Posted on 03/04/2016 2:50:35 PM PST by NYer
Schenectady
In the darkest hours of the night and the soul, the Rev. Bob Longobucco will be ready for you to share your sins.
Longobucco will hold a marathon, 24-hour confession session starting Friday morning to give people a chance to seek mercy before Easter.
Pastor of the Roman Catholic St. Kateri Tekakwitha Parish, Longobucco decided to make himself available for a full day as part of the Year of Mercy proclaimed by Pope Francis.
"When do you always think about your worst sin? At 3 o'clock in the morning, and you can't do anything about it," he said. "For one night, you'll be able to do something about it."
He will be in the church at first and, then, to make people comfortable, he'll move to just inside the entryway during the wee hours of the morning so people don't have to be nervous about walking through the church alone at night.
He will offer what the church calls the sacrament of reconciliation from 9:30 a.m. Friday to 9:30 a.m. Saturday. The parish is located at 2216 Rosa Road near the Niskayuna border.
Pope Francis has recommended churches open their doors for 24 hours Friday and Saturday for people to receive the sacrament during this Easter season, he said.
"It's a pretty tough thing to do with one priest but I thought it would be a great way to recognize the sacrament of reconciliation," he said. "The plan is to do the whole 24 hours. I don't know if we will have customers the whole 24 hours but I will be available."
Longobucco had given up iced tea for Lent, he said, but will make an exception so he can use the caffeine to help keep him awake.
"I hope people bring good sins," the jovial priest said with a laugh. "That'll keep me up."
While older Catholics still refer to the sacrament as confession, Longobucco said, reconciliation better explains the entire process.
"Reconciliation literally means being made right," he said. "Confession is an element of reconciliation. It's the confession of sins, the willingness to do better, and the act of forgiveness that make up the entire package."
Traditionally, Catholics used to enter a booth called a confessional where they were separated by a screen and could not be seen by the priest. A sliding window would open, they'd pour out their sins, and the priest would assign a set number of "Hail Marys'' and "The Lord's Prayer'' to say.
Longobucco said the confessional in the church is no longer used for that purpose. Most confessions are done face to face, although parishioners can ask to be separated by a screen. While he still may assign prayers, he said, he is more likely to talk to the person about what they have done and how to make amends.
"We express so much more when we are talking face to face," he said. "What I like to do is give them a penance that's going to send them on the right path."
For children who confess to fighting with siblings, he said, he talks with them to come up with something nice they can do for their brother or sister. With adults, he tries the same approach of identifying ways to make up for their actions and prove their sorrow at their mistakes.
"A lot of times to forgive themselves is the best penance," he said.
Ping!
Hopefully he can nap in the slow hours.
To insure there is no mistranslation, I skip the middleman and confess directly. That way also insures not leaving anything out.
He can use a recording device and just snooze.
I hope nobody asks him about Meridian Mississippi
(A TV show joke for that watch “Hell on Wheels”)
We almost moved to Meridian, Mississippi. Peavey Electronics, maker of amplifiers for rock-music persons, is there. It’s also where Jimmie Rodgers was from.
NYers have much for which to apologize. just secede already
Why not?! This way, if God does not forgive your sins, you can plead ignorance.
I am a native New Yorker ... I am also a solid conservative, like many other New Yorkers. I notice you reside in Florida where many New Yorkers are heavily invested and seriously contribute to your state coffers.
New York City was the first capital of the United States after the Constitution was ratified in 1788. On April 30, 1789, George Washington was inaugurated as the nation’s first president at Federal Hall, located on Wall Street. For what should we apologize?
Neat idea.
We all have a full array of sinful thoughts, words, actions and omissions to confess.
BTTT!
The formula of absolution used in the Latin Church expresses the essential elements of this sacrament: The Father of mercies is the source of all forgiveness. He effects the reconciliation of sinners through the Passover of his Son and the gift of his Spirit, through the prayer and ministry of the Church:
God, the Father of mercies, through the death and the resurrection of his Son has reconciled the world to himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
More gimmicks. Somebody text me when the Catholic Church gets real again.
They have to ask to talk behind a screen? Who the heck do they ask?
Freegards
That’s interesting; that’s why I go to a priest (to ensure there’s no “mistranslation”).
That’s fair. I feel that nobody knows my sins better than me and God. Together we work it out.
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