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Now you can confess your sins while shopping at the mall
Three Catholic priests have started hearing confessions at a mall in Colorado Springs., Colo. "Bless me, father, for I have sinned: I spent too much on bad clothes at the Gap." (Wall Street Journal)
September 21, 2007 | Permalink
Comments
Is that before or after the coveting and pilfering?
Posted by: debilsadvocado | Sep 21, 2007 7:31:16 AM
I don't think there is any forgiveness for shopping at Gap.
Posted by: Soo | Sep 21, 2007 8:01:49 AM
the celibate men in dresses should include parking validation, and a Get Out of Macy's Free card.
moneylenders in the temple.
Posted by: Romanator | Sep 21, 2007 8:06:30 AM
Isn't more the temple in the market square?
Posted by: d'ep | Sep 21, 2007 8:10:14 AM
I like confession. I'm definatly an odd Catholic. Not so much a fan of the group sessions. I had a priest say, at a week-long series of speeches, that if another priest yells at you in the confessional, you are supposed to tell him to F**** off and to go to hell and walk out.
Way to go Catholic Priests! Hope this helps the reputation.
Posted by: wish i was dancing | Sep 21, 2007 8:18:51 AM
In the day, I saw an old Catholic priest, complete with brogue, drag a boy from the confessional by the ear to the front door, and boot him down the steps. He forgot that my friend was an altarboy, serving mass the next day. Gary filled the large chalice to the brim for the first cleansing. The priest is obliged to consume the contents afterwards. He finished communion a bit flushed. Gary in the meantime, had refilled the crystal beaker. When he signalled for wine to finish the cleaning, my faithful friend continued pouring despite how many times the cup was tipped, and despite the frantic effort to get away and not spill a drop. Again he had to drain the full chalice. Kelley was no stranger to drink, but the bulbous red nosed bastard ended the service by saying "the mass is over, g'won home, get the hell outa here". Gary never served again.
Maybe you had to be there.
Posted by: debilsadvocado | Sep 21, 2007 8:44:05 AM
Actually no, debils...I laughed my ass off at your story.
I think the priests need to stay in their churches and hear confession there. Although, if they displace the absolutely ANNOYING folks in kiosks who want to spray me down with their hideous perfumes or try to get me to buy their cell phone plan, I'm all for it. Hell, I'll even do confession and I'm not even Catholic.
Posted by: pnwgal | Sep 21, 2007 8:56:18 AM
If they wanna take some interesting confessions, they should hang out at Bed Bath & Beyond. Actually, being priests, they probably already do.
Posted by: Me | Sep 21, 2007 9:03:59 AM
Oh for the love of bob. They'll go back to selling indulgences for cash next.
This is actually somewhat contradictory to what the nazi pope is saying nowadays, that he wouldn't mind a smaller but purer church. I wouldn't be surprised if this stops pretty quickly.
Posted by: V | Sep 21, 2007 9:13:44 AM
Just as long as it isn't near a Gap Kids store.
Posted by: Bill | Sep 21, 2007 9:15:05 AM
Well I never sin so I'm all set.
Posted by: The Asshole Guy | Sep 21, 2007 9:17:46 AM
I went to Houston for a conference last summer and surprised to see they had a small church in the airport where you could confess. Is this common across the country?
Posted by: Beyotch Knowles | Sep 21, 2007 9:18:22 AM
Bless me father, for I have sinned....you see, they have little boys pants half off and......father? father?....where are you running off to?????
Posted by: jimmyjohn | Sep 21, 2007 9:19:07 AM
I actually know a Capuchin who's a pretty cool guy. I have no problem with them or with Jesuits, mostly because they don't seem (on the whole, there are always exceptions) to have their thumbs stuck firmly up their asses and they actually have an interest in discussing questions instead of just keeping their world view as narrow as possible.
Posted by: V | Sep 21, 2007 9:19:22 AM
V; at 12 I was living in Italy with my family. I loved libraries and still do. Met a worldly Francican monk at one in Florence. We were pals for weeks. His research for the Vatican took him to the best libraries in the world. They paid him to read, study, write, pray, and travel. Very cool guy with surprisingly uncatholic hetero leanings. An academic with a hunger for life, and a lot of questions. His vocation appealed to me for about one year. Then I discovered Rock 'n Roll.
Does anyone know if monks have the same behavior requirements as priests?
Posted by: thomas | Sep 21, 2007 9:41:48 AM
Actually, that depends on the order. Some have the same requirements, some don't. I think even the chastity *requirement* is flexible in some orders, but *highly* recommended. Monks don't take holy orders either, so if they want out they can just say "okay guys, it's been fun, but I gotta go now. Seeya!"
Posted by: V | Sep 21, 2007 9:48:08 AM
But Capuchins, I believe, are monk-like priests. Therefore they can say mass. The fellow who presided over my marriage was a Capuchin, and he even wore the friar tuck robes for the reception. Cool guy.
FYI - in the Catholic tradition the actual marrying happens between the bride and groom (and bob.) The priest just acts as witness.
Posted by: V | Sep 21, 2007 9:50:31 AM
"I went to Houston for a conference last summer and surprised to see they had a small church in the airport where you could confess. Is this common across the country?"
Actually Beyotch it's pretty commonplace to see a Chapel in most large airports. Never actually seen anyone in one as I walked past, but a lot have them.
Posted by: R | Sep 21, 2007 10:12:57 AM
and bob's your uncle.
Posted by: thomas | Sep 21, 2007 10:33:08 AM
:D
Posted by: V | Sep 21, 2007 10:34:16 AM
Christianity GOOOOODDDD, Religon BAAAADDDD!!!!!!
Posted by: ol'dog | Sep 21, 2007 11:03:23 AM
Need sterilization booth at the mall.
Posted by: Farmer Bob | Sep 21, 2007 11:17:26 AM
I live in a fairly large city (Ft. Lauderdale) and we don't have one. LaGuardia doesn't either. Maybe I've just traveled to places too full of liberal heathens?
Posted by: Beyotch Knowles | Sep 21, 2007 12:57:10 PM
As for the mall confessional, the Catholic Church is just going to where the people (i.e., sinners) are ... kind of like the storefront churches in cities. I too have a feeling that good ol' Benedict the whatever-number-they-are-up-to will soon put a stop to such populism. (Although he might permit one next to the Prada shoe store!)
My mom's cousin is a Capuchin priest who does missionary work in New Guinea. He's a good guy.
Catholic monks take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, but do not take formal holy orders like priests do. A monk can become a priest if he graduates from a Catholic seminary and is ordained by a bishop. Although monks take vows and belong to religious orders, they're considered to be part of the laity like ordinary Catholics. The same thing goes for nuns, except that they aren't allowed to become priests.
Monks, priests and nuns can always leave their religious orders and return to ordinary life. There are a number of ex-priests and ex-nuns in my family.
Posted by: Phranqlin | Sep 21, 2007 12:58:04 PM
Thanks, that clears up a bit of confusion, Phranqlin.
Posted by: V | Sep 21, 2007 1:03:17 PM
