Confessions of a Confessor Priest

“The seal of confession is one of our most sacred vows. Even if a murderer came in and confessed, the seal of confession can’t be broken.”

‘I’ve been a very bad girl’, ‘I thought the collection plates were for the needy and I was very needy’, ‘I wish to sin’.  These are funny when they are in a movie script, not so funny when you have taken a solemn, sacred oath to counsel and comfort all those who come into the confessional booth.

Typically, the Catholic Church advises believers to go for confession at least once a year. But, I’ve had people walk in and say, ‘Father, I have something to confess. This is my first confession in the past 10 years.’ All you can do is offer a blessing and send the person on his way. And then there are times when a confessional is not quite enough. In such cases, a dialogue-confession works better.  However, for most Catholics, Lent and Christmas are the preferred confession seasons. Mostly, it’s elders who come in regularly for confessions, the youth are still finding their way.

When a person comes in to confess, we usually listen and offer a blessing and a penance. A penance can’t be random. It is a token prayer or action symbolic of a person’s intention to reform.

The seal of confession is one of our most sacred vows. Even if a murderer came in and confessed, the seal of confession can’t be broken. So even if it’s a serial killer who walks into the confessional, the seal of confession is upheld. All we can do is counsel him to find his way back into the fold. I don’t recall any priest till date who has ever broken this vow. It does lead to an occasional mess with the modern law and judicial systems, but in the end, our promise to God is all that matters.

There is a bit of training that one undergoes before sitting in the confessional. But there is always room for learning. Like the time this new priest who asked an older priest to sit in on sessions. After a couple of confessions, the older priest suggested the new initiate cross his arms over his chest and rub his chin with his one hand when listening to confessions. ‘Try saying things like, ‘I see, yes, go on’ and ‘I understand.’’ The new priest repeated diligently. Satisfied, the older priest said, ‘Now don’t you think that’s better than slapping your knee and saying, ‘No shit?! What happened next?’’

(The priest has been with the Catholic church for 35 years and is currently with a Jesuit institution in Mumbai)

(As told to Aliefya Vahanvaty)

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