From the Editor | Saturday Confession

Saturday Confession

On one Saturday afternoon, I was sitting in the chapel in line to go to confession—yes, priests go to confession. I know the rules of the parish: those wanting to go to confession sit in the back row of pews, one seat apart in line for the confession. I was not dressed in a clerical shirt, but was wearing a rather ragged blue shirt.

This was not a normal Saturday. Ordinarily, everyone just sits in silence, praying or perhaps simply waiting. On this Saturday, I found the three penitents ahead of me engaged in conversation about a variety of topics: why Protestants do not pray for the dead, how the podium in Catholic Churches finds its origins in the Jewish synagogue, how one priest had disappointed a young lady who approached him for spiritual help, and what a good homilist Father Dan was (he makes you think). It is sometimes good for us priests to hear the unguarded opinions of others.

After a short time, it was my turn to go to confession. The priest was Father Bob, a senior priest whose personality overflows with God’s mercy and joy. I sat down, routinely identified myself as a priest, and began, “Bless me, Father...” Father Bob interrupted, “Stop! I want to say something first.”

Startled, I became silent. Father Bob told me that confession is not mechanical: from all eternity, God had a plan that he and I would be in that confessional together, just to be shown God’s love and mercy. God wants to put his arm around us, to tell us that he loves us, forgives us, heals us. It is a beautiful experience for both the priest who shares God’s mercy and for the penitent who receives God’s mercy. (I am not expressing it as well as Father Bob did.) And then, Father Bob told me that it was my turn to speak.

I was changed. “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned...”

You may want to ponder Father Bob’s words to me before you go to confession the next time.

Chorbishop John D. Faris