Troubling confession experience

[Mr.Blank1.5]

Hi, as the title says, this has been troubling me all day.

At the end of my confession today, the priest began to pray as I made my act of contrition. I could not hear much of what he was saying. After I was finished, he merely said “God bless”. When I tried to tell him that he didn’t give me absolution, he closed the screen.

Shocked, I wondered if he really did not grant me absolution or if he had done it incorrectly. After I saw that the line was clear, I went back in and explained to him that I did not hear him say the formula. He said he did, paused, then said “I absolve you of your sins” and I believe he said in the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit (While that part was said really fast and I couldn’t hear it perfectly clear, I did see him do the gesture).

Was I validly absolved?

 

[Godfollower]

Sounds like a priest with a hearing problem.

The essential words are “I absolve you.” He said them. But, even if he hadn’t said them the second time, you’re entitled to rely on his telling you that he said them the first time. He’s the minister of that Sacrament, and he’s telling you that he performed it. That suffices.

 

[GwenL]

Sometimes, the priest will start saying the prayer of absolution while the penitent is saying the act of contrition. I don’t like it one bit, but it is licit and valid. I much prefer to hear the priest’s prayer of absolution–I think it’s the single best prayer, with the most theology packed into it, in the Church. But it’s legal for him to say it while you are praying also.

You went back in, and he said that he said the formula correctly to absolve you. At that point, you could have rested assured that he had validly absolved you. Then, he said the minimum required again “I absolve you of your sins, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” At least, you are fairly sure he said that last part.

I think you were validly absolved.

I know how you feel. Two weeks ago, I had a priest say “because of Jesus Christ, I absolve you.” Period, as far as I heard. So I went elsewhere, told the priest what had happened, and confessed again and got a valid absolution.

 

[Mr.Blank1.5]

You went back in, and he said that he said the formula correctly to absolve you. At that point, you could have rested assured that he had validly absolved you. Then, he said the minimum required again “I absolve you of your sins, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” At least, you are fairly sure he said that last part.

I assumed he said the Trinitarian Formula because I thought that was what I heard. Everything after “I absolve you” was said really fast.

 

[Love_Divine]

This is completely normal, except when my priest does it,as I’m saying my Act of Contrition, he says in rapid murmured Latin,

M isereatur tui omnipotens Deus, et dimissis peccatis tuis, perducat te ad vitam æternam. Amen.

I ndulgentiam, absolutionem, et remissionem peccatorum tuorum tribuat tibi omnipotens et misericors Dominus. Amen.

D ominus noster Jesus Christus te absolvat: et ego auctoritate ipsìus te absolvo ab omni vinculo excommunicationis, (suspensionis), et interdicti, in quantum possum, et tu indiges. Deinde ego te absolvo a peccatis tuis, in nomine Patris, et Filii, + et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.

P assio Domini nostri Jesu Christi, merita beatæ Mariæ Virginis, et omnium Sanctorum, quidquid boni feceris, et mali sustinueris, sint tibi in remissionem peccatorum, augmentum gratiæ, et præmium vitæ æternæ. Amen.

He then waits until I’m done and slowly finishes it with absolution,

E go te absolvo ab omnibus censuris, et peccatis, in nomine Patris, et Filii, + et Spiritus Sancti. Amen.

 

[thequeen]

I know how you feel as I have said before on this forum our former priest preferred to associate with the wealthy and had no time for the working class people such as my self and that included the confessional when one of us would come to confession he would hurry by telling us to just confess the one thing that we had been having the most trouble with One time he forgot to give me absolution and when I went to tell him he said he didn’t have time because he was going to dinner with a group of friends He didn’t say his rich friend but I knew that was who he was going with. so I called a dear priest friend of mine, the one who had taken me through my instruction when i converted, he was the assistant at my parish before this priest that favored the wealthy came but he was then transferred to another parish and I told him what had happened and he told me get myself over to his parish right away so i could give proper confession and so that he could give me a proper absolution.afterwards when every one was gone he asked me if i would like to go out to dinner with him I tried to pay for both of us but he somehow got hold of the ticket but during dinner we talked about priests who do things the way they want to instead of how they are suppose to.that was several years ago and I will say that I did get to pay him back for dinner because now every year for fathers day I take him out for lunch…and being that he is 90 years I cherish the time that I can spend with him.

 

[valentino]

Hi, as the title says, this has been troubling me all day.

At the end of my confession today, the priest began to pray as I made my act of contrition. I could not hear much of what he was saying. After I was finished, he merely said “God bless”. When I tried to tell him that he didn’t give me absolution, he closed the screen.

Shocked, I wondered if he really did not grant me absolution or if he had done it incorrectly. After I saw that the line was clear, I went back in and explained to him that I did not hear him say the formula. He said he did, paused, then said “I absolve you of your sins” and I believe he said in the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit (While that part was said really fast and I couldn’t hear it perfectly clear, I did see him do the gesture).

Was I validly absolved?

yes.You were validly resolved.He was just trying to tell you not to be so exacting.He doesn/t have to use a formula(as you call it)to give you absolution.When a priest says go in peace or God Bless you or anything else he given you absolution.A priest will tell you when he can’t absolve you.

 

[beeliner]

Was I validly absolved?

I’ve had exactly the same experience, the priest was giving absolution while you were praying.

I understand your uncertainy, though, because all priests do not do it that way.

Most priests will tell you, if they are honest, and most are, that hearing confessions is the most unpleasent of their various duties. He was probably trying to get through the task as quickly as possible.

Cut the guy some slack!

 

[puzzleannie]

Hi, as the title says, this has been troubling me all day.

At the end of my confession today, the priest began to pray as I made my act of contrition. I could not hear much of what he was saying. After I was finished, he merely said “God bless”. When I tried to tell him that he didn’t give me absolution, he closed the screen.

?

this is the way it usually works, while you say the act of contrition he gives the absolution. completely normal, usual and valid
maybe 3 times in 50 years have I been to confession where the priest waited while I said the act of contrition

 

[Joan_M]

this is the way it usually works, while you say the act of contrition he gives the absolution. completely normal, usual and valid
maybe 3 times in 50 years have I been to confession where the priest waited while I said the act of contrition

While if may be common, but I do not think it is the proper thing for the priest to do. I do seem to remember some priests starting to say the absolution while I was still reciting the act of contrition, but for the past 13 years or so I have only been going to confession to Opus Dei priests, who always wait for you to finish your act of contrition before they start absolving you. It is so much clearer.

 

[Seatuck]

This is a new phenomenon that penitents think they need to hear the 'I absolve you ". and to make sure that it is a valid formulation of the prayer. Probably from hanging out on message boards and hearing stories of invalid sacraments etc. We need to give the benefit of the doubt to our priests. Is it nice and satisfying to hear it ? Yes , but not necessary.

 

[Love_Divine]

yes.You were validly resolved.He was just trying to tell you not to be so exacting.He doesn/t have to use a formula(as you call it)to give you absolution.When a priest says go in peace or God Bless you or anything else he given you absolution.A priest will tell you when he can’t absolve you.

Not exactly. A priest must say at minimum of the form, “I absolve you”. There are some priests out there who like to make up their own form.

 

[CB_Catholic]

This is a new phenomenon that penitents think they need to hear the 'I absolve you ". and to make sure that it is a valid formulation of the prayer. Probably from hanging out on message boards and hearing stories of invalid sacraments etc. We need to give the benefit of the doubt to our priests. Is it nice and satisfying to hear it ? Yes , but not necessary.

I quite agree.

The whole time I was growing up I do not ever remember clearly hearing the words of absolution, and doubt if I would have recognized them, as they were said in a low voice and in Latin while I was saying the Act of Contrition. And I could not see what the priest was doing behind the screen. You went to Confession and believed your sins were forgiven unless you were told otherwise (which never happened to me). As far as I knew, he could have been saying anything…but we trusted God and the Church and the priests back then–now it seems a lot of time is scrutinizing every move and action of the priests whether it is at Mass or receiving the Sacraments. It is a wonder we got away with believing our sins were forgiven or had a valid Eucharist when we really had no proof, unless you knew Latin and heard what the priest was saying. We had a lot of faith I guess.

God is sovereign and is the one who forgives sins. It is difficult for me to believe that if a person went to Confession and the priest made an error in the wording of the Absolution or anything else, the person’s sins would remain unforgiven and if they were mortal, the person would be condemned to hell if they died. That is an extremely legalistic view of Catholicism and does not allow for the repentence of the person and the mercy of God, and the soverignity of God over His own Sacraments.

 

[Monica4316]

Hi, as the title says, this has been troubling me all day.

At the end of my confession today, the priest began to pray as I made my act of contrition. I could not hear much of what he was saying. After I was finished, he merely said “God bless”. When I tried to tell him that he didn’t give me absolution, he closed the screen.

Shocked, I wondered if he really did not grant me absolution or if he had done it incorrectly. After I saw that the line was clear, I went back in and explained to him that I did not hear him say the formula. He said he did, paused, then said “I absolve you of your sins” and I believe he said in the name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit (While that part was said really fast and I couldn’t hear it perfectly clear, I did see him do the gesture).

Was I validly absolved?

If the priest said that he gave you absolution the first time, then there’s no good reason to think that he did not and it would be wrong to assume that he lied… (not to mention there is no reason for him to lie in this case at all). As for if he used the right formula, - if he used it the second time he must have used it the first time?

In some of my confessions, the priests prayed as I made my Act of Contrition, and then gave me absolution afterwards. In one parish, the priest prayed in Latin and then gave me absolution in English. However I’ve never been in a confession where the priest gave me absolution AS I was praying the Act of Contrition.

 

[valentino]

Not exactly. A priest must say at minimum of the form, “I absolve you”. There are some priests out there who like to make up their own form.

Does he have to say it loud enough for the penitent to hear?

 

[Joannm]

Does he have to say it loud enough for the penitent to hear?

No.

 

[Love_Divine]

Does he have to say it loud enough for the penitent to hear?

No, he just has to say it. My priest says it Latin, and speaks very quietly. Unless I listen very carefully for the “absolvo,” I wouldn’t know he said the words of absolution. I know I’ve received absolution after he says, “Go in peace,” but that doesn’t mean I’ve received absolution. I just trust my priest.

 

[LongJohnSilver]

I quite agree.

The whole time I was growing up I do not ever remember clearly hearing the words of absolution, and doubt if I would have recognized them, as they were said in a low voice and in Latin while I was saying the Act of Contrition. And I could not see what the priest was doing behind the screen. You went to Confession and believed your sins were forgiven unless you were told otherwise (which never happened to me). As far as I knew, he could have been saying anything…but we trusted God and the Church and the priests back then–now it seems a lot of time is scrutinizing every move and action of the priests whether it is at Mass or receiving the Sacraments. It is a wonder we got away with believing our sins were forgiven or had a valid Eucharist when we really had no proof, unless you knew Latin and heard what the priest was saying. We had a lot of faith I guess.

God is sovereign and is the one who forgives sins. It is difficult for me to believe that if a person went to Confession and the priest made an error in the wording of the Absolution or anything else, the person’s sins would remain unforgiven and if they were mortal, the person would be condemned to hell if they died. That is an extremely legalistic view of Catholicism and does not allow for the repentence of the person and the mercy of God, and the soverignity of God over His own Sacraments.

Yes!