Question About the Penitential Act

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TheBillingsleys

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My wife and I are neophytes. We began attending our local parish about a year ago or so, and for the Penitential Act we used to say the Confiteor during Mass. Recently, however, we’ve received a new priest who has dropped the Confiteor. Now, the priest just says, “Let us acknowledge our sins,” and we bow our heads in silence for a moment or two before the priest jumps into the Kyrie, eleison. Is this proper? If so, I’m kinda bummed, as the Confiteor meant a lot to me.
 
Depends, If he goes into it with invocations and says "you were sent to heal the contrite of heart , Lord have mercy , You came to call sinners christ have mercy, you are seated at the right hand of the father to intercede for us, lord have mercy. That is correct becuase that is penitential rite C, The confiteor is rite A and there is a rite B that says Have mercy on us lord , The response is for we have sinned against you, then the priest says show us o Lord your mercy and the people respond and grant us your salvation. The ending of all three forms is the priest says May almighty God have mercy on us forgive us our sins and bring us to everlasting life. with the response being Amen .
Hope i helped
 
TheBillingsleys said:
My wife and I are neophytes. We began attending our local parish about a year ago or so, and for the Penitential Act we used to say the Confiteor during Mass. Recently, however, we’ve received a new priest who has dropped the Confiteor. Now, the priest just says, “Let us acknowledge our sins,” and we bow our heads in silence for a moment or two before the priest jumps into the Kyrie, eleison. Is this proper? If so, I’m kinda bummed, as the Confiteor meant a lot to me.
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The confiteor can be replaced with the Kyrie eleison or even with a sprinkling rite whereby water is blessed and the congregation is sprinkled with it.

I agree it is a wonderful prayer, but the main thing is the purpose of the penitential rite, which is where we acknowledge our sins and our need for mercy and purification, regardless of the words or actions by which we do so. You are certainly welcome to pray the confiteor privately before Mass if you like.
 
These two responses were excellent. I learned something new.
 
LilyM said:
The confiteor can be replaced with the Kyrie eleison or even with a sprinkling rite whereby water is blessed and the congregation is sprinkled with it.

I agree it is a wonderful prayer, but the main thing is the purpose of the penitential rite, which is where we acknowledge our sins and our need for mercy and purification, regardless of the words or actions by which we do so. You are certainly welcome to pray the confiteor privately before Mass if you like.
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No.

The Kyrie must be said or sung after A (the confiteor) and B. If C is chosen, the Kyrie is dispensed with.

The Kyrie on its own never suffices. C is basically the Kyrie plus some invocations. OP: if the Penitential Act is “[invocation], Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy,” “[invocation], Christ have mercy, Christ have mercy,” “[invocation], Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy,” then that is fine.

However, if he just says, “Brethren, let us acknowledge our sins… Lord have mercy,” then that is flatly incorrect.
 
YoungTradCath said:
No.

The Kyrie must be said or sung after A (the confiteor) and B. If C is chosen, the Kyrie is dispensed with.

The Kyrie on its own never suffices. C is basically the Kyrie plus some invocations. OP: if the Penitential Act is “[invocation], Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy,” “[invocation], Christ have mercy, Christ have mercy,” “[invocation], Lord have mercy, Lord have mercy,” then that is fine.

However, if he just says, “Brethren, let us acknowledge our sins… Lord have mercy,” then that is flatly incorrect.
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Apologies. By Kyrie I actually meant Kyrie + invocations. I can’t ever recall having heard the Kyrie literally on its own at Mass. And of course you are right, the Kyrie cannot suffice without the invocations.
 
TheBillingsleys said:
My wife and I are neophytes. We began attending our local parish about a year ago or so, and for the Penitential Act we used to say the Confiteor during Mass. Recently, however, we’ve received a new priest who has dropped the Confiteor. Now, the priest just says, “Let us acknowledge our sins,” and we bow our heads in silence for a moment or two before the priest jumps into the Kyrie, eleison. Is this proper? If so, I’m kinda bummed, as the Confiteor meant a lot to me.
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Well, the priest is the Boss.
Nevertheless, I like the Confiteor, for it is and acknowledgement of one’s own private sins and the sins of the Community.
 
Our Priest was and is willing to listen and that means to any changes and does take on board what we all say somehow. It don’t mean we get what we want always, but he does accommodate.

If you dont tell him, he won’t know how you feel about it. Naturally there is a way of telling him. Don’t make it a complaint but make it as though, which you are, an open to be willing to learn.
 
Most churches in my diocese, I’ve never encountered them using the new version of the Confiteor as part of the Penitential Act. I went to a few Masses outside of my diocese, and they use it, good thing I had a guide to follow along as I know most of it but not all of it by heart yet.
 
Thanks, everyone. That cleared things up nicely for me.
 
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