Yesterday involved a journey going on the better part of 400 miles. The U.S. Department of State was the first stop. Very friendly crowd. The next order of the day was to wander around a bit, for this was my first visit to what is called to the consternation of all in the South, the New York of the South. It’s greatness is what it is. Never mind a comparison to New York!
I immediately happened upon this other and much more important Department of State for heaven.
I was just in time for confessions, and always wanting to “try out” this or that confessor in the Tribunal of Mercy for Heaven, I stepped in line. This was the view from that perspective:
The entire Episcopal Conference of the United States fit into this little gem the other week. The church is on the National Historical Buildings Registry. A view to the side:
There was a Spanish speaking priest for confessions. I must say, he was an awesomely devout Roman Catholic priest, a great confessor. I, for one, was beaming when I came out of that confessional. I love going to confession. Couldn’t be happier. When’s the last time you’ve been? Don’t delay. And watch for your reaction when you come out!
Anyway, back for a second, successful session at the Department of State of these United States of America. I was helpfully reprimanded to take better care of a document I received from the Department of State in Washington, D.C. way back in the early 1990s. They wanted to hang on to it, just in case. But I took it with me, just in case. Hah!
Any way, as a thanksgiving for a successful visit to the two Departments of State, how can I not pick some florae for our Lady:
Accompany me, Father George David Byers, S.S.L., S.T.D., as I begin life as a Catholic Priest-Hermit by choice. Holy Souls Hermitage is dedicated to the sanctification of my fellow priests, bishops, deacons & seminarians going through the purgatory of this life or the next. Prayer and sacrifice go up, of course, for both Benedict XVI and the next Successor of Saint Peter. 
Welcome back Fr. George. Thanks be to God that your trip was successful. You are such a connected man of God
Much less than you think! Obamacare was just passed by the Supreme Court. That means bad things for me.
Thanks be to God for your successful, mysterious journey.
I went to confession Saturday. The absolution was something I was not used to though, although it was English I didn’t catch the words “I absolve you” and because this uber trad priest makes me nervous (he just told me it is pretty much morally necessary to wear a chapel veil), I didn’t ask about it, which I now regret. The sins were I think venial but I don’t like the confusion over whether I was sacramentally absolved. Is there ever something else a priest would say in place of the words of absolution?
If it was in English and you’re sure you didn’t hear the words of absolution, the confession may have been invalid. Too bad that.
However, just to say, he may have included a long prayer at the end referring to the merits of our Blessed Mother and the saints. This is also an option for the Novus Ordo Rite of Reconciliation. He may have said the absolution before that… That particular prayer is not an absolution.
If it was in Latin, the form of absolution is different, though the words of “ego te absolvo a peccatis tuis” are there.
Since what you confessed was not grave, don’t make a big thing of it, this time. However, should this ever happen again, ask him to use the form of absolution required by the Church. Bring it with you, written out to hand to him. If he fights with you, still insist. If he fights with you, don’t use him as a confessor again. Yikes!
PRIESTS: JUST USE THE FORM OF ABSOLUTION REQUIRED BY THE CHURCH. YOU DO AN EXTREME DISSERVICE TO SOULS IN NOT DOING THIS. IT IS UNCHARITABLE IN THE EXTREME. ASK YOURSELVES WHY YOU ARE PRIESTS. IS IT TO BRING EXISTENTIAL MISERY TO PEOPLE. WHAT ARE YOU DOING? IF YOU THINK YOU ARE RIGHT IN SAYING WHATEVER THE HELL YOU WANT TO SAY, TELL THE CONGREGATION FOR THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH ABOUT YOUR PRACTICE. OR ARE YOU JUST COWARDS?
Okay, it could well have been that he added a prayer the way you describe, that may well explain it–thank you. I have not confessed to this priest before. He began the absolution while I was still making my act of contrition so I was paying attention to my act of contrition rather than the beginning of what he was saying.
I am stunned right now over the supreme court decision. We have a rosary rally tonight (weekly event starting last Thur) at the state capitol, I was going to hear Dawn Eden’s talk instead tonight since I had been the one who suggested her as a speaker, but hearing that I changed my plans, prayer is now the priority.
So glad your journey went well.
Went to Confession last Saturday, and have been trying to go regularly even though it involves a half-day or more of traveling. But it is a challenge, for the whole set-up terrifies me. Just having written on my blog about this, I think if I could find a traditional confessional (not face-to-face) it would probably be easier on me. It is not pleasant when I literally cannot speak for a few moments at the start, so when I do leave the confessional I am usually still shaking from the interior battle just fought! But I do greatly appreciate the sacrament, even if it does not cause me to “beam”.
It is a right of both the priest and the penitent to have a screen. The one wanting the screen overrules the one who doesn’t.
If you can, demand a screen!
PRIESTS: DON’T BE POWER JERKS WITH THE SACRAMENT OF MERCY. PROVIDE A SCREEN.
I went to confession last Sun, I try to go once a month, even if I am pretty sure they are only venial. I am still trying for the 5 first Sats, and confession is one of the conditions.(It sounds so easy, but it sure isn’t, at least for me.) We have a confessional with a screen. The absolution is in Latin, and I always feel so relieved when I hear that “absolvo” that it takes away the discomfort. I have always wanted to ask a priest how they overcome the human compunction to afterward dislike people whom they know are guilty of horrible things. Even with the screen a priest must know which parishioner is on the other side most of the time. I read that Padre Pio yelled at and smacked some of people who came to him for Confession…
Padre Pio was Padre Pio! I think the “worst” he did was to slam the little door of the confessional box on a gentleman who was unrepentant, and who later returned in tears, thanking the great saint for the reprimand!
If the priest is a jerk, he couldn’t care less about anyone’s sins, including his own. Hopefully, that is rare!
If the priest is respectful of the Sacrament, knowing that Jesus is the Priest, he will rarely if ever remember any sins. That’s the case with me, and that’s the case with great priests I know.
We’ve all crucified the Son of the Living God with our sins. All of us. Priests are not entitled to remember. Why should they want to remember? The Lord forgives us. The priest rejoices in the forgiveness. It is that great goodness and kindness of Jesus which he remembers. Nothing more.