What was your penance?

[UpUpAndAway]

*Je vous salue, Marie, pleine de grâce ;
Le Seigneur est avec vous.
Vous êtes bénie entre toutes les femmes,
Et Jésus, le fruit de vos entrailles, est béni.

Sainte Marie, Mère de Dieu,
Priez pour nous, pauvres pécheurs,
Maintenant et à l’heure de notre mort.

Amen.


*

 

[DECatholic617]

I typically get X Our Fathers and Y Hail Marys. But I’ll never forget the first confession I went to after being away from the Church for 10+ years (and I wasn’t exactly a poster child for Catholicism before leaving). The priest introduced me to the Memorarae and instructed me to pray it every night for the two weeks before Christmas. I emerged from that Advent on fire for the Lord and for my faith, and I credit that powerful prayer with my conversion. :yup:

 

[Hmgbrd]

As it turns out, I just received word that this faithful priest is about to enter his eternal reward. If you have a moment, would you offer a Hail Mary for this faithful servant for the grace of final perseverance? I don’t know that I have ever known a more faithful priest. If ever there was someone who I have known that may one day be canonized, it is this priest.

Heavenly Father, Thank you for this faithful priest. Grant him the grace of final perseverance and bless him for being a true blessing to buc_fan33 and the other seminarians whose life he has touched.

Ave Maria, grazia plena, Dominus tecum. Benedicta tu in mulieribus et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Jesu.

Sancta Maria, ora pro nobis pecatoribus. Nunc et in secula seculorum Amen.

 

[jreilly]

Thank you, Father for this! Last year, before Christmas, I was at a Penance Service and while I was in line for confession, this young boy nearly skipped back to the pews, high-fived his brother and said “I’m good!” There was just such a spring in his step, and I was in awe of his new-found life. Be like a child!

 

[Aeden]

I got a rather odd penance once: quit making vows. I also got an odd question too: do you enjoy life? Bit of an eye-opener, really.

 

[GwenL]

My regular confessor told me that he is very careful not to assign a complex penance unless he is sure that the penitent can complete it. He told me that as a young priest, he assigned a penitent to read a short Gospel verse. He realized later (seeing the man in the church) that the man could not read. He was quite mortified at giving a penance that would make the penitent think he might be in deeper sin because he couldn’t complete it. So, he’ll almost always assign “offer 5 minutes of silent thanksgiving to God” or “3 Hail Marys” or some such. Unless he knows you. Then he gets tough. He’s given me these penances: Read and meditate on two of the seven penitential Psalms. Read John Chapter 4 and mediate on the mercy of Jesus. That sort of thing.

So, if you get a seemingly simple penance, it may be because the priest doesn’t know you, and is trying to assign a penance that he knows you can complete.

 

[anp1215]

As it turns out, I just received word that this faithful priest is about to enter his eternal reward. If you have a moment, would you offer a Hail Mary for this faithful servant for the grace of final perseverance? I don’t know that I have ever known a more faithful priest. If ever there was someone who I have known that may one day be canonized, it is this priest.

Said a prayer last night.

 

[anp1215]

My regular confessor told me that he is very careful not to assign a complex penance unless he is sure that the penitent can complete it. He told me that as a young priest, he assigned a penitent to read a short Gospel verse. He realized later (seeing the man in the church) that the man could not read. He was quite mortified at giving a penance that would make the penitent think he might be in deeper sin because he couldn’t complete it. So, he’ll almost always assign “offer 5 minutes of silent thanksgiving to God” or “3 Hail Marys” or some such. Unless he knows you. Then he gets tough. He’s given me these penances: Read and meditate on two of the seven penitential Psalms. Read John Chapter 4 and mediate on the mercy of Jesus. That sort of thing.

So, if you get a seemingly simple penance, it may be because the priest doesn’t know you, and is trying to assign a penance that he knows you can complete.

Wow, this is so important to remember. I think we all probably take the blessing of literacy for granted and forget not everyone is so blessed.

 

[Joannm]

The strangest penance I ever had came from a priest who said I take life too seriously. My penance was to find a friend and go out and have a good time.

I did complete my penance, but it was weird calling up my friend and asking her to help me do my penance. She laughed and obliged me, and we had a good time.

The priest was right, though, and it amazed me how perceptive he was–I do have a tendency to take life and things too seriously. I just never thought that it would be something I need to do penance for. Apparently, the priest thought I needed an attitude adjustment.

And the really funny part is that I always considered this priest as a straight-laced fuddy-duddy–he has a rather important position in the Diocese and is one of the more intellectual types. I always considered him as a too serious person!

I had to bake a cake once. Another time I was asked to go to the beach and reflect on God’s creation. Another time I was told to write down 5 good thinks about myself every day for a week.

 

[Kopratic]

Usually, my penance is to pray a psalm involving God’s mercy. Psalm 50 is a go-to for me.

 

[Dolezal]

I thought I would start a thread where we could talk about different penances we’ve received in Confession. What do you “usually” get as a penance? What’s the most interesting/strangest penance you’ve ever received? Please share if the Confession was with a priest of a religious order such as FSSP, etc.

Eastern Catholics please share!

I thought it would be interesting to see if there are differences between religious orders, countries, areas, Eastern Catholic vs. Western, times (maybe a penance you got as a child decades ago vs. what you got recently), if there are any.

When I had my first Confession last year, my penance was to say 50 "Jesus I love you"s. Last night I Confessed and my penance was five Hail Marys and five Our Fathers. I’ve also been instructed to read the Gospel for Sunday. I guess the most interesting penance I’ve received was to hug my husband (I had Confessed arguing with him).

Only once I have confessed to an FSSP priest, but never have I received a penance from any priest more than 3 Hail Mary’s and an Our Father - even though my sins were pretty bad. Maybe because the priests see that confession itself is already a big penance for me - a proud person.

Also, a few times I do not get any penance at all, which I do not like because I feel that penance is appropriate.

 

[odile53]

I attend a parish run by Jesuit Fathers. My university education was at Fordham, and I completed my masters’ degree at Canisius College. I don’t know what’s tougher–having a Jesuit for a professor or a confessor.

Two of the priests at this parish are pretty famous for giving meditative or contemplative penances. I once was told to reflect upon the emotions that Joseph and Mary experienced as they took the Infant Jesus and fled to Egypt from Herod. Had to go back and re-read the story in a couple of Gospels and envision myself in the scene to get the meat and potatoes out of it. One time, when I was going through much in my personal life, and the priest recognized my voice and knew I had the resources to do so, I was told to make a three-day retreat. Father really knew what he was talking about, because it ensured that I got away from distractions and focused on what it really was that the Lord was calling me to do in that circumstance. And one time I was told to take one hour to meditate on the Lord’s Prayer.

You’re not going to get away with a few set prayers if you go to them, and you can expect to get quizzed on what you were thinking at the time you committed a particular sin. But you can also expect to get some mini spiritual direction if the confession line isn’t long.

As far as what I read before about someone being told NOT to go to Adoration, perhaps the point the priest was trying to drive home was how sin separates us from the Lord, and not being able to be in the Real Presence would be the consequence of sin. Just a thought here.

 

[englishredrose]

I thought I would start a thread where we could talk about different penances we’ve received in Confession. What do you “usually” get as a penance? What’s the most interesting/strangest penance you’ve ever received? Please share if the Confession was with a priest of a religious order such as FSSP, etc.

Eastern Catholics please share!

I thought it would be interesting to see if there are differences between religious orders, countries, areas, Eastern Catholic vs. Western, times (maybe a penance you got as a child decades ago vs. what you got recently), if there are any.

When I had my first Confession last year, my penance was to say 50 "Jesus I love you"s. Last night I Confessed and my penance was five Hail Marys and five Our Fathers. I’ve also been instructed to read the Gospel for Sunday. I guess the most interesting penance I’ve received was to hug my husband (I had Confessed arguing with him).

I was given a self help type book to read because he knew what I was going to say. I dutifully read it and do try to adopt when I need to but on reflection it really helped me to pray by just being with God and that is my best penance I ever had - apart from when the same priest told me to rejoin the choir and although my confession was 100% I didn’t see that coming though ought to have done. It was something I was planning but didn’t expect him to say ‘rejoin the choir’. At the most I expected psalm 150 or suchlike…I went out of the vestry very happy that time We had only vacated to the vestry becasue someone had come early to the service and it didn’t really need privacy but am shy and thankfully the priest had the foresight… These two been my ‘best’ and favourite penances. I dutifully read the book knowing that some point he’d say something and didn’t want to be caught out and he had enough evidence from me to say that I was properly reading it but I have learned so much that I can call upon for prayer too and that wasn’t the intention of the penance I have learned how to use it

 

[buc_fan33]

As it turns out, I just received word that this faithful priest is about to enter his eternal reward. If you have a moment, would you offer a Hail Mary for this faithful servant for the grace of final perseverance? I don’t know that I have ever known a more faithful priest. If ever there was someone who I have known that may one day be canonized, it is this priest.

Thank you everyone for your prayers. Father has gone to be with his Heavenly Father. Please join me in praying for the repose of his soul. I’m not going to give his name on a public forum like this, but the Lord knows who he is. He received all of the sacraments and passed away peacefully. He was truly an inspiration to me and so many others. Many, many young priests (and by this time many not so young priests anymore) owe our vocations to this faithful servant. I am a better priest today for having had Father in my life.

Eternal rest grant unto him, Oh Lord, and let perpetual light shine on him. May he rest in peace!

 

[tradcathconvert]

Thank you everyone for your prayers. Father has gone to be with his Heavenly Father. Please join me in praying for the repose of his soul. I’m not going to give his name on a public forum like this, but the Lord knows who he is. He received all of the sacraments and passed away peacefully. He was truly an inspiration to me and so many others. Many, many young priests (and by this time many not so young priests anymore) owe our vocations to this faithful servant. I am a better priest today for having had Father in my life.

Eternal rest grant unto him, Oh Lord, and let perpetual light shine on him. May he rest in peace!

Eternal rest grant unto him, Oh Lord, and let perpetual light shine on him. May he rest in peace!

 

[domandcarols]

Absolutely, I know many times we are not sure if the priest is a religious. I’ve heard that priests of the “traditional” orders, such as FSSP, give “tougher” penances. I was more interested in hearing about that.

I always get 7 Hail Marys from my FSSP priest. Once I told him I feel like he’s not really listening because he always gives me the same number no matter what I confess so he apologized gave me a complete rosary, 15 decades and then he asked me if that was enough. xD

 

[domandcarols]

Thank you everyone for your prayers. Father has gone to be with his Heavenly Father. Please join me in praying for the repose of his soul. I’m not going to give his name on a public forum like this, but the Lord knows who he is. He received all of the sacraments and passed away peacefully. He was truly an inspiration to me and so many others. Many, many young priests (and by this time many not so young priests anymore) owe our vocations to this faithful servant. I am a better priest today for having had Father in my life.

Eternal rest grant unto him, Oh Lord, and let perpetual light shine on him. May he rest in peace!

Eternal rest, grant unto him O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon him. May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

 

[babochka]

So, if you get a seemingly simple penance, it may be because the priest doesn’t know you, and is trying to assign a penance that he knows you can complete.

I think this is important to remember. Before reading this thread, I had always assumed it was an Eastern/Western thing, because nearly every Latin Rite priest has given me Hail Marys and Our Fathers as penance, but Byzantine Rite priests have tended to give me tougher/more complicated penances. Looking at it now, I think it is because the Byzantine priests have known me well and been my regular Confessors.

The last time my spiritual Father gave me a particularly difficult penance, he asked me if I accepted it. (As if i was going to say “no”!) I’d never been asked that question before.

 

[babochka]

Thank you everyone for your prayers. Father has gone to be with his Heavenly Father. Please join me in praying for the repose of his soul. I’m not going to give his name on a public forum like this, but the Lord knows who he is. He received all of the sacraments and passed away peacefully. He was truly an inspiration to me and so many others. Many, many young priests (and by this time many not so young priests anymore) owe our vocations to this faithful servant. I am a better priest today for having had Father in my life.

Eternal rest grant unto him, Oh Lord, and let perpetual light shine on him. May he rest in peace!

Grant to your servant, Oh Lord, Blessed repose and eternal memory.

 

[Hmgbrd]

Thank you everyone for your prayers. Father has gone to be with his Heavenly Father. Please join me in praying for the repose of his soul. I’m not going to give his name on a public forum like this, but the Lord knows who he is. He received all of the sacraments and passed away peacefully. He was truly an inspiration to me and so many others. Many, many young priests (and by this time many not so young priests anymore) owe our vocations to this faithful servant. I am a better priest today for having had Father in my life.

Eternal rest grant unto him, Oh Lord, and let perpetual light shine on him. May he rest in peace!

Heavenly Father embrace this blessed priest and receive him in glory.
Eternal rest grant unto him, Oh Lord, and let perpetual light shine on him. May he rest in peace! :heaven: