www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Confession Procedure for a Roman Catholic

Hi,

I have recently begun to attend a Ukrainian Catholic church. Yes, I am a Tridentine refugee. I've heard that some Byzantines aren't crazy about Tridentines that visit your parishes and pretend that they're "know it alls" about your rites. However, I do respect your traditions very much and have years of learning before me. I try to be quiet, observe, and learn what I can over time. However, I am still quite Roman at heart. I do not bring my Roman devotions (especially the Rosary) to church with me. Those stay at home.

In any event, I have a few questions before I approach the parish priest for Confession. I want to confess with the Ukrainian parish priest so that he knows I am fit for Sunday communion in his church. I will not approach the priest for Confession until after Easter since I am unused to following the Eastern lenten fast. Roman lenten fasting is extremely lenient, as everyone here probably knows.

How do I prove to the priest that I am a Catholic? Do I have to have a RC priest that knows me well vouch that I am baptized and confirmed in the Roman rites? What do you all suggest?

If this has been covered somewhere else, please post the link. Thanks very much.

Jordan

Jordan,

Firstly, welcome to the forum.

Secondly, please don't believe that we hurl anathemas at Tridentine refugees, use rosaries to tie millstones about their necks, and quietly drown them in the holy water fonts foisted on our churches in the days of latinization. It's only half true - those fonts aren't deep enough; we use baptismal fonts instead.

Seriously, however, the days are generally now long past when our temples were regularly besieged by refugees of that ilk. And, in our collective memory of those things happening, we invariably paint pictures of it as having always been a negative experience and interaction.

It wasn't and, on no small number of occasions, parish rolls were swelled by those who, in time, became fully participating, observant, and beloved members of our spiritual families. We're oftentimes more inclined to remember and speak about the bad experiences, forgeting that some of those with whom we've now stood shoulder to shoulder in worship for decades weren't always there.

Your opening paragraph makes clear that you understand what the issues were (and can still be) and that you are actively seeking to not contribute to any negative impression of newcomers. For me, that makes you a more than welcome guest in our temples - for as long as you choose to be and, if in time you find that you want more than to be a guest, more power to you.

My apologies for pontificating; on to your inquiries. I've reversed the sequence of your two paragraphs because it seemed to flow better for me in answering.


You don't ordinarily need to prove to the priest that you are a Catholic, neither to worship there nor to receive the Mysteries. It isn't any different than if you were away from home on holiday, woke up on Sunday morning, visited the local Latin Catholic parish, and - because you knew that you were properly disposed spiritually - chose to receive the Eucharist.

Just by way of explanation (and you may have read this somewhere and thus formulated your inquiry), if you were an Orthodox Christian and visiting an Orthodox parish other than your own, you would indeed be expected to afford the priest with assurance that you were Orthodox and in good standing with your church. Clearly, the Orthodox praxis is a better one, but it isn't one routinely followed in Catholic churches - Eastern or Latin. Why? I don't know with certainty, but probably because the large number of congregants in Latin parishes doesn't lend itself to priests being aware of who belongs and who doesn't. In the case of our parishes, I'd guess that, historically, it probably wasn't an issue often enough for a process to be put into place.

You speak as if you have been attending the Ukrainian parish for at least a short time now. If it's typical of most Eastern Catholic parishes, the congregation is not large and it's likely that the priest knows most - more likely, all, of them. So, he's probably noticed you.

Make a point to introduce yourself to him after Divine Liturgy. If there is, as is common, a coffee hour afterwards, that's a perfect opportunity to do so; if not, just wait and accost him. A brief conversation is all that's needed, 'Bless, Father, I'm ____ . I'm from St Murgatroyd's, but I'm interested in learning more about the Eastern Catholic Churches. I've been attending Divine Liturgy for a few weeks now. You have a beautiful church and I'm looking forward to learning more about the East in the coming months. Just wanted to say hello.'


Your desire to confess to establish in the priest's mind that you are spiritually prepared to receive the Mystery of the Eucharist is laudable, although again not strictly required. (As with the point made above, if you were an Orthodox Christian, there would be a definite expectation that you do this; alternatively, you wouldn't be communed. Our Churches, however, do not impose such a requirement. The onus is on you to know that you are prepared or to not receive if you are unprepared.)

You certainly, however, do not have to wait until after Pascha. If I understand you correctly, you're thinking that you should do that because you don't feel certain of your ability or willingness to keep the Eastern fast. You are a Latin Catholic, not an Eastern Catholic. You may, therefore, should you choose, maintain our fast; however, you are not obligated to maintain our fast - only your own. So, don't let that be a factor for you.

As far as the process and form of the Mystery of Confession, that might vary somewhat depending on the parish you're attending. If it is latinized, they may still be using confessionals; if not, then the Mystery is traditionally taken before an icon, at the front of the church.

The website of St Elias UGCC in Brampton ON [saintelias.com] has a wonderful variety of reference material on it which, I believe, includes an explanation of how the Mystery of Confession is traditionally done. If my memory on that point is incorrect, come back and say so, and someone will point you to a good description.

Meantime, please, feel free to ask any questions you have and we will do our very best to answer them.

Many years,

Neil

Thank you Neil for all your help.

I didn't see a guide to confession on St. Elias' website. If I have any questions I could just tell the priest that I am a Latin Catholic and do not know how to make a good confession in the Eastern Church. Part of his job is to ensure that I make a good confession. Perhaps I should make an appointment rather than go when there's a line-up. I try to confess and receive Holy Communion twice a month regardless of rite.

A Ruthenian priest friend of mine told me that he tells his parishioners to begin their confession in the typical Roman manner (i.e. "Bless me Father for I have sinned ...") The one time I went to confession in an Eastern context (again, Ruthenian) the priest didn't skip a beat when I opened my mouth and said "Bless me Father". He also didn't mind that I said an Act of Contrition when he pronounced the absolution. I suspect that an Eastern Catholic priest could validly absolve using either a Latin or vernacular Roman formula, but that's probably frowned upon.

My biggest concern, as with most serious Catholics, is finding an orthodox confessor. I will go to any priest of the Universal Church that provides sound spiritual counsel, regardless of rite or process.

jordanmz:

Christ is in our midst!!

Welcome to the forum. With that said, I have to ask why you would say this? A priest of the Catholic Church, whatever his sui juris Church, can absolve you with the formula given him in his tradition--he needs no reference to a Latin or Roman formula for "validity." On the strength of his own orders and the faculties given him by his bishop, he can confer all the blessings and Mysteries (sacraments) that his Latin brother can. As for "validity," that's a Latin/Western thought construct alien to the Eastern Churches. All one has to be aware of is that the priest has the power to do what he is ordained to do without reference to the Latin Church.

In Christ,

Bob

First, I suggest you get the book "Divine Liturgy: An Anthology for Worship." You can get it here if your parish does not have it for sale:

http://www.sheptytskyinstitute.ca/?page_id=60

The book not only has the Divine Liturgy in it, but also has the guide/words for Confession.

Second, don't sweat about the fasting rules. While the Eastern rules are strict, strict is a relative term here. If you cannot fast in the East for one reason or another, its not an automatic sin. At this point, do your best. If you are adhering to the RC fasting rules for now, then that is fine.

Thirdly, approach the priest now to introduce yourself. You don't need any proof, the trust you. I was never asked for any proof the day I showed up at my now-Ukrainian parish. And I received Communion that very first time. But since you are thinking of attending regularly, best that the priest knows you personally.

Hi Bob. Thanks for the welcome. Certainly, I would expect a priest to absolve me according to his rite. The Roman formula is independent from the formulas of other rites. The Roman formula is only for Roman priests or bi-ritual priests when serving in Roman churches. However, all the Catholic formulas are the same absolution and sacrament. Unity in diversity is a beautiful thing! I am just wondering out loud, that's all.

I find it difficult to think outside the Roman confession mindset. I have a tendency to rush into the confessional "box", list the sins and number, and wait for the priest to assign penance. My Eastern friends have told me not to approach confession in the Byzantine rite with the "laundry list" mindset. Still, this Latin has often viewed Confession as the preparation for Communion and not as a distinct sacrament independent of the Divine Liturgy/Mass. This is certainly the wrong way to approach Confession in any Catholic Church. Still, this attitude lingers on in some Roman churches (remnant of Jansenism, I suppose).

Maybe that's something that will help you grow in being a believer, a follower of Christ.

My own experience of the Eastern Mystery of Confession was in the idea of repairing a broken relationship, of going to a personal encounter with the Divine Physician, of receiving not only absolution but also spiritual guidance for grwoth beyond the immediate weaknesses confessed. It was a totally "larger" experience, if you will permit me that word use. It has expanded my spiritual life beyond the "listing" idea and made me look at my total walk, especially in adding

"For all those things that I may have done to offend God or my neighbor that I have not confessed, not because of hiding them, but because of poor memory or my own spiritual blindness to them."

I have found that there are all sorts of little things we excuse ourselves of and cling to that are offensive. So this covers all that, rather than making a confession a lengthy listing of things and numbers that obscures what this is really all about: repairing a covenant relationship broken becuase we have lost sight of the One Who we are meant not only to serve, but to imitate.

Bob