posted
One of my characters is Catholic. I wouldn't call him devout--for one thing, he lives on a spaceship and can't attend Mass very often-- but he's very sincere about his belief.
I need some information about how to handle confession. Practical and theological information. For example:
How does one go about arranging a time for confession to take place? Can you just walk into any Catholic church, kneel in the little booth, and wait for the priest to come in?
Who speaks first, the confessor or the priest? Is there something that needs to be said first? Does the priest wait for you to finish before giving council?
This particular character is battling with rage issues. He enjoys physical confrontation and has to work to control his temper. If he hasn't beat anyone up since his last confession, does he need to confess the temptation? What if he has beat someone up? What kind of penance would he get? If it was in self-defense? What if it was in a barroom fight?
The character knows the priest he's confessing to very well-- the priest worked at the orphanage where the character was raised. Would it be appropriate for this priest to take his confession? After the confession, would it be appropriate for them to chat like old friends?
If you don't want to talk about these things on the general forum, I'd be happy to take it up over email-- jbeekeeper (at) yahoo (dot) com.
[ September 14, 2006, 10:51 AM: Message edited by: Scott R ]
Posts: 14554 | Registered: Dec 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
The modern name is the Sacrament of Reconciliation, though a lot of folks still refer to it as confession or penance. Usually churches will list times for confession or you can call to make an appointment. For example, the church bulletin will say something like, "Sacrament of Reconciliation celebrated on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 2 - 4, or by appointment". At our church, additionally, we have, usually during Lent and Advent, communcal services of Reconciliation, where most of the congregation attends the service and then, one by one, talks to a priest - we have several and folks take turns.
I know all the priests at my church. I prefer to go to one who, although he knows me, isn't such a close friend that he has already heard all my stories (that feels like cheating, somehow). After my last confession, we all had pizza with the priests (it was at a retreat where we were introducing the soon-to-be converts to the Sacrament) so chatting like old friends is pretty normal.
posted
One thing you may want to include is that, while obviously it is preferred, a person doesn't have to physically attend Mass in order to be considered having gone to Mass. You may have seen broadcasts of Masses some Sunday or another. The Church sponsors them so that their housebound members can still participate in Mass.
I don't know how cheap communication would be in your world, but the Church would make a reasonable effort to make sure its spacefaring parishoners could attend Mass someway or another. As a last resort, they would likely provide recordings of previous Masses or some such - I'm pretty sure that would take a realigning of some theological constructs, but it would be better than the alternative.
Posts: 10177 | Registered: Apr 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
boots' link jives up with my experiences too, except for one crucial thing. The line should be "Bless me Father, for I have sinned. It has been _______ since my last confession." That just sounds much better to me than what they have.
Posts: 10177 | Registered: Apr 2001
| IP: Logged |
Physically receivng communion is also essential. Most parishes will take communion (that has been blessed during the mass) to shut-ins. Since the 1970's extraordinary ministers (lay people with some training) can do this if a priest isn't available.
Posts: 11187 | Registered: Sep 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
I supposed that itinerant priests could bless a whole bunch of host to have on hand and then use them in coordination with a broadcast mass?
Posts: 11187 | Registered: Sep 2005
| IP: Logged |
I find myself very impressed with the sacrament of Reconciliation. I can see how Catholics would take it very seriously, and how much a help it could be to them.
Posts: 14554 | Registered: Dec 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
As to the what should he confess issue, that's kind of up to the guy and his priest. Reconciliation has moved beyond just a straight listing of officially recognized sins met with standardized penances. It has become, as the name change is meant to emphasize, a matter of reconciliation between the person and God and between the person and who they want to be. One of the central parts of the sacrament is the acknowledgement of sins and also other things that are keeping you from God. So, if the guy (or the priest that knows him well) feels that him entertaining the temptations towards violence is interfering with his relationship with God, it is fair game for confession.
I don't know about penance. There could be rules and are likely at least guidelines governing it that I know nothing about. It generally involves prayer, usually set prayers such as Hail Marys, Our Fathers, sections (known as decades) of the Rosary, and so forth. It may also involve specific acts to make up for one's transgressions. For example, if this guy beats someone severely, he may be directed to apologize and/or make recompense for his actions.
Posts: 10177 | Registered: Apr 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Also consider that Reconciliation in no way has to be set within the confines of the little booths (especially in a case where you know the priest well).
It's not entirely out of the ordinary in a case such as this to track down the priest whenever you get there (probably in his office or the like) and as long as he's not busy ask him to hear your sins. Then, seeing as the two already know each other, perhaps it could take the form of a conversation as they walk across the grounds etc...
Alternately, there are many churches now which have booths/rooms which you can choose to do face-to-face or behind-the-screen confessions depending on what you're most comfortable with.
For a well-known confessor and a recurring sin like this my guess would be that the pennance proscribed would be some combination of these two things: 1) for those times when the MC may be guiltily blowing things out of proportion (i.e. he shoved someone out of his way) the priest might have him say a few hail Marys just to make him feel like he's still doing pennance, even though in actuality he was doing a good job keeping things in check. 2) something more free-form and constructive: examples: go volunteer at a soup kitchen, donate money to a local hospital, when you feel yourself getting angry say a small prayer for the person angering you and do your best to walk away...
Finally, while I'm not saying that the main character wouldn't necessarily feel guilty and go to confession for just feeling very angry alot, it's not a sin. Acting on that anger would be (most likely), and so the priest would react differently (as above) between the two situations.
Posts: 1038 | Registered: Feb 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
Wrath is one of the Seven Deadlies, though. These aren't "sins" in the normal use of the word and don't necessarily need to be confessed, but they are officially identified as things you need to be concerned about and as the source from which sins flow.
I'm not contradicting; just throwing out info that may be useful.
Posts: 10177 | Registered: Apr 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
good point, and as I at least tried to get across, it could be a completely valid personal reason to go to reconciliation. And as you pointed out, depending on the relationship with the priest, he might take it more seriously.
Just consider that for example: when I have the urge to swear at someone on the phone I don't feel the need to go confess it, but if it's a major/persistant temptation then yes I may seek help to try avoiding/better-dealing with it.
Also, in terms of 'waiting until he's done' sometimes reconciliation can be a simple listing of sins and afterwards the priest chimes in, but it can also be more of a discussion depending on the situation. At times it can be quite like a session with a therapist.
Posts: 1038 | Registered: Feb 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
My aunt, who is wheelchair-bound and often too unwell to go to Mass, is brought the Host when she can't go out by my uncle. I'm not sure how exactly that works, although the "extraordinary minister" might apply; I wouldn't put it past him, he's a Catholic school teacher and has been in the past (and probably will be in the future) a Catholic school principal; he has always done a lot of participation in organizing the Masses that the schoolchildren participate in and so I would say it's quite possible he has that training.
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Then that makes plenty of sense. I've always been a little curious but don't want to appear too nosy so haven't asked. Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
posted
Extraordinary ministers are people who are not priests, but who can assist in distributing (not consecrating) the Holy Eucharist.
Posts: 11187 | Registered: Sep 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Extra-ordinary ministers of the eucharist are generally Lay people (regular parishioners) who have gone through the training to give out the eucharist.
Generally this is like a 1 hour meeting at church where they go over basic protocol, and the training is also for those that merely help during normal masses to distribute the eucharist.
there are some who also take the eucharist out to the home-bound who cannot physically make it to mass in person. I helped out for a while in highschool being an extraordinary minister to a local nursing home, where we'd usually also say a few prayers and maybe say a reading or hymn as well since it was a decent-sized group there. I also went once to a friend's grandmother for a solo visit.
Basically you take a class that makes sure you have the proper understanding/respect for the Eucharist, and you have to carry the hosts in a special little metal container whos name I can't recall at the moment.
Posts: 1038 | Registered: Feb 2006
| IP: Logged |
posted
I KNOW what an an extraordinary minister is.
quote:Originally posted by ketchupqueen: I wouldn't put it past him, he's a Catholic school teacher and has been in the past (and probably will be in the future) a Catholic school principal; he has always done a lot of participation in organizing the Masses that the schoolchildren participate in and so I would say it's quite possible he has that training.
I just couldn't parse this at all. Just never mind.
Posts: 1014 | Registered: Jul 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
Sorry. I was just saying that my uncle is very involved in the Church and so I'm sure that he wouldn't hesitate to do extra training to be able to bring his wife the Host when she can't go out. Then I started rambling. Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Blushing]](graemlins/blushing.gif)
