Should I tell people I’m doing Penance?

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Hi, I have a penance right now that involves other people. Should I let those people know I’m doing this as a penance? Like “my priest told me to talk about this, etc.” Or should I keep it a secret?

The same goes with other penance I guess, like for example if I was told as penance to do a favour for someone, should I tell them it’s a penance?
 
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Username7 said:
if I was told as penance to do a favour for someone, should I tell them it’s a penance?
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This may come across as “I’m only doing this because someone told me to.” I can’t imagine that’s the message you want to send.
 
I don’t think I’d need to, maybe now I think it would maybe send a good message.
 
Yeah, maybe. But do you think it could send a good message? Like for the church?
 
I agree with @UpUpAndAway. Just do it without saying anything and see what happens. Maybe you will be surprised, or maybe the other people will. That’s why the priest told you to do whatever it is, because it will affect someone.
 
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Username7 said:
Hi, I have a penance right now that involves other people. Should I let those people know I’m doing this as a penance? Like “my priest told me to talk about this, etc.” Or should I keep it a secret?

The same goes with other penance I guess, like for example if I was told as penance to do a favour for someone, should I tell them it’s a penance?
Click to expand...
Penance is ordinarily a private thing. I really don’t even like to talk about not eating meat on Fridays — I just do it.

There is such a thing as public penance, but it is for notorious public sinners, and it really wouldn’t “work” anymore in a post-modern secular world that is hostile to the idea that the Catholic Church might speak authoritatively on matters regarding sin.
 
I would think it’s private as well. I was just a little curious on wether it would be a good idea or not.

In my case, it may have made my penance easier if is said “The priest told me to…” I think anyways.
 
I think it sends the wrong message. It might be interpreted as either “I’m only doing this because my priest told me to” or “look how devout I am, I’m doing penance.”

I would just keep it to yourself, personally.
 
Ok, sounds good. I think my motive for doing it would’ve been to make it easier on myself. Thanks for the tell 👍
 
Do not let your left hand know what the right hand is doing.

God knows.

That’s all that matters.
 
I think it could easily be seen as a major virtue signaling.
 
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