If you confess fairly frequently and use the same words to tell the same sins, the priest will usually figure out that he’s dealing with the same person. Many years ago, I struggled with a habitual sin and went week after week to the same priest. Very gently, he would inquire, “Have I heard your confession before?” I would answer, “Yes, it’s me again.” In recent years, I’ve gone to the same priest for several years in a row. With the first (17 years’ worth!) I would simply identify myself when I went in: “Hi, Father, it’s Betsy.” And he’d ask about my family, whom he also knew, and then we’d continue. With the next, I was dealing with a rather unusual situation which gave me away, so he always knew it was the same person, although I don’t think he knew who it actually was on the outside. And with my current confessor, he knows about that same situation, but I haven’t brought it up in confession yet - he’s new to me - but he’ll know it’s me when I do. That, plus the fact that he smiles and waves to me on his way into the confessional when I’m waiting makes me think he knows it’s me every time already. Eventually, it will be “Hi, it’s Betsy” with him, too. I hope it’s 17 years or more, too, because he’s an amazing confessor.
Betsy
