Tag Archives: confession

QUAERITUR: Can a priest in the confessional assign AA meetings for penance?

Posted on 26 November 2012 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader:
Can a priest give AA meetings for a overindulgent penitent?
WHAT?!?  Noooo… bad idea.
Look. A priest can, I guess, give whatever penances he can get away with.   If the penance is too onerous or impossible, or too vague … Continue reading →

Posted in ASK FATHER Question Box, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 | Tagged , , , | 33 Comments

Chesterton in support of Dolan’s call for renewal of confession

Posted on 13 November 2012 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

As the USCCB meets, I offer this from G. K. Chesterton’s Autobiography (UK link HERE):
When people ask me, or indeed anybody else, “Why did you join the Church of Rome?” the first essential answer, if it is partly an elliptical … Continue reading →

Posted in GO TO CONFESSION, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Priest asks people to go to confession instead of giving him things for Christmas. Huge response.

Posted on 12 November 2012 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Please use the sharing buttons!  Thanks!
Here’s a Year of Faith approach… here’s a New Evangelization project.
This, instead of all the blather, is how it is done.
From a reader I have known for many years:
Your recent post brought to mind an … Continue reading →

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Brick by Brick, Just Too Cool, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity, Priests and Priesthood, Year of Faith | Tagged , , , | 18 Comments

Require your parish priests to hear confessions

Posted on 11 November 2012 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I heard a song today by one Matthew West that got me thinking about the need to revive the practice of regular sacramental confession.
Lyrics HERE

In part….
[...]
Breathe in deep
Feel your heart still breathing
Let’s go see the reason you’re alive
Oh, you are … Continue reading →

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, De Novissimis: Four Last Things, GO TO CONFESSION, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity, The future and our choices | Tagged , , , , | 33 Comments

Year of Faith Indulgence for renewing baptismal promises… for converts. What to do?

Posted on 6 November 2012 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Think about indulgences. Think about them all the time.
Even as I reminded you that you can obtain indulgences, under the usual conditions, during this week following All Saints and All Souls, don’t forget that during the Year of Faith there … Continue reading →

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, GO TO CONFESSION, Year of Faith | Tagged , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Memento mori!

Posted on 30 October 2012 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Over at the amusing and often useful blog Art of Manliness there is a post about Memento Mori art.
“Memento mori!” means, “Be mindful of death!” or “Don’t forget that you are going to die so repent, confess your sins, and live a … Continue reading →

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, De Novissimis: Four Last Things, GO TO CONFESSION, New Evangelization, Our Catholic Identity, The future and our choices, Year of Faith | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

NEW COMET! KABLAM! WE’RE ALL GOING TO DIE! (Welllll? We are!)

Posted on 28 September 2012 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

There is a new and very bright comet out there.  Which of course means that it is the end of the world as we know it… maybe.  Maybe not.  In any event, it should be bright! And we might need … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Killer Asteroid Questions, GO TO CONFESSION, Just Too Cool, Lighter fare, Look! Up in the sky!, The future and our choices | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

QUAERITUR: Confessor asked if I believe in “reincarnation” because I said I was sorry for the “sins of my past life”.

Posted on 20 September 2012 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader:
I was wondering the correct formula for confession. I read online somewhere “Bless me father for I have sinned it has been X weeks since my last confession… I accuse myself of the following sins…” (list in kind … Continue reading →

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, GO TO CONFESSION, Lighter fare, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000 | Tagged , , , , , | 27 Comments

QUAERITUR: I scraped a car and didn’t leave a note. I went to confession, but I am still anxious.

Posted on 5 September 2012 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

From a reader:
Dear Father, 12 mo ago I accidently scraped a car parked but did not leave a note in the church parking lot because I was scared. I have confessed this 3 times but fear God wants more of … Continue reading →

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, GO TO CONFESSION, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged , , , , , | 14 Comments

“Judas made a huge blunder when he sold Christ for 30 denarii, but he made an even bigger one when…”

Posted on 16 August 2012 by Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

I often refer to Pope John Paul I as the Pope people forget to remember.
Today the intrepid Andrea Tornielli has a post about John Paul I, Papa Luciani.  He talks about an initiative to recall the Pope’s life and short … Continue reading →

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, GO TO CONFESSION, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged , , | 11 Comments