Hi Andy, I was thinking that perhaps the Priest was stressed about something and just forgot to give you penance, and this actually happened to me a couple of months ago. I gave myself my usual penance and did it before I left. Also about long winders in confessions, if there is a line it can make it where those last in line aren't able to get confession because the hour ends. This has happened to me and I've seen women leave because they have kids waiting in the car. My last priest actually asked during a homily that the confessional please NOT be used for spiritual guidance and to make an appointment with him for that and I agree....go in, confess your sins and let others get in there too.
I heard a priest say that as soon as he left the confessional, it was is if all he had heard was wiped from his memory. I'll pray for this grace for all of them.
I had a wonderful confession experience this week. I had not been in a long time which is not the norm for me but it had been maybe 2-3 months. The day before I decided to do a thorough examination of conscience. I had never really done one of these before. I did somewhat of a general confession once without knowing I was doing one and wrote about that experience in here already. Anyway, I did a search for a good examination of conscience and found one for married people. I really went through this good and was prepared to cover a lot of it in the confessional if there was not a huge line. So I showed up at the church on the Feast of John the Baptist and low and behold I was next to go in and no one was behind me. I began my confession with the priest and wanted to confess the sins that I knew of over the last 2 months that have been bothering me and then asked the priest if it would be ok if I went through the many bullet points in this examination. He said absolutely and listened to everything. When I was finished he began to talk and there was so much love, patience and wisdom in what he said. His penance he gave me was wonderful. He wanted me to say 10 Hail Marys but say them slow with a lot of though. He wanted me to offer the first two up for my wife and then my kids. The rest he said, he wanted me to be patient and wait for the Holy Spirit to give me a person in my head and offer it to them. It was amazing who came into my head. Every person on this board was one of them. I got out of confession just in time for the mass to start so got to be present at the mass too and receive the Eucharist in this wonderful state of grace. I did my penance after mass in the now dark church and it was so wonderful. I had never been so focused on prayer that I can remember than in this moment. After wards I just felt fantastic and have this new fire once again burning inside. My prayer life has been constant again. This gift the Lord gave us is truly fantastic. It renews you so much and if you have not been in awhile....GO! Do not delay!! The Lord waits to heal you there. Our God is so good!
