Tag Archives: confessional

From “The Private Diary of Bishop F. Atticus McButterpants” – 23-12-13 – They’re all against me

Previous… HERE.  I guess there is something in the air these days about the Sacrament of Penance. December 13th 2023 Dear Diary, I am pissed off at Fr. Tommy.  I’m pissed at Vice.  I’m pissed at the ST rector.*   I’m … Read More

Posted in Diary of Bp. McButterpants, GO TO CONFESSION, SESSIUNCULA | Tagged ,
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Bill introduced in Wisconsin to force priests to violate the Seal of Confession

A bill has been introduced by Wisconsin Dems which would seek to force priests to violate the Seal of Confession under penalty of civil in case of abuse of minors. From Channel 3000 in WI: Clergy required to report child … Read More

Posted in GO TO CONFESSION, Our Catholic Identity, Priests and Priesthood | Tagged ,
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ASK FATHER: Should I tell a noisy penitent that we can hear everything said in the confessional?

From a reader… QUAERITUR: There is a young lady who regularly takes a very long time in Confession (25-30 minutes, sometimes longer). She is not making a long confession, and it’s not the priest spending long amounts of time giving … Read More

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ASK FATHER: CONFESSIONAL DRAMA! Penitent says, “Bless me, Father” and actually wants a blessing!

From a reader… QUAERITUR: One of our wonderful [traditional order/institute] priests this Sunday mentioned – prior to his sermon – that he was surprised that so many of us were not correctly following the ritual of Confession. He said that … Read More

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ASK FATHER: Telling a lie during confession

I have had a couple questions along these lines, so I present something I have written before.  (I have answer a lot of questions here, after all.) From a reader… QUAERITUR: Is it a mortal sin if one accidentally lies in … Read More

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ASK FATHER: Do I have to confess everything if people might overhear?

From a reader… Hi Fr. X: [I’m sorry.  Fr. X is not available right now.  May I be of help?] I have a question for an Unreconstructed Ossified Manualist. [You’ve come to the right place.] I think I read someone … Read More

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Priests can indeed decline to hear confessions face-to-face

e must revive the Sacrament of Penance.  Fathers!  Preach about it!  Also, make sure that you have usable confessionals. Via California Catholic: Confessionals required in every parish Sacramento diocese reminds parishes they must “provide a fixed grille between the penitent and … Read More

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Ingenious lights for portable confessional

The Sacrament of Penance has been devastated far and wide due to decades of neglect from bishops and priests.   However, in some places it is being revived.  Young priests especially are giving it some new impetus and some bishops … Read More

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ASK FATHER: Priest asks for name during confession

From a reader… What should I say when a priest, while in the confessional, wants to know my name? Or a priest that holds the belief that by knowing me personally he, by hearing my confession, will help me be … Read More

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Prep Wednesday: All Bleeding Stops – Spiritual and Physical “Blow Out Kits”

The analogy of the Church Militant as a spiritual field hospital is pretty good, provided that we remember that in field hospitals lots of people don’t make it. We are like pilgrim soldiers in the Church Militant, on the march to our … Read More

Posted in GO TO CONFESSION, Semper Paratus, TEOTWAWKI, The Coming Storm, The future and our choices | Tagged , , , , , ,
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Feedback and a confessional story

From a reader… I went to confession! It had been 10 years. Your encouragement helped me get up the nerve to go. The hardest part was actually going to the church. I wrote down every single thing I wanted to … Read More

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ASK FATHER: Confessor interrupted and I didn’t get to confess everything

From a reader… QUAERITUR: This Sunday I went to Confession for the first time in ~2 years. As you always say, I tried to make a good examination of conscience. One problem is that Father chimed in with comments or … Read More

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ASK FATHER: Can confessions be heard during Mass in the Extraordinary Form?

From a reader: Is it appropriate for a priest to be hearing confessions while Extraordinary Form Mass has started? My priest seemed to think it was never done in the “old” days as he called it. Yes, confessions were often … Read More

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ASK FATHER: Father gave me a penance that discouraged me.

From a reader… QUAERITUR: I am struggling with food and alcohol addiction. After confessing this, my penance was to fast the next day after such indulgences. I was discouraged. My confessor did not know my circumstances. I have successfully done … Read More

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ASK FATHER: Hogging the confessional

From a reader: I know you frequently encourage your readers to attend to making use of the confessional and I support you in your efforts! However, I have a question as to how you handle penitents who hog the confessional? We are … Read More

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When the priest confessor doesn’t use the proper Form of Absolution. Wherein Fr. Z advises.

Everyone should go to confession regularly. That said, sometimes it can happen that you will have a less than edifying experience of the priest confessor.  Do not fret! This even happened to me, recently.  While out on the road, I … Read More

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Wherein Fr. Z gives a gift to his brother priests, confessors

Today I watched the video of the Pope who made his own confession before hearing the confessions of others. HERE That juxtaposition brought forcefully into my mind both the prayers I usually say before and after making my own confession, … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, Hard-Identity Catholicism, Liturgy Science Theatre 3000, Mail from priests, New Evangelization, PRAYERCAzT: What Does The (Latin) Prayer Really Sound L, Priests and Priesthood | Tagged , , ,
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ASK FATHER: Do the faithful have the right to make a confession anonymously?

From a priest: Do the faithful have the right to anonymous confession? If anonymous confession is not available, are they excused from confession until they can get to an anonymous confession? Do priests have a right to anonymous confession? Can … Read More

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QUAERITUR: Do I have to add details when I confess sins?

From a reader: In confessing a sin is it necessary to describe (giving some details of) the sin rather than merely indicating the name (species) of the sin? You don’t have to go into great detail, but you ought to … Read More

Posted in "How To..." - Practical Notes, ASK FATHER Question Box, Global Killer Asteroid Questions, GO TO CONFESSION, Our Catholic Identity | Tagged , , , , ,
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QUAERITUR: Confession – interpreters, eavesdroppers, secrecy and you

From a reader: Father, I spend a lot of time in Finland which has Europe’s smallest Catholic Church, [not to mention one of Europe’s oddest languages…] both in terms of absolute numbers and in terms of percentage of the population. … Read More

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