While In Line For Confession Today

[DavidSears]

While in line for confession today, I came across a mother with her daughter (must have been about 7). Little girl goes in first. While she is in there, the mother is listening at the door! I didn’t say anything, but what do you all make of that? What would you have done if you had saw that?

 

[bilop]

While in line for confession today, I came across a mother with her daughter (must have been about 7). Little girl goes in first. While she is in there, the mother is listening at the door! I didn’t say anything, but what do you all make of that? What would you have done if you had saw that?

Tell her to stop. Tell the priest when you go in. He needs to know. She’d evesdropping on him just as much.

God Bless

 

[Phemie]

If it was a reconciliation room, rather than a confessional where Fr. is separated from the penitent, it doesn’t surprise me. In my parish I doubt there is a parent that would let a child go into the reconciliation room, period. For their first confession they set up Fr.in the sanctuary in full view of the parents, who are also invited to confess on that day. For most of the children it’s the first and last time they’ll go to confession.

 

[Mrs_Sally]

With a traditional confessional where priestand penitent are in separate “boxes”, then I might have suggested she stand back. My parish has a sign that indicates where the line should be to wait so no one is too close to the confessionals.

If it was a reconcilliation room, perhaps she was just being over cautious about her young daughter being alone with the priest. That is very sad and we need to continue praying that the church is freed from that scourge.

 

[Deo_Gratias42]

If it was a reconcilliation room, perhaps she was just being over cautious about her young daughter being alone with the priest. That is very sad and we need to continue praying that the church is freed from that scourge.

Even if it was a reconciliation room, I still would have called her out on eavesdropping and inform the priest of this.

As someone who has worked with a number of sex offenders, every one has been an immediate family member, the majority being a parent. Do parents keep overly cautious practices in the home??

 

[Mrs_Sally]

Even if it was a reconciliation room, I still would have called her out on eavesdropping and inform the priest of this.

As someone who has worked with a number of sex offenders, every one has been an immediate family member, the majority being a parent. Do parents keep overly cautious practices in the home??

I agree that she shouldn’t be listening in on her daughter’s confession.

I was just highlighting the reason why a parent could do that. I expect that some parents do have crazy rules about where and how their children should interact with adults. I don’t think that their children are necessarily any safer than others, but some people were and are very shocked by the scandal.

 

[SMHW]

I’m not sure what I would have done. I probably would have given her an obviously shocked look.

I would have been tempted to (sort-of) jokingly tell her that when it was her turn she’d have to confess listening in.

 

[DavidSears]

It wasn’t a reconciliation room, it was a confessional. Its in the front corner of the church. I was shocked, but I didn’t know what to do or say.

 

[Wildkit]

This mother may be a lot of things, including a new convert that doesn’t know what is right and wrong. I definitely would say something to the priest and if you see/know the person, remark what is required and not in the Church. I would suggest also if she has questions, to see the priest.

 

[Joannm]

I wonder if this mother knows that if she reveals what she heard, even to her own child, she is excommunicated for breaking the seal of confession. I would also think that purposely listening in on someone’s confession is also a grave sin.

 

[Timothysis]

I wonder if this mother knows that if she reveals what she heard, even to her own child, she is excommunicated for breaking the seal of confession. I would also think that purposely listening in on someone’s confession is also a grave sin.

If she doesn’t know it, then she can’t be excommunicated.