ASK A PRIEST
QUESTIONS ABOUT SIN & REPENTANCE
“Ask a Priest: What If a Confessor Grew Impatient With Me?”
Q: I had a very bad experience recently at confession. The priest didn’t allow me to finish and kept interrupting me and arguing that he didn’t want long stories or details or repetitions as these are already absolved in previous confessions although I said I glossed over them previously and ...
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“Ask a Priest: Could I Confess at Home on My Own?”
Q: I was brought up in a Catholic family and baptized and confirmed. After high school I moved out of the house and rarely went to church except for a handful of times per year. I never stopped believing in God and Christ. I want to go back to church ...
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“Ask a Priest: What If Our Priest Doesn’t Want to Hear the Same Sins?”
Q: Our priest has told us he doesn’t want us to go to confession with him if we are going to confess the same sins every time. I thought I’d read or heard in a religion class that it was OK to confess the same sin until you no longer ...
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“Ask a Priest: May I Receive Communion If I’m Cohabitating?”
Q: During confession, a Catholic priest told me that it is okay to receive Communion, even if I am unmarried and cohabitating – as long as I am sleeping with this man only. That troubled me a lot because my understanding is that if you are fornicating (even if with ...
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“Ask a Priest: Why Try to Scare People Into Believing?”
Q: Do you really believe that scaring people and telling them that they ought to live by this specific set of rules, otherwise they will burn for eternity, is the way a supreme being would attempt to obtain followers? Serious question. – S.W. Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC A: By ...
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“Ask a Priest: Is a Light Penance Normal?”
Q: I’m a 51-year-old male who went to a Catholic elementary school but for more than 40 years didn’t attend Mass. During the pandemic I felt a need to re-establish a relationship with the Church. I became confirmed. I spent a lot of time thinking about my sins over four ...
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“Ask a Priest: Is it OK to skip “steamy” content in novels and TV shows?”
Q: I am a 60-something married female. Is it a sin to read romance novels? My niece told me about a book she was reading and how good it was. I bought the book and started reading it. After a few chapters it started to get a little “steamy” with ...
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“Ask a Priest: Are we capable of perfect contrition?”
Q: Father, is everyone capable of perfect contrition? I do not feel that it is possible for me as I have been so fearful of the pains of hell for my entire life. -C.P. Answered by Fr. Edward McIlmail, LC A: One of the most beautiful things that Jesus reveals ...
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