Last night, Fr. Benedict Groeschel recounted the time he was hearing confessions in St. Patrick’s Cathedral. After confessing his sins, a ‘penitent’ told him he could not receive absolution because he was a Jew. He asked simply for a blessing.
Apparently this sort of thing happens. One of my parish priests had a protestant confess to him. He identified himself at the outset that he was not Catholic but that he had to tell someone. Father said he would be glad to counsel hi, but the “penitent” said he had rather all between him and father and God, and let God make the judgment. But they had a long time together, and Father said it was one of the most heartfelt experiences he ever had in the confessional, and he felt bound never to reveal any details. Said he prayed for him at every mass for a long time and shared the experience with his own confessor. He said it made him realize that his own confessions had become perfunctory.
We heard him say that, too. We both got the giggles. Our dogs curl up beside us when we watch our Sunday night programs, and they aren’t used to many giggles, so we had a time getting them settled down again. Since son left for OCS at Quantico, things are VERY quiet. They seemed grateful for the noise.