Jaime Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 It is not a replacement for confession. It is a step in the healing process. If someone feels burdened and goes to a communal reconciliation to feel better, that's great!! But if they believe this is a replacement for confession, they are wrong. The problem is that people will leave a communal reconciliation thinking that they have done all they need to do. If they have a sin of grave matter on their conscience and have the ability to go to confession, they need to!! I don't think they are a bad thing. But they are as sacramental as going to stations of the cross. (which is also a good thing) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i<3franciscans Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 As long as those going understand that it does not take the place of confession, I have nothing wrong with it. Where I live there are throngs of people who believe that if they just sit in on a P.S. they have "gone to confession", so if they are understood and respected else where that is GREAT, but where I live, we could use a few more confessions and a few less services... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AccountDeleted Posted December 13, 2011 Author Share Posted December 13, 2011 [quote name='i<3franciscans' timestamp='1323806869' post='2350541'] As long as those going understand that it does not take the place of confession, I have nothing wrong with it. Where I live there are throngs of people who believe that if they just sit in on a P.S. they have "gone to confession", so if they are understood and respected else where that is GREAT, but where I live, we could use a few more confessions and a few less services... [/quote] Yes, that might be a concern. I just re-read the weekly bulletin and last night's service was listed as 'Communal Forgiveness Ceremony' and it would be terrible if anyone thought that it took the place of one to one Confession with a priest, especially for a mortal sin. I did enjoy the communcal aspect of it and I understand why Father limited Confession to those there for First Reconciliation only (because of his time) but perhaps he should have added something like 'and for those whose sins need personal Confession' so that everyone would know that some sins need to be confessed to and absolved by the priest. I am sure the one I went to five years ago was called a Penitential Service but our priest is very 'touchy feeley' and calling it a communcal Forgiveness Ceremony is probably his way of trying to reach out to everyone. I do wish he would be a little more traditional in his approach, but I guess that is up to his Bishop to correct, not me. I still love him as a person. He is very excited that I am gonig to the Benedictines in January and was teasing me about it last night. My job is to keep praying for him and thanking God that we at least have a priest and a very loving one. As much as I loved the Latin Mass when I was in town, that priest was just plain mean to me - he did the liturgy perfectly but had no idea how to be a loving Christian. Priests are human too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southern california guy Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 I went to one when I lived up in Washington state. And it was a while back. Way back in 1982.. And the main thing I remember about it was that we had to hug each other. And I ended up hugging these men that I didn't really want to hug.. And not the girls that I wanted to.. And I remember thinking. I never want to go to something like that again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AccountDeleted Posted December 14, 2011 Author Share Posted December 14, 2011 [quote name='southern california guy' timestamp='1323823905' post='2350756'] I went to one when I lived up in Washington state. And it was a while back. Way back in 1982.. And the main thing I remember about it was that we had to hug each other. And I ended up hugging these men that I didn't really want to hug.. And not the girls that I wanted to.. And I remember thinking. I never want to go to something like that again! [/quote] oooh shudder! I would hate that! I used to hate it when we had to hug at the sign of peace in US churches. We never did this in England or Singapore and here in Oz, we just shake hands. And at a Reconciliation service this just seems so out of place! We were there last night to basically do an examen of conscience and to seek forgiveness from God, not to focus on each other. We didn't even have a sign of peace last night - it wasn't like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG45 Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 I've only been to the type EmilyAnn describes, and I'm going to one on Thursday. That said, I understand how they can encourage people to come, but I have a beef with how this part of my diocese suspends all normal confession times (barring appointments) during Advent and Lent. It's something I've argued with more than one priest about. If it was offered in addition to regular Confession time during the week, I'd feel less cranky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AccountDeleted Posted December 14, 2011 Author Share Posted December 14, 2011 [quote name='BG45' timestamp='1323825429' post='2350777'] I've only been to the type EmilyAnn describes, and I'm going to one on Thursday. That said, I understand how they can encourage people to come, but I have a beef with how this part of my diocese suspends all normal confession times (barring appointments) during Advent and Lent. It's something I've argued with more than one priest about. If it was offered in addition to regular Confession time during the week, I'd feel less cranky. [/quote] Yeah, I hate that 'appointment only' thing as well. Fortunately we have a regular time every Saturday for Confession no matter what else happens during the week. I think during Advent and Lent, they would offer more Confessions since these are penitential times when we need to prepare for Christmas and Easter! And some people only ever go to Confession at these times! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG45 Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 sums up my thoughts on your post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AccountDeleted Posted December 14, 2011 Author Share Posted December 14, 2011 [quote name='BG45' timestamp='1323826856' post='2350805'] sums up my thoughts on your post! [/quote] blush! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissScripture Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 [quote name='nunsense' timestamp='1323826023' post='2350782'] Yeah, I hate that 'appointment only' thing as well. Fortunately we have a regular time every Saturday for Confession no matter what else happens during the week. I think during Advent and Lent, they would offer more Confessions since these are penitential times when we need to prepare for Christmas and Easter! And some people only ever go to Confession at these times! [/quote] I really find it amusing when their is the option of the screen when it's by appointment (yes, I've been given this option). Um, Father, pretty sure you know who is back here! lol In my old diocese they did the type of penance service that ended with the ability to go to confession. They would hold them the week before Christmas or Easter and they would have one at each parish that week, with all the priests going to the parish where it was held that night to hear confessions. The only thing I didn't like about it was that there were so many priests you didn't have much privacy. I went to one priest who was hard of hearing and kept asking me to repeat myself louder. I didn't really want to yell my sins! lol. But they also had the regular confession times in addition to this, as well. But that diocese, or at least that part of the diocese, did REALLY well with confessions. You always had options. I miss that. When I was younger, we had just the communal penance services, that did NOT include confession. And the priest gave the distinct impression that you did not need to go to confession in addition to going to this service. The same thing is currently happening at my grandparents' parish. They insist that this takes the place of ever needing to go to confession. It wouldn't be so bad, but they kept bringing it up and asking my parents and my siblings and I if this was okay, and when we would try to explain why it was wrong, they would get upset. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaPetiteSoeur Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 Huh. I'd never heard of a penitential service like your church's, nunsense! At the parishes I've been to, usually there is a psalm, some readings, then private confession, and then finally a closing prayer and psalm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faithcecelia Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 [quote name='MissScripture' timestamp='1323835900' post='2350970'] I really find it amusing when their is the option of the screen when it's by appointment (yes, I've been given this option). Um, Father, pretty sure you know who is back here! lol [/quote] I actually tend to do this if I have to ask specifically, I find it easier to be absolutely honest if I cannot look at the priest and know he is not looking at me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Flower Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 [quote name='EmilyAnn' timestamp='1323790254' post='2350371'] 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] yeah that was my understanding too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmaD2006 Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 [quote name='faithcecelia' timestamp='1323847211' post='2351101'] I actually tend to do this if I have to ask specifically, I find it easier to be absolutely honest if I cannot look at the priest and know he is not looking at me. [/quote] I've gotten to the point that I rather be face to face. Most of the times my confessor is my spiritual director, and if I can't be absolutely honest with him then I need to find a new spiritual director/confessor . Having said that -- I usually do NOT go to a priest who I have not gone to confession to, or at least have some sense of who he is. I've had some bad experiences. One priest (when I was a newbee in the Church) grilled me about my preparation when I froze and couldn't think of how to start. Then proceded to give me absolution when I hadn't confessed a single thing yet! God bless him ... and have mercy on his soul (he passed away a number of years ago) With that experience, I will much rather suffer through saying something embarassing to a priest I know than to one that I don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
faithcecelia Posted December 17, 2011 Share Posted December 17, 2011 [quote name='cmariadiaz' timestamp='1324016545' post='2352088'] One priest (when I was a newbee in the Church) grilled me about my preparation when I froze and couldn't think of how to start. Then proceded to give me absolution when I hadn't confessed a single thing yet! God bless him ... and have mercy on his soul (he passed away a number of years ago) With that experience, I will much rather suffer through saying something embarassing to a priest I know than to one that I don't. [/quote] I actually had one time when I just cried and cried and cried - like you, I didn't actually say anything - and was given absolution. I came out quite stressed as I didn't know of it was valid or not. I asked a couple of people ( another priest and my novice mistress) and was told it was absolutely valid - the priest stands in place of God,God knows that the tears or frozen silence is not intentional witholding of the sins and knows what you are actually confessing when that happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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