Author Topic: Confession at Orthodox (Read 2324 times)

Vladimir · « **on:** November 04, 2011, 08:33:44 PM »

I am in a state of mortal sin and do not have access to a traditional priest for Confession. I do have access to a Novus Ordo.

Should I receive the sacraments from an Orthodox priest if I get access to him before I can get access to a SSPX priest (which would be in a year) or a FSSP priest (in a month or so)?

I am not a sede and I believe that the Novus Ordo and the other sacraments are valid, but I'm not comfortable confessing to most N.O. priests.

Sigismund · « **Reply #1 on:** November 05, 2011, 07:43:30 AM »

Go to confession to a Catholic priest who happens to say the NO as soon as possible. I don't see how you could resort to an Orthodox priest unless you were dying.

Alex · « **Reply #2 on:** November 05, 2011, 08:24:20 AM »

Quote from: Sigismund

Go to confession to a Catholic priest who happens to say the NO as soon as possible. I don't see how you could resort to an Orthodox priest unless you were dying.

I agree. But make sure that the N.O. priest says the proper words of absolution. He has to say "I absolve you..." There's been one time where I went to a N.O. priest and he said something like "May Jesus absolve you...". And another time I went to another priest and he said the words of absolution slurred and fast so I wasn't sure if he said them properly. But other than that, my only experience in the confessional with N.O. priests is that they don't give edifying spiritual advice (and once in a while, you will have a priest not ask you to recite the act of contrition - but that is not necessary for validity of the sacrament).

Pyrrhos · « **Reply #3 on:** November 05, 2011, 08:33:03 AM »

Quote from: Alex

There's been one time where I went to a N.O. priest and he said something like "May Jesus absolve you...".

This might not be invalid, as deprecatory forms were used in earlier times and still now in Eastern Rites - if the idea of the judicial pronouncement is not excluded, it is most likely equivalent to the "ego te absolvo". The problem in the NO is probably precisely, that the mentioned idea is completely excluded.

Vladimir · « **Reply #4 on:** November 05, 2011, 09:54:01 AM »

Thank you, after consideration I've decided to confess to a Novus Ordo ordained priest and then confess to a traditional priest afterwards as soon as possible.

Pyrrhos · « **Reply #5 on:** November 05, 2011, 10:02:15 AM »

Quote from: Vladimir

Thank you, after consideration I've decided to confess to a Novus Ordo ordained priest and then confess to a traditional priest afterwards as soon as possible.

I would advise to stick to a decision. This practice could easily lead to scruples and constantly repeated confessions....

Vladimir · « **Reply #6 on:** November 05, 2011, 10:29:22 AM »

Quote from: Pyrrhos

Quote from: Vladimir
Thank you, after consideration I've decided to confess to a Novus Ordo ordained priest and then confess to a traditional priest afterwards as soon as possible.

I would advise to stick to a decision. This practice could easily lead to scruples and constantly repeated confessions....

Thank you. I have a practice of repeating confessions anyhow, since I was told by a SSPX priest that confessing sins that have already been confessed shortens ones time in Purgatory.

Pyrrhos · « **Reply #7 on:** November 05, 2011, 11:14:08 AM »

Quote from: Vladimir

Thank you. I have a practice of repeating confessions anyhow, since I was told by a SSPX priest that confessing sins that have already been confessed shortens ones time in Purgatory.

Well, that is true of course, especially if you have no other sins to confess.

But it should definitely not be done out of scrupulosity or continuous uncertainty on the validity. It would be better have one father confessor whom you can absolutely trust and tell the whole state of your soul, and then faithfully accept his guidance.

Not trying to be a schoolmaster here, but that is pretty much what "the books" would tell :wink:

Sigismund · « **Reply #8 on:** November 05, 2011, 10:58:27 PM »

Not that it matters now, since you have made up your mind, but I doubt that an Orthodox priest would give a Catholic absolution unless he was dying, and perhaps not even then.

Alex · « **Reply #9 on:** November 06, 2011, 01:22:00 AM »

Quote from: Pyrrhos

Quote from: Alex
There's been one time where I went to a N.O. priest and he said something like "May Jesus absolve you...".

This might not be invalid, as deprecatory forms were used in earlier times and still now in Eastern Rites - if the idea of the judicial pronouncement is not excluded, it is most likely equivalent to the "ego te absolvo". The problem in the NO is probably precisely, that the mentioned idea is completely excluded.

All the Sacraments have to have proper form and words. Just like to confect the Holy Eucharist the priest has to say the words, "THIS IS MY BODY", so in confession the priest has to at least say the words, "I absolve thee...". I read that in some Catholic book .

Alex · « **Reply #10 on:** November 06, 2011, 01:24:48 AM »

Quote from: Pyrrhos

Quote from: Vladimir
Thank you, after consideration I've decided to confess to a Novus Ordo ordained priest and then confess to a traditional priest afterwards as soon as possible.

I would advise to stick to a decision. This practice could easily lead to scruples and constantly repeated confessions....

That's true. If you believe that N.O. sacraments are valid, then why re-confess to a trad priest.

Sigismund · « **Reply #11 on:** November 06, 2011, 01:28:51 PM »

And if you don't believe they are valid, what is the point of doing it at all?