Tag Archives: sacrament of penance

ASK FATHER: Confession of serious sins in both kind and number.

From a reader… QUAERITUR: According to canon law, we are obliged to confess our mortal sins in “both kind and number.” Would my sins be absolved if I failed to mention the venial sins in number? YES!  Number, too… for … Read More

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ASK FATHER: Confessor gave a penance I could not do. Was the absolution invalid?

From a reader… QUAERITUR: A few weeks ago I went to confession, and after some words of consolation and admonition, Father gave me my penance. He said I had to pray to the Holy Spirit during Lauds and Vespers for … Read More

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POLL: Starting your confession: “Bless me, Father…” or “Forgive me, Father…”

In another post, I responded to a question from a reader about blessings at the beginning of sacramental confession, following the words, “Bless me, Father, I have sinned…”. Of course, some people begin their confession differently. It occurred to me … 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: Must I confess mortal sins which I honestly forgot in previous confession?

From a reader… QUAERITUR: After a valid confession, if we later remember a forgotten mortal sin, are we strictly obligated to mention it in our next confession, or is it optional? I have found contradictory answers by both priests and … Read More

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A priest’s prayers for before and after making his own confession

From an old prayerbook for priests which I’ve had since before my ordination.  They are dense with old wisdom. Here are two prayers, in Latin and English, for priests, for before and after they make confession their own confession. I’ve … Read More

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PODCAzT 155: Latin Forms of Absolution, Vetus and Novus Ordo

From a priest…. QUAERITUR: Fr. Z, Grace and peace. Do you have an audio pronunciation of the absolution prayer (1962) or know of a link? Thanks for the question. Here is a brief PODCAzT, which can also be a PRAYERCAzT, … Read More

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#LasVegasShooting – Wherein Fr. Z rants.

For some days now I have been avoiding watching news and news commentary shows, etc.  So, through a look at my Twitter feed earlier today, I learned of the horrifying events in Las Vegas. The usual hysteria is now pouring … Read More

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ASK FATHER: Penance given in confession was too vague

From a reader… QUAERITUR: In line with your recent ASK FATHER postings on Confession, I have a question about vague penance given in Confession. We attend the local TLM and it is difficult to make it to Confession because the lines are always … Read More

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URGENT: for priests

Today at Crisis Fr. George Rutler is the purveyor of salutary advice to young priests.  HERE Of particular interest to me, since I harp on the need for frequent confession: The Holy Mass is the heart of the Christian life, but to be that, … Read More

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ASK FATHER: Overhearing someone else’s confession and revealing what you heard

From a reader… QUAERITUR: I recently went to confession in one of those open style baroque confessionals. Afterwards, I found someone directly outside the confessional (where she would have heard what was said by both parties). I confronted her about … Read More

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ASK FATHER: In confession, instead of Act of Contrition, Father asked questions

From a reader… QUAERITUR: I went to confession at a nearby parish recently. This is the first time I’ve done confession with this particular priest. Obviously in a hurry to keep the confession line moving as quickly as possible, [bless him] the priest, … Read More

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ASK FATHER: Am I obliged to do the strange penance Father gave during confession?

From a reader… QUAERITUR: When I went to confession the priest asked me to watch a certain movie for my penance. I have done a search for it but what I found (trailers) seems contrary to the faith, very progressive/liberal … Read More

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ASK FATHER: How to go to confession to an SSPX priest

From a reader… QUAERITUR: I now happen to live 10 minutes’ walk from the local FSSPX chapel here in London. I don’t intend to make it my customary place for Mass (tempting as that is) unless and until a regularisation … Read More

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ASK FATHER: In confession, must we say which sins are mortal, which venial?

From a reader… QUAERITUR: I know, to make a good confession, we need to confess mortal sins and the number of times we committed the sins. But I am often confused about whether a sin I committed is mortal or … Read More

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Fr. Z’s prayers for before and after making confessions

A while back I posted prayers in Latin and English which a priest confessor might use before and after hearing sacramental confessions.  These prayers are from an old prayerbook for priests which I’ve had since before my ordination.  They are … Read More

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Fr. Z’s prayers for before and after hearing confessions

As I was rooting around for something I posted in the past, I found this which, by coincidence, I posted 3 years ago to the day. Here are the prayers I usually say before and after hearing confessions. They are taken … Read More

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BAD REASON #873 for not going to confession

From the 24 March 2017 print edition of The Catholic Herald, the UK’s best Catholic weekly… for which I, by the way, write a a rather unheralded short weekly column.  The title: Omnium Gatherum BAD REASON #873 for not going to confession when you know … 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: Away from the Church for 17 years, but I want to return

From a reader… I am a baptized Catholic who strayed far away, dabbled in Buddhism for 17 years, and now realize all that was ridiculous nonsense. I want to come back to the Church. Where do I start? First, good … Read More

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