I do. I’m one of those odd ones.
He is a wonderful confessor, and since he has been at my parish (5 years,now) I’ve had no reason to go anywhere else. I have interactions with him outside of the confessional, and it does not feel awkward or strange.
Emailing him for an appointment for confession a few months ago felt a little weird, but it all worked out.
It sounds like you have a wonderful situation, and I’m glad you are blessed in this way. I’m hoping to have such an arrangement myself, which is why I’m preparing to take the leap from confession in English four times per year to confession in French every month (or more often, if my parish priest [Fr. B] and/or I think I need it). I’m especially happy for you that your interactions with your confessor outside the confessional are comfortable. I unfortunately do not have a similar situation - my interactions with Fr. B are usually awkward, strange, and often quite schizophrenic - but I’m reasonably confident it will come. I do get on with our other priests rather effortlessly, so it might seem odd that I would insist on confessing to the one with whom I have the most difficulty, but I am drawn to him because I know he will tell me what I need to hear, which is not necessarily what I
want to hear. He challenges me. I need the challenge.
(For the record, my relationship with Fr. B does also include relaxed, tender, and sometimes even funny moments. It’s not all thunder and lightning. I don’t think I could confess regularly - or even at all - to someone with whom my interactions were
always tense and uncomfortable.)
I confess to my parish priest. I like him a lot and he’s very easy to talk to.
I’m happy for you also that you have a confessor with whom you feel comfortable right in your own parish. It’s very important!
Do we have to confess in the priest’s spoken language, or can someone who speaks English confess to someone who speaks Spanish, or Italian etc. ???
For some reason, I thought it didn’t matter if the priest understood the confession or not…???
I have been told that as well, and that would work for me if I’m only seeking absolution. In my case I also want guidance and, eventually, spiritual direction. For that, my confessor and I will need to understand each other. I do speak French - two people cannot have a 45-minute conversation without being able to speak a common language - I’m just not all that comfortable with it. There are times when I simply do not understand what he is saying.
He gets exasperated when he has to repeat himself three or four times (I’m also a bit deaf, which doesn’t help…come to think of it, I don’t believe I’ve ever mentioned that to him…maybe I should
). So this ain’t gonna be easy, but my mind is made up.
I’ve never had a problem confessing to my parish priest, in fact, I’ve not known anyone who doesn’t
I’m not saying they don’t, just have never known anyone who doesn’t.
So you have the opposite situation from me. To be honest, I’m glad to hear it! My mother, who confesses to her parish priest with whom she doesn’t particularly get along, told me that if I don’t confess often to someone who sees me regularly, the absolution may be valid but I won’t have a good opportunity to get help in overcoming my shortcomings and avoiding future sin. It would be like treading water vs. actually swimming. Having taken that on board, I eventually came to conclusion that I need to find a regular confessor, someone who sees me often outside the confessional as well, who can gauge my progress and advise me accordingly. So that’s where I am today.
