Author Topic: Was my confession valid? (Read 2601 times)

Magdalene · « **on:** March 02, 2007, 10:40:33 PM »

I went to a N.O. priest for confession today. While I was saying my list of sins, I noticed that he was not paying attention but reading from a book (I saw him get up and take the book that was at the other end of the confessional and I heard him keep ruffling through the pages).

Was my confession valid considering the fact that he did not paying attention to what I was confessing?

Quo Vadis Petre · « **Reply #1 on:** March 02, 2007, 10:50:32 PM »

He'll pay for doing that (not paying attention), but if he had the intention to absolve you of your sins, even if he didn't believe in it, your confession is valid. I believe it is fine.

Kephapaulos · « **Reply #2 on:** March 02, 2007, 10:55:48 PM »

I agree with what QVP said. The thing is though that it would be best to go to confession with a traditional priest. It would be alright to go with a NO priest if you can tell he would be sincere and have the correct intention of what the Church does, but again, it would be best to go to confession with a traditional priest like those of the FSSP, ICK, or SSPX.

Ancilla_Indigna · « **Reply #3 on:** March 03, 2007, 03:15:27 PM »

Quote from: Magdalene

I went to a N.O. priest for confession today. While I was saying my list of sins, I noticed that he was not paying attention but reading from a book (I saw him get up and take the book that was at the other end of the confessional and I heard him keep ruffling through the pages).

Was my confession valid considering the fact that he did not paying attention to what I was confessing?

Oh my goodness! That is frightening! If it were me (not that I would any longer go to any other priest than my own Confessor, unless I absolutely had to because he was away for more than 2 weeks, and even then, it would be another traditional priest that I knew was good), I would have said, "So Father, what do you recommend?" and press him for advice. Or, I'd stop in the middle and ask to do it face to face. That's harder for you, but better because he's forced to listen.

Better yet, go to a traditional priest. They are better equipped at hearing confessions because they hear them all the time and tend to have a greater respect for the Sacrament.

katoliko · « **Reply #4 on:** March 04, 2007, 12:07:45 AM »

Quote from: Quo Vadis Petre

He'll pay for doing that (not paying attention), but if he had the intention to absolve you of your sins, even if he didn't believe in it, your confession is valid. I believe it is fine.

If you confessed it and he absolved you but didn't think it was a sin, are you still absolved? I'm asking because several of my friends no longer think masturbation, premarital sex, eating meat on a lenten friday because there's a party, etc etc, are not sins because their priest said so. I haven't had a priest tell me he doesn't think this and that are not sins, but I have confessed to the same priests as they have.

Magda, I've also been in similar situations where my regular confessor and others had a magazine or some other reading material!