Too Harsh a Penance?

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SandyA4663

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I went to confession today. I had a bit of trouble understanding the priest, but my penance was to say the rosary every day. (I was not confessing anything I had not confessed previously.) I asked for clarification–did he mean for the rest of my life? From what I could understand (and I believe I asked more than once), he did mean every day. He said I could do a decade in the morning and another in the afternoon and, as I recall, another later in the day. He referred to a practice in India for saying the rosary, which I’ve tried to find on line to see if I could better understand what he meant, but couldn’t. I’ve read where some have posted that they felt a penance of saying the rosary once was too harsh. I’ve had that penance at least once as I recall and did not think it harsh. But to have to say the rosary every day (and I know many Catholics do and I commend them for it) seems out of line. I don’t know how a penance can have no end. I am very troubled by this and wonder if I am a terrible person for feeling the way I do–that I don’t know if I could find the time to say the rosary every day. I usually go to confession at another church near me since there is usually a long line at my parish and do not know the priests at the parish where I usually go for confession. Am I wrong in believing it is a harsh penance? Even though I believe he meant EVERY day, could I have misunderstood him? Should I talk to another priest–perhaps in my parish? Help!
 
It’s possible you misunderstood, but if the priest said what you think it was inappropriate. You can’t have a penance that lasts forever. Go to another priest and explain the situation. He’ll be able to help you.
 
It doesn’t take long to pray one decade but in my opinion it should be a voluntary thing to do because you want to do it. I’m not sure how Our Lady feels about people forced to do it for life, though it is a habit worth cultivating and when you become accustomed to it the time flies by.

As suscipe has suggested if you can consult another priest, even better, consult the priest who gave you the penance.
 
I had a similar penance once. I brought it up in my next confession, and the priest told me perpetual penance were not allowed, then gave me a dispensation. Bring it up the next time you’re in confession or simply mention it to your pastor.
 
He probably means it as a worthwhile practice rather than an actual penance given that saying the rosary every day for a year would be considered a sever penance usually associated only with something extremely serious going well beyond what you’ve average penitent would confess.
 
I could be wrong here… but it’s my understanding that one’s sins are forgiven regardless of whether you do the penance or not. Obviously you should do the penance when it’s reasonable. But a rosary every day for the rest of your life is not reasonable. The most I’ve ever gotten was a decade of the rosary.
 
You may not feel it’s appropriate but try viewing it as a blessing and give it a try. Others have suggested how you may get clarification, recourse, or dispensation so I will simply offer encouragement. Saying the rosary daily gives you quiet time to clear your mind and offer your prayers to Jesus via His Blessed Mother Mary.
 
This is true - absolution is not conditional upon completion of one’s penance.
 
It does seem a bit excessive as a normal penance, but as MFC has said above, why not view it as a blessing and go with it? All it takes is 15 minutes each day.
 
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It’s not for everyone though. I really dislike saying the rosary. Genuinely. I would be better for it if I said it daily but it was such a burden and I experienced so many negative emotions about the rosary when I felt obliged to say it daily. Different forms of prayer suit different people.

Maybe I’ll grow into it again, if I choose it rather than having it forced on me by my parents (I’m not knocking them for saying a daily family rosary, but it was my least favourite time of day).

I don’t think it’s fair to force the daily rosary on anyone. It might take 15 minutes but there is also the mental load to take into account, which is not insignificant for some people.
 
mVitus said:
What kind of rosary are you praying? It takes me 25-45 minutes when I pray it.
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A normal Rosary. Sometimes it can take longer, but fifteen minutes is quite common, it can even be quicker.

With me, the length seems to depend on how long I spend focussing on my intentions before the first decade and what prayers I include after the last decade (or whether I lose concentration or doze off during it and have to restart a decade). But 15 minutes is reasonable for a basic Rosary.
 
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I would like to add that praying at least a rosary beforehand would be necessary. Compliance to some degree is important, but yes, speaking to the priest is the best option.
 
Just want to say I understand. I have tried to say a rosary everyday not very well
 
A rosary every day for the rest of your life isn’t a proper penance. I don’t know what rules govern a penance but I believe you should be able to complete a penance. You can’t complete this penance, if you properly understood it.

Any priest can dispense you from a penance and assign you a new one. At your next confession I would explain this and ask to be dispensed.
ShrodingersCat said:
I could be wrong here… but it’s my understanding that one’s sins are forgiven regardless of whether you do the penance or not. Obviously you should do the penance when it’s reasonable. But a rosary every day for the rest of your life is not reasonable. The most I’ve ever gotten was a decade of the rosary.
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Your sins are forgiven. But to not complete a penance before your next confession would be a problem. So you either need to do the penance or mention not doing it in your next confession. Otherwise I believe the confession would be invalid and sinful.
 
Say it everyday, along with the Litany of Loreto and it only takes 15 minutes. I don’t think I rush it much at all.
 
Telling someone to start praying the rosary daily is fine…if that’s what they want tho do. But that’s not the preferred form of prayer for everyone. Each of us has our particular way of relating to God and since neither God nor the Church imposes a single form of prayer on everyone, neither should individual Catholics try to do so.
 
exnihilo said:
So you either need to do the penance or mention not doing it in your next confession. Otherwise I believe the confession would be invalid and sinful.
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No - this is not accurate. Completion of penance and validity of confession are not related.
 
The next confession would be a problem. Completion of penance and validity are related. Not doing a penance does not invalidate the previous absolution (although if you came in with no intention to do a penance then it might - I’m not positive about that). But not doing the assigned penance most definitely presents a problem for the next confession.
 
The sins you confessed are forgiven, but if you deliberately refuse to complete your penance, you commit a new sin of disobedience.

That being said, if you feel the penance was unreasonable, you can bring it up at your next confession and the priest (doesn’t have to be the same one) can advise whether you need to complete it.
 
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