My Broken Fiat
  • Blog
  • About / Contact Me
    • My 'Reversion'
    • Why "MyBrokenFiat?"
  • The Archive
  • Prayers
  • Blog
  • About / Contact Me
    • My 'Reversion'
    • Why "MyBrokenFiat?"
  • The Archive
  • Prayers

Confession Flub

9/12/2014

6 Comments

 
PictureGina? Gina who?
Given the fact that I work for the Archdiocese, I know a lot of priests; worse, these priests tend to know me!

Normally, I'm totally on board with getting to know priests; they're a pretty awesome bunch! However, this familiarity works against me hardcore when it comes to Confession.  

I dunno about the rest of you, but I go out of my way - WAY, WAY out of my way - to confess to a priest that will not recognize me. That is not an easy task when you work with so many of them on a routine basis.  It's especially tough when your normal place to confess just happens to have two of your most well-known priests in residence.

C'mon now, Jesus, you're kidding me, right?

Every year, I go to Confession before the start of CCD.  I want to be as ready as possible to teach these kids, and that includes a fresh soul-scrubbing.  So as I do, I promised Jesus I'd get myself to Confession before Tuesday's class.

This past weekend, I didn't make it as a result of my own stupidity.  When I went on Monday, one of those aforementioned priests greeted me at the Cathedral. Turns out he was the only one doing Confessions that day, so I immediately turned around and walked back to my office. 

When Tuesday rolled around, I prayed the whole way over: "Jesus, please.  I promised you I'd go to Confession, but I just don't think I've got the courage to go to Fr. Happy Meal (who happens to be in residence there).  Whoever You've got doing Confessions today, please, please, please do NOT let it be Fr. Happy Meal."  

I was so worried Jesus was going to specifically put him in there as an extra dose of penance via humility.

When I got there, a brand-spankin' new priest was in the confessional.  Instantly, I had this realization that Jesus wants me to reconcile myself to Him... of course He'd make it easy for me to do so.  Why had I spent so much time worrying I'd have to turn away again?  

Silly Gina.  

Ah well... at least I'm an absolved Gina now.  Ha ha ha!

Do any of you go out of your way to steer clear of priests who would recognize your voice?  I can't possibly be the only one!

6 Comments
Beth
9/12/2014 08:50:11 am

Ha ha, this is great. We too are blessed to know many priests and there are a few that I won't go to because of the closeness of our relationships (deathbed excluded).

That being said, we live in mission territory, so my options are limited, so we normally go to our pastor, but I always use the screen. One day during confession I was rambling about the struggles of being a mother, blah blah blah, mentioned being sure to rely on my husband (using my husband's name:)). Gasp! I said to him, with a smile "Father you aren't supposed to know who I am!!" He apologized and was mortified, but I thought it was funny, because really, we are the few who go to confession regularly and it is a small parish. :)

Reply
Gina
9/15/2014 05:03:24 am

Oh no!!! Ha ha - I bet he really did feel so terrible!

I've always wondered what I'd do if that happened to me!!!

Thanks for sharing, Beth!

Reply
Cynthia
9/13/2014 04:07:47 am

I, too, work with many priests, so I feel your pain. I would have a very hard time going to confession with any of the priests that I work with. However, I do find comfort in going to the priests in my parish for Confession, even though they know who I am. It allows me to discuss some of the more spiritually challenging problems I often face when I am at work and receive regular spiritual direction from men who understand the situation surrounding the problems.

I often have to remind myself that it's a true act of humility to go into the confessional with someone who knows who you are. St. John of the Cross actually talks about the issue in the 'Dark Night of the Soul': "Many want to be the favorites of their confessors, and thus they are consumed by a thousand envies and disquietudes. Embarrassment forbids them from relating their sins clearly, lest their reputation diminish in their confessor's eyes. (Book 1, Chap. 2)"

I also am blessed to be able to go to an FSSP parish here in my diocese, so I am able to go to Confession as often as I feel the need. They offer Confession before and after every Mass. It's easy to pop in there after Mass on, say, a Wednesday morning, to confess faults and failings that have been a struggle during the work week.

As one of my priests says, go to Confession before you have to go to Confession so you don't have to go to Confession.Sometimes I don't go to Confession for 3-4 weeks, sometimes I go every week for a few months if I'm having a particular struggle. But most of the time, I go every two weeks. I figure if Pope Francis goes every two weeks, I figure it would benefit me to go every two weeks as well.

Reply
Gina
9/15/2014 05:14:20 am

Thanks so much for commenting, Cynthia!

I love that you can go to Confession before / after every Mass. I wish more parishes offered that (then again, even they did, I dunno if the Sacrament would be utilized as often as it is at your parish).

I think your point about going to familiar priests to discuss work-related problems makes complete sense. I mean absolutely no disrespect in saying this, but priests really are a different breed sometimes (which makes sense given how set-apart they're called to be). Speaking to an actual priest about personal issues you have with other priests you might work with would likely give you a better insight re: why those priests may act / think the way they do.

Re: the St. John of the Cross quote, I would love to hear from priests about this particular issue. I've heard from three who each gave different responses.

One said that he had so many penitents that there's no way he could ever remember who said what - even if a familiar voice was on the other side of the grate.

Another said after absolution, he really couldn't tell you what he absolved for any individual person (not because there were so many, but because they no longer mattered and his brain didn't care to store the info).

And finally, another said that, instead of looking down on someone for terrible sins, he was actually humbled, himself, by the honesty of their confession and ended up respecting familiar penitents for their humility.

That last one struck me as very interesting. Those were actually the words of my pastor during one of his homilies about Confession.

:)

Whoops - now I'm rambling. Again, Cynthia, thanks so much for sharing!!! :) I'm glad I'm not alone.

Reply
Cynthia
9/15/2014 02:17:49 pm

I wish more parishes would have more frequent confessions as well. Quite honestly, one of the main reasons I started going to the FSSP parish in the first place was frequent confession times and amazing spiritual direction in the confessional. My priests offer more confession on a Tuesday at my parish than they do all week in the Cathedral in my diocese.

My priests say that they don't remember the confessions that they hear, ever. One priest says that it's a special grace that many priests have, and he's one of them. I'm quite thankful for that - it allows me to have conversations in the confessional without any worries or any fears.

If you want to hear an amazing sermon about priests in the confessional, I highly recommend this one. Whenever I get scared to go to Confession, I listen to this and feel much better about life.

http://www.audiosancto.org/sermon/20120916-Help-The-Priest-to-Help-You-The-Love-of-God-and-Confession.html

Dom
9/22/2014 12:52:00 pm

ALL. THE. TIME.

\I adore and cherish my favorite priest, and I HATE the thought of confessing to him. Last time I went, I HAD to go, and I thought he was my only option, and I swear, I suffered my penance beforehand just agonizing over the humiliation that I'd go through telling him the details. I had to literally force myself into the confessional, reminding myself of the value of humility all the way-and was rewardedwith a brand new priest that I'd never confessed to before. I nearly died of gratitude to God on the spot. LOL

Also he was really nice. The last time I went (which probably what was making me wait so long) the priest was SERIOUSLY cranky. I mean 'who-pissed-in-his-cornflakes' cranky, and I came out feeling like I wanted to cry.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Top Rated Entries

    My Darkest Secret

    Do Animals Have Souls?

    10 Things a Parent of an SPD Kid Wants to Say

    Fun and Easy Lenten Crafts

    Tattoo Taboo

    Blessed Mother as Intercessor

    Loss of Life

    Women Priests II

    Animal Sacrifices

    Render Unto Caesar

    Veiling

    The Godparent Poem

    Broken Friendships

    Miscarriage Reflection

    NYT Anti-Catholic Ad

    Categories

    All
    180
    Abortion
    Adoption
    Adoration
    Adultery
    Agnosticism
    Angels
    Animals
    Annulment
    Apparitions
    Art
    Atheism
    Bahamas
    Baptism
    Blessed Mother
    Blessed-mother
    Blogging
    Books
    Boycott
    Breastfeeding
    Bullying
    Cafeteria Catholic
    Cafeteria Catholics
    Cats
    Ccd
    Celibacy
    Chaput
    Children
    Christmas
    Churches
    Confession
    Conscience
    Contests
    Contraception
    Cookies
    Corapi
    Crafts
    Creation
    Cross
    Defense Of Faith
    Depression
    Divine Mercy
    Divine Providence
    Divine-providence
    Divorce
    Dolan
    Donation
    Dreams
    Easter
    Education
    Eucharist
    Euthanasia
    Evangelization
    Family
    Feasts
    Food
    Forgiveness
    Free Will
    Friendship
    Fun
    Gaza
    Guest Post
    Hat Tip
    Health Care
    Heaven
    Hebrew
    Hhs
    Holy Week
    Homeschooling
    Homily
    Homosexuality
    Illumination
    Incarnation
    Incorruptibles
    Indulgences
    Infertility
    Inspiration
    Intentions
    Intercession
    Intercessions
    Interview
    Islam
    Jewelry
    Kidney
    Komen
    Language
    Lawsuit
    Lbm
    Lent
    Lightbulb Moments
    Liturgy
    Mandate
    Marriage
    Martyrs
    Mass
    Media
    Medjugorje
    Mercy
    Mexico
    Miracles
    Miscarriage
    Moderation
    Moses
    Motherhood
    Music
    Myla
    Nuns
    Old Testament
    Parenting
    Parishes
    Pedophilia
    Pentecost
    Persecution
    Personal
    Philadelphia
    Philly
    Pilgrimage
    Planned Parenthood
    Poetry
    Politics
    Poll
    Pope
    Prayer
    Pregnancy
    Priests
    Prophecy
    Propoganda
    Purgatory
    Question Box
    Quick Takes
    Random
    Recipes
    Reflections
    Relics
    Religious Freedom
    Reviews
    Ridiculous
    Rosary
    Sacrament
    Sacrifice
    Saint
    Saints
    Scandal
    School
    Science
    Seed
    Sewing
    Sexuality
    Sin
    Social Issues
    Social Issues
    SPD
    Spiritual Dryness
    St Anthonybd986ec1d5
    Steubenville
    Suffering
    Tattoos
    Terrorism
    TLM
    Triduum
    Trinity
    Trust
    Twa
    Vatican
    Veiling
    Veils
    Vincent
    Visionaries
    Wedding
    Women Priests

    Pages I Stalk

    A Woman's Place
    Dymphna's Road
    Having Left the Altar
    Fr. Z @ WDTPRS
    Spirit Daily
    These Stone Walls
    St. Joseph's Vanguard
    Catholic Sistas
    Catholic Icing
    Liturgical Time
    Traditional Latin Mass
    Shameless Popery
    Life Victorious
    Catholic Dads
    S'aint Easy
    Truth, Beauty and Goodness
    The Way Out There
    Written by the Finger of 
       God
    Little Catholic Bubble
    So You're a Church Musician
    There and Back Again
    Make It - Love It
    St. Monica's Bridge
    Seeking Renewal 
    Picture

    Archives

    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    December 2010
    October 2010
    October 2005

    RSS Feed

Copyright 2021