PRIVATE Confession and Absolution

[AngelusSax]

So, now that we've got a thread about whether or not your church does Confession and Absolution on Sundays, let's ask this one:

How many have Private Confession available for other days of the week? We just had our first one today (Thurs. July 14). It was quite a new experience for me, and I am glad I decided to go in. I feel much better having gone, and I actually FEEL forgiven, in addition to knowing already that I have been forgiven.

[Protoevangel]

It is not offered at my church. When I asked my pastor about it, he looked like me like I was a madman (maybe I am, but I don't think that wanting private confession is a symptom of that madness ;)).

[ByzantineDixie]

I wrote this to a friend of mine from church today...it fits here.

One of the things that I think has helped feed this crippled condition of the church is abandoning the Sacrament of Repentance. There are a lot of people burdened by unconfessed sin. It is so easy on Sunday morning, while in the process of confessing our sins publicly, to rationalize some of that sin in our heads. "Oh God, I am sorry that I did this but if so and so wouldn't have provoked me...." (I know because I do it myself.) But when sin is verbalized before our father confessor, the rationalizations become straw, the weight of sin becomes real, the cleansing of sin becomes cherished and we are strengthened by grace.

Glad you see the benefits, Angelus.

[Willy]

I agree with you folks on this one. Individual confession and absolution would be a helpful practice to return to. Some places do it already. I hae experimented with it previously and found it very valuable.

[KagomeShuko]

St. Paul, whenever they have a pastor, never has a set time. However, it has always been available to anybody. The pastor has made sure that the congregation knows this.

Stein Auf!
Bridget

[Music4Hym777]

We always have half an hour inbetween services in which private confession is offered and then you can always make an appointment. I have done both and I can say that it feels absolutely refreshing afterwards, like a burden has been lifted.

[ottaia]

I was raised in the RC tradition and had to go to confession. I remember making up sins to confess. For the most part, I had found it to be pretty futile. However, I have found that therapy is a valid substitute, at least in my case. I have found therapists that, if not Christian (one was Jewish), were knowledgable in theology and practices. I find the act of telling someone your deepest, darkest, and then knowing that the person still cares about you is very liberating. I think when we hold sin in, we think that if anyone knows we will be unloved. This is a way to feel that love in spite of our sin. I may have been able to feel this with a priest or pastor but I think my early experiences turned me off to that.