What Do You Think About Community Reconciliation?

[AccountDeleted]

What I love about phatmass is that everyone is so opinionated (that's a good thing to me), so I thought I would ask what you all think about Reconciliation done as a community, as a parish?

I just came back from a community Reconciliation and I am so happy. It was just so sweet and reverent and beautiful and HEALING too. At first, as I was walking home, I thought to myself, well, it doesn't feel like it does when I go to Confession (and yes, I know feelings don't matter) but I still thought it was nice.

But as time went on, I started to feel so - just plain happy! And I am surprised myself at the feeling, like something has been lifted off me. Now it is true that I haven't been to Confession in a little while, longer than usual for me, but I didn't have any mortal sins, only venial ones, so didn't think it would be such a big deal.

Anyway, I know this isn't a substitute for confessing one's sins to the priest individually, but I just wondered what the general consensus was (is that possible on phatmass?) about this acitivity? I have only been to one other community reconciliation in my life and that was over five years ago. And right up until I went tonight, I was working, working, working, so part of the good feeling was probably just stopping and being still and sitting in the church and then hearing the readings and the hymns etc, but I still feel so clean!

So? Comments? Arguments (I expect those from the real rad-trads here about how awful it is) but I'm just curious if anyone else has ever enjoyed as much as I have tonight? Enquiring minds want to know!

Edited December 13, 2011 by nunsense

[EmilyAnn]

I've never been to anything like you describe but at my parish last week we had a penitential service. We all prayed together, listened to some Scripture, there was a brief homily. There were extra priests bought in so as opposed to our usual two priests there were about six who spread around the Cathedral and we all went for individual confession. After all the individual confessions were done, we came back together and prayed as our penance. And the kids were taking their first Reconciliation, it was so cute. One little boy looked so scared, I thought he was going to cry. It made me remember my first Reconciliation, where I was too scared to actually remember any of my sins.

Reconciliation is usually such a private sacrament that in a way it was nice to have that sense of all of us as a community repentant before Christ. I wonder why your parish doesn't offer individual confessions after such a service though, it would seem to make sense. What actually happens at such a community Reconciliation?

[AccountDeleted]

[quote name='EmilyAnn' timestamp='1323771528' post='2350301']
I've never been to anything like you describe but at my parish last week we had a penitential service. We all prayed together, listened to some Scripture, there was a brief homily. There were extra priests bought in so as opposed to our usual two priests there were about six who spread around the Cathedral and we all went for individual confession. After all the individual confessions were done, we came back together and prayed as our penance. And the kids were taking their first Reconciliation, it was so cute. One little boy looked so scared, I thought he was going to cry. It made me remember my first Reconciliation, where I was too scared to actually remember any of my sins.

Reconciliation is usually such a private sacrament that in a way it was nice to have that sense of all of us as a community repentant before Christ. I wonder why your parish doesn't offer individual confessions after such a service though, it would seem to make sense. What actually happens at such a community Reconciliation?
[/quote]


It was a penitential service, much like what you described I think. We di have readings and the Gospel and said the Confiteor and were absolved from our sins. Private confession was offered afterwards to those who were doing their First Reconciliation, not for the rest of us. The one I attended five years ago, we could do a private Confession afterwards and I did, but it was so quick that I hardly had the opening words out of my mouth before the priest was giving absolution. And the penance was one Our Father! And when I said, just one? the priest said, Merry Christmas!

If I want to go to private Confession I can do that on Saturday, but tonight was for the first timers only afterwards. I think it was designed more for those who had venial sins rather than any mortal ones. I can't imagine not confessing a mortal sin privately.

[faithcecelia]

Most parishes I have been in do reconciliation services in Lent and Advent that are a bit like this, but as EmilyAnn described, there have always been extra priests brought in for individual confession during the service. I have been to similar experiences at big conferences also (Youth 2000, New Dawn etc). I quite like them, and as you described, have experienced lovely feelings of happiness and lightness afterwards - there is something very beautiful I think of so many people coming together to confess their sins and be reconciled to God and the Church. That said, I have never been to one where individual confession has not been available, and my immediate feeling (without having experienced it) is that I am less comfortable with it, but its still a good thing as there are so many who never go to confession at all, and this is certainly better than nothing.

[AccountDeleted]

[quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1323776532' post='2350308']
Most parishes I have been in do reconciliation services in Lent and Advent that are a bit like this, but as EmilyAnn described, there have always been extra priests brought in for individual confession during the service. I have been to similar experiences at big conferences also (Youth 2000, New Dawn etc). I quite like them, and as you described, have experienced lovely feelings of happiness and lightness afterwards - there is something very beautiful I think of so many people coming together to confess their sins and be reconciled to God and the Church. That said, I have never been to one where individual confession has not been available, and my immediate feeling (without having experienced it) is that I am less comfortable with it, but its still a good thing as there are so many who never go to confession at all, and this is certainly better than nothing.
[/quote]


Well, since we have one priest for four parishes in this little country town, I think he was probably doing all he could just to do the community thing and then to offer First Reconciliation for those who had never experienced it before! Our priest works like a dog and is the kindest, gentlest man I have ever known. He doesn't always do the liturgy the way I would like it, but he is certainly better than having no priest at all, and a true Christian as well.

If I want, or anyone wants, we can always go to Confession on Saturdays with him.

[EmilyAnn]

[quote name='nunsense' timestamp='1323776970' post='2350309']


Well, since we have one priest for four parishes in this little country town, I think he was probably doing all he could just to do the community thing and then to offer First Reconciliation for those who had never experienced it before! Our priest works like a dog and is the kindest, gentlest man I have ever known. He doesn't always do the liturgy the way I would like it, but he is certainly better than having no priest at all, and a true Christian as well.

If I want, or anyone wants, we can always go to Confession on Saturdays with him.
[/quote]

Wow, that's a lot of work for that poor priest!
I can understand then why the priest would choose to have the individual confessions at that time available only for those taking their first reconciliation and then leave the rest for your normal times.
We're very blessed that we have two priests in my parish. I think the other priests at our service came from the other parishes in the city, there are three or four others I think.

[AccountDeleted]

[quote name='EmilyAnn' timestamp='1323777668' post='2350313']

Wow, that's a lot of work for that poor priest!
I can understand then why the priest would choose to have the individual confessions at that time available only for those taking their first reconciliation and then leave the rest for your normal times.
We're very blessed that we have two priests in my parish. I think the other priests at our service came from the other parishes in the city, there are three or four others I think.
[/quote]


I used to live in the next town over, even smaller than the one I am in now, and this priest used to offer Mass there twice a month. Twice a month we had lay led liturgies and on the fifth Sunday (if there was one) we had nothing. When I moved to this town, I was so thrilled that we have Mass almost every Sunday (once a month we have a Saturday vigil Mass) and during every second week, we also have some weekday Masses because that is the week that Father lives here in town. On the alternate weeks, he lives in the next town over in the other direction, a town that is bigger than my last town but not as big as this town. It does have the only Catholic primary school in this country area though, so Father stays there one week in every two to work with the children as well as do their Masses and other Sacraments. He also services a town further away that is even smaller than the one I lived in before here.

On the weeks he doesn't live here in town, we have two retired religious sisters who run lay led liturgies on some days (some days they go to the local nursing homes instead). It is a very complex schedule of events in these country towns, and without the weekly bulletin, I would have no idea what was happening at all! For example, last Sunday, Mass was at 8.30am for us, and next Sunday it will be at 10.30am for us because Father alternates the four parishes in the area so we all get Masses, and one town doesn't always have the 8.30am or the Saturday vigil. I don't know how he keeps it all straight himself!

Father offered an annointing Mass this afternoon but I was working and couldn't attend, so I was really happy to be able to get to this community Reconciliation service tonight. Tomorrow and Thursday there are no Masses (I guess Father has to go away) so I am looking forward to Friday when there will be a noon Mass... just hoping I don't have to work! All I was really wondering though was if anyone else had been to a community service like this and how they enjoyed it. I guess I was just grateful for anything as well.

[Papist]

Community Reconciliation sounds kinda hokey and very Protestant. Especially dealing with mortal sins, I don't see how you can get around the individual confessing directly to a priest.

Does the Church have a teaching on this matter?

[Basilisa Marie]

Well, the Penitential Rite at Mass is a kind of communal reconciliation. I'd imagine that if someone went to something like you did, nunsense, they'd probably have to go to individual confession if they were in a state of mortal sin. But it's kind of hard to see that the sin of one person really does impact the whole Church with individual confession. Plus, I think something like a communal reconciliation service would probably be less suited for a parish with multiple priests in residence and more for a situation like yours, where you guys are blessed just to have Mass every Sunday.

So I don't see anything wrong with it at all. YAY for getting to have a wonderful experience of healing!

Edited December 13, 2011 by Basilisa Marie

[EmilyAnn]

[quote name='Papist' timestamp='1323788271' post='2350351']
Community Reconciliation sounds kinda hokey and very Protestant. Especially dealing with mortal sins, I don't see how you can get around the individual confessing directly to a priest.

Does the Church have a teaching on this matter?
[/quote]

Penitential services are licit in the Catholic Church. They include individual confessions, they are not a replacement for them.
The only time general absolution without individual confessions is if there is a grave situation and the priest does not have time to take all individual confessions ie. in danger of death.

[dominicansoul]

Fr. Trigilio responded to this question on EWTN. I'm not going to post his entire answer, because it is copyrighted. Please visit the link.


[url="http://www.ewtn.com/library/DOCTRINE/COMMUNAL.TXT"]http://www.ewtn.com/library/DOCTRINE/COMMUNAL.TXT[/url]


Again, like most things in the Church these days, communal penance services are LICIT, yet can be abused. I think of course, in cases where there is only one priest for thousands of people in a deserted area where visiting priests are rare, it would make sense to have a communal penance service, but not in places where priests are available to hear individual confessions...

[Papist]

[quote name='EmilyAnn' timestamp='1323790254' post='2350371']

Penitential services are licit in the Catholic Church. They include individual confessions, they are not a replacement for them.
The only time general absolution without individual confessions is if there is a grave situation and the priest does not have time to take all individual confessions ie. in danger of death.
[/quote]
Yes. I know and participate in Penitential services. I have not heard of a Catholic group or community Confession. I have only witnessed such a thing at Christian rock concert where the lead singer does this group prayer which includes the forgiveness of sins. I was forced to make that a teaching moment for the teens I took to the concert.

[Lil Red]

[quote name='nunsense' timestamp='1323772037' post='2350304']


It was a penitential service, much like what you described I think. We di have readings and the Gospel and said the Confiteor and [b]were absolved from our sins.[/b] Private confession was offered afterwards to those who were doing their First Reconciliation, not for the rest of us. The one I attended five years ago, we could do a private Confession afterwards and I did, but it was so quick that I hardly had the opening words out of my mouth before the priest was giving absolution. And the penance was one Our Father! And when I said, just one? the priest said, Merry Christmas!

If I want to go to private Confession I can do that on Saturday, but tonight was for the first timers only afterwards. I think it was designed more for those who had venial sins rather than any mortal ones. I can't imagine not confessing a mortal sin privately.
[/quote]

i'm pretty sure that's not allowed?

[EmilyAnn]

[quote name='Papist' timestamp='1323791353' post='2350378']
Yes. I know and participate in Penitential services. I have not heard of a Catholic group or community Confession. I have only witnessed such a thing at Christian rock concert where the lead singer does this group prayer which includes the forgiveness of sins. I was forced to make that a teaching moment for the teens I took to the concert.
[/quote]

Ah, I've heard Catholics refer to Penitential services as group/community Confession before, so I assumed you just meant penitential service. I apologise. I had never heard of a penitential service where individual Confession was not provided, but if as nunsense says the priest has a very wide area to serve it does make sense to allow those receiving first Reconciliation to have individual Confessions but let others wait for the normally scheduled time. Though saying that, there is in that case the danger of people assuming the penitential service is enough without individual Confession but one would hope the priest would be clear on that matter (I know the priests at my parish were).

[Papist]

[quote name='EmilyAnn' timestamp='1323793548' post='2350390']

Ah, I've heard Catholics refer to Penitential services as group/community Confession before, so I assumed you just meant penitential service. I apologise. I had never heard of a penitential service where individual Confession was not provided, but if as nunsense says the priest has a very wide area to serve it does make sense to allow those receiving first Reconciliation to have individual Confessions but let others wait for the normally scheduled time. Though saying that, there is in that case the danger of people assuming the penitential service is enough without individual Confession but one would hope the priest would be clear on that matter (I know the priests at my parish were).
[/quote]
I can see the necessity, with the not enough time in the day for the priest to hear confessions. I am thankful for not having to live in such a situation.