Sample Questions on the Sacrament of Confession 2023
- A child comes regularly to make routine and stereotyped confessions. What should the confessor do?
- An old man comes to confession and says: “I have no sin.” How to handle such a situation?
- A youngster comes to the confessional and says that he came just because his mother sent him. What to do?
- A scrupulous penitent anxiously elaborates on sexual failings. How to help the person?
- A religious confesses many sexual lapses of the year saying that she could not mention them to the local priest. How to advice her regarding confession and communion?
- A sixteen year old confesses: “I missed my prayers,” disobeyed my parents; quarreled with my brother; had bad thoughts; stole some things.” How to proceed?
- What are the alternatives to routinely prescribing some prayers as ‘penance’?
- A religious confesses that he has a grudge against a companion and cannot get himself to forgive. What advice?
- The day before wedding, the girl confesses to many sexual actions with her fiance. When the latter comes for confession, he admits to only missing prayers and getting impatient! What to do? What about the secret of the first confession while helping the boy?
- A religious says: “Father, I do not see any meaning in confession I doubt Jesus is present in the Bl. Sacrament; nowadays I don’t pray.” How to help the person?
- When you sit in the confessional, people confess in different languages some of which you scarcely follow. What should you do? If a penitent confesses in a language you do not understand at all, what about absolution?
- How will you manage a confession of a deaf person in the church?
- A penitent who confides only in you would want absolution by letter or telephone. What to do?
- A priest has intercourse with a girl. Now she comes to confession to him. Can he absolve her? What if she now confesses only to ‘impatience’ and ‘bad thoughts’?
- A confessor loudly asks questions to a penitent in such a way that people around could guess the sins confessed. Is this a ‘direct’ violation of the seal of confession (with consequent excommunication)?
- If a person approaches two different priests for confession and they know about it, can they discuss her case in order to help her better?
- A Sister confesses to regular sexual actions with the convent driver. Could the confessor warn the superior that one of her sisters needs to be watched over?
- The cook confesses to the priest that he has been stealing from his almirah. So the priest puts a strong lock to prevent this. Is he right in doing so?
- The new parish priest carefully notes the main failings of his people as known through the confessional. Then he starts systematically preaching about these matters without mentioning any names. Is this violation of the seal? What is to be said about it?
- A boy of 14 in the boarding says in confession that an older boy compels him to engage in homosexual practices. He says that the older boy does this to other small boys. Should the confessor ask the boy to report this to the boarding master? Could the confessor himself undertake to perform the service for the good of the boys?
- To put penitents at ease, the confessor asks for their names and details of their lives. How far is it advisable?
- A kind confessor never asks any questions in order not to trouble the penitents. He just says a few words of encouragement and assigns a small penance and then just gives absolution. What is to be said about his policy?
- When a penitent confesses many faults, what is the confessor to do regarding questions and advice?
- John a priest used to confess often to another priest Andrew. One day Andrew comes to confession to him. From this confession, John finds out that Andrew is scrupulous. Can he stop confessing to Andrew relying on this confessional evidence alone?
- A person asks whether he is bound to confess a sin when he not quite sure whether it is mortal? What is the answer?
- A women’s confession: “quarreled with my neighbor; got impatient with the children; refused intercourse to my husband because of which a big row arose, ‘how to direct her?
- Scrupulous girl: ‘I made my confession 3 days ago; had bad thoughts 10 to 11 times; played with my breast 5 times. “How to help her?
- A penitent made confession just two minutes ago and is still in the church. You had forgotten to give absolution. Now what would you do?
- SHOW HOW YOU WOULD USE THE NEW RITE OF INDIVIDUAL RECONCILIATION especially with regard to the Reading of the Word.
- There was a centenary celebration and for confession there was a big crowd. So the Bishop gave general absolution. Is it valid? Necessary to make confessions afterwards? If made, what is the use if absolution has already been given?
- A dying man comes for confession: “Father I have not said my morning and evening prayers. Not fulfilled my Sunday obligation for many years. Not gone for confession. I have been directly involved in the abortion which is because of me. I am a business man having a business in inappropriate ways.”
- I am confessing after 3 years: my last communion was on last Christmas.
- I am young nun; we have an old confessor I am not satisfied with his advice: I am not happy, I was depressed in life. Now we have a young confessor, he is a very good friend of mine. Once or twice he kissed me. I told this to my old confessor: who asked me to break this friendship, now I want advice from you.
- A young man of 20 comes to you for confession and says, “Since 20 minutes I have been trying to feel this contrition. Kindly help me father!”
- A girl confesses: “The confessor uses dirty conversation with me. He told me to see him in his room after confession and there he embraced me and kissed me: I ran away.” What if she positively tempted the confessor with her dress and looks and the confessor falls? What if he tells her not in the confessional but after confession on the way out to go and see him?
- In confession: It is two years since I made my confession: I have not killed anybody: I have not told lies: I have not committed adultery: I get along well with my people…. What do you do as a confessor?
- I have directly violated the seal of confession. I come to you for confession. How do you advise me?
- In the confession you come to know that a particular seminarian has no vocation. What advice would you give him? He has no courage to speak to his superiors. Can you speak on his behalf without violating the seal?
- I am nurse; I helped my friend to undergo an abortion 3 months after she was raped; can you absolve her?
- Sr. Alice commits a sin with a young man. But to avoid suspicion, she receives Holy Communion after that. Later, she confesses her sin, but does not mention her unworthy reception of the Eucharist. Is her confession valid?
- Rajesh and Susanna are married for 10 years. But they have no children. Susanna suspects that her husband is sterile. So she has sexual intercourse with another person and becomes pregnant. A lovely boy is born and Rajesh thinks that the bundle of joy is the fruit of his seed. But Susanna begins to feel the prick of conscience and considers the child a fruit of her sin. She comes to confession. What advice can be given?
- Susan’s husband Pappy is an alcoholic who waste his time and money. Often, he comes home drunk and abuses Susan and the children: and threatens to sell away their plot of land after killing of them. One evening, during a quarrel, Pappy is accidently killed by the sons, who then secretly bury him in their field. Now Susan is filled with remorse and comes for confession. How will you advice/console her?
- A priest hears confession when he is fully drunk. Is the confession valid? Can the penitent receive Holy Communion?