the same thing.
 
06convert said:
Usually if I’m told to do 1 Hail Mary, I’ll pray few extra and a few Our Fathers, and I ask God to please accept them as a personal addition to my penance.
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I would actually recommend not doing this. Your priest is acting in persona Christi, and so you should have faith that he is giving you a suitable penance. Now, I’m not recommending that you pray less. The difference between this and the OP is that a 5-decade Rosary is a recognized set of prayers, rather than just “a few extra”. I fear that “beefing up” your assigned penance like that could be an early sign of scrupulosity.

I always think we could pray more, but make it either personal “non-rote” prayer, or a recognized set of prayers like the Rosary or Divine Mercy Chaplet, or the Chaplet of St. Raphael, and offer it for the glory of God, or in devotion to our Mother Mary, or a patron saint.
 
I didn’t doubt that the penance wasn’t enough I just wanted to make sure I did it right.:o

Thanks for all of your quick answers. I feel much better now!
 
Spirithound:
I have always been taught that the penance assigned is but a small token of the temporal penalties due for our sins…how on earth could it be wrong to do more? I am a convert, and during my formation period the priest made it clear that far more penance is required in the spiritual life than the small tokens you’re given during confession…otherwise purgatory wouldn’t exist for most of us…we should offer both passive (hardships that we can’t avoid) and active penances up to the Lord, uniting them to his passion on the cross, for both our salvation and the salvation of others on a daily basis.

That being said I recognize that it could be a sign of scruples…but I wouldn’t assume that. That’s something for an individual to discuss with his or her confessor.
 
Hi twf, you make good points and sound very well grounded. Peace be with you!
 
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