tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post4940056261901301083..comments2023-09-22T06:56:46.508-05:00Comments on Adoro te Devote: ConfessionAdorohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02853244433854822731noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-81499621457791263822008-03-08T10:38:00.000-06:002008-03-08T10:38:00.000-06:00Artiste: Great post and what a fantastic thread o...Artiste: Great post and what a fantastic thread of comments! Something I needed very much right now. Thanks and God bless you, my friend.<BR/><BR/>Your sketch is very appropriate for this post and very well done.Cathy_of_Alexhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16795566831031491371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-22140259554057719692008-03-07T12:39:00.000-06:002008-03-07T12:39:00.000-06:00Jackie ~ Thanks for your comment, and I completely...Jackie ~ Thanks for your comment, and I completely agree with what you said. Thankfully I haven't had the "commisserating" priest - that WOULD be distracting. (Although maybe for some people, it would set them more at ease.) The priests at my parish are of the latter type you describe - they sit with their heads down, listening. <BR/><BR/>And I love long comments, by the way....it feels more like a conversation that way! :-)Adorohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02853244433854822731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-63590014892229871892008-03-07T12:12:00.000-06:002008-03-07T12:12:00.000-06:00Adoro, that was a truly beautiful post. Makes me w...Adoro, that was a truly beautiful post. Makes me want to go to confession right now, if only I could drive. Oh well...<BR/><BR/>Personally, I can't decide between face or screen. It usually depends on the priest. My pastor, when ever I go to him, I wish I had a screen. Why? Because I usually only confess venial sins and imprefections. (If I sin mortally, I go to a place with a screen or a priest I don't know.) And my pastor, when I confess anger, failures in my Lenten penances, etc, always makes commiserating faces (like "I know what you mean, I do that too). It always tempts me to take a lighter veiw towards my sins than I should and it kinda distracts me...<BR/><BR/>With another priest I know, however, I feel perfectly comfortable doing face to face. He keeps his head down, I know he's listening and taking everything seriously, and he only looks up when he wants me to clarify something and when he gives me my penance. I prefer Confessions that are more solemn, whether face to face or behind the screen.<BR/><BR/><BR/>Sorry for the long post. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-36864880304752444692008-03-07T09:34:00.000-06:002008-03-07T09:34:00.000-06:00ROFL!ROFL!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-69419921828027408362008-03-07T09:25:00.000-06:002008-03-07T09:25:00.000-06:00Adoro,as to keeping a straight face when something...Adoro,<BR/><BR/>as to keeping a straight face when something dramatic, and sometimes funny, happens right in front of you,... hmmm perhaps another priest can answer that one b/c I haven't figured it out! (I usually smirk and say something along the lines of 'Ha! God got you!'<BR/><BR/>Seriously, it is a particular grace He gives his priests. It is a truly profound moment, and I try to see it as thus.Father Schnippelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04731842661336037433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-81721403148349320132008-03-07T08:46:00.000-06:002008-03-07T08:46:00.000-06:00melody ~ The top pic is one I sketched several yea...melody ~ The top pic is one I sketched several years ago. In fact, it started out as an error but when I put a line across it...I saw something else so kept making lines! The bottom pic is one of my favorites EVER, the artist's name is Olsen. <BR/><BR/>Father ~ Thanks for your comment! I didn't realize the Archbishop couldn't hear his priests' confessions. Never really thought about it before! But you know, you didn't answer one question buried in that post...how DO you manage to keep a straight face when an on-the spot conversion happens right there in front of you? :-) <BR/><BR/>Stina ~ Thanks for your comment. Father Schnippel started it with his post on Penance from this week!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-40285778766942257152008-03-07T08:06:00.000-06:002008-03-07T08:06:00.000-06:00This post touched me very much. Thank you for wri...This post touched me very much. Thank you for writing it.Stinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08515879495463225411noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-49689091738205353102008-03-07T08:00:00.000-06:002008-03-07T08:00:00.000-06:00I want to comment from the 'other side of the scre...I want to comment from the 'other side of the screen,' so to speak, and hit on a few topics here.<BR/><BR/>First, about the unwillingness to go to your boss (the pastor that you work for) for confession. That is not only perfectly acceptable, but I would think encouraged. The Church distinguishes between 'external forum' and 'internal forum' for a reason. External forum are things that are known and learned in the regular course of events, internal through things like spiritual direction and confession, which must be held in confidence. As a Vocation Director, I cannot hear the confessions of candidates or seminarians, I am not allowed by the laws of the Church to protect from even the appearance that something that I learned in confession could be used in a public way. I am thankful for this protection, that someone who has authority, a superior, cannot hear the confession of an 'underling.' Therefore, for example, the Archbishop cannot hear the confession of his priests for this same reason. So, I would think it applies to a pastor hearing confessions of his pastoral staff, as well. (Of course, in time of emergency, or in anonymous situations, this can be lifted.)<BR/><BR/>As to behind the screen or face to face, I grew up mostly going face to face, and still go that way, but have actually started going behind the screen as well. It gives me more comfort. It really is whatever you are comfortable with, and this priest at least does not mind either way. They are both legitimate options.Father Schnippelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04731842661336037433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-23128877884363139612008-03-07T06:56:00.000-06:002008-03-07T06:56:00.000-06:00Confession behind the screen, or face to face? Wha...Confession behind the screen, or face to face? Whatever it takes to get one there! Most places offer either/or; which is fortunate. Because, as you point out, at different times the same person may choose the other option.<BR/>You comment,"Don't wait to be "sorry enough', or 'perfect enough.' It's not your job to perfect yourself", is right on.<BR/>By the way, I love the picture you used with this post.Melody Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00442985285647041700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-11068460168448277462008-03-07T06:50:00.000-06:002008-03-07T06:50:00.000-06:00mgibson ~ Thanks for that recommendation...I will ...mgibson ~ Thanks for that recommendation...I will add that to my list of must haves! And it's nice to know some else out there is struggling with getting there...I am going to go again tonight before Stations and Mass. <BR/><BR/>anon ~ Well, welcome Home! I can tell you that all the RCIA candidates last year were nervous, too...and they ALL commented that it wasn't so bad as they thought and it was GREAT to be able to unburden themselves and know that it's all gone. That bit about looking forward to it and being anxious about it takes awhile to go away...and sometimes it comes back (as you can tell...lol). <BR/><BR/>God bless you - I'll keep you in my prayers. :-)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-56251830431142311952008-03-07T06:08:00.000-06:002008-03-07T06:08:00.000-06:00Thank you so much for this post. I'm currently in...Thank you so much for this post. I'm currently in RCIA and have my first Confession next week. I'm greatly looking forward to it, but I'm very anxious about it at the same time. This post as well as some of your others on Confession helped calm my mind a bit. I've been reading your blog for a bit now, and thank you for making the time and effort to share your faith.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15170815.post-11679346709049626452008-03-06T22:58:00.000-06:002008-03-06T22:58:00.000-06:00We're so alike, unbelievable. I have been struggli...We're so alike, unbelievable. I have been struggling with this myself (well, not the whether to go face-to-face or not part, the actually GOING part) and finally got myself off to the box yesterday. We humans, so conflicted! We want it, but we don't want it, we want it, but we don't want it... bah.<BR/><BR/>Anyway, my real point here is that you need <A HREF="http://www.aquinasandmore.com/index.cfm/title/Frequent-Confession/FuseAction/store.ItemDetails/SKU/717/Category/79/" REL="nofollow">this book - "Frequent Confession" by Fr. Benedict Baur</A>. I discovered this book a year or so ago and it made a huge difference in my regular Confessions... and I think perhaps I need to read it again now! It's even one of the few books that I hope Mother will allow me to bring with me to the convent, as I suspect this will be a "problem" for me there as much as here, perhaps even more so since there we have weekly Confession with our chaplain.Maria Nevahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07150892277145928764noreply@blogger.com