Hi Spencer,

Priests don't exchange penances.  If they confess to each other, they would finish one Confession before starting the other.  Each would give, the other penitent, a penance. 

Hope this helps,

Mary Ann

Hi Spencer,

You said:
I'm writing a play that, though isn't directly about Catholicism, touches on it somewhat.

In one scene, two Catholic priests exchange penances.  My problem is that I don't know the kind of questions they ask, especially when a sin has not been committed.

I'm not sure what you mean by exchange penance.

• Do you mean that each receives the sacrament of Penance from the other in turn? 
  <If so, that would make sense.>

Priests are instructed not to probe into the sins, so they tend not to ask a lot of questions, except perhaps to clarify if there is something they don't understand.  Even then, they might not ask.  The purpose of penance is for someone to accuse themselves and for the priest to:

• listen and judge his sincerity, and
• offer absolution.

If priests probed into the matters being confessed, the person might feel uncomfortable, like they were being interrogated.  Obviously this is to be avoided, otherwise people would be afraid to go to Confession.  I am not sure what you mean by especially when a sin has not been committed. Sins that have not been committed are generally not discussed in penance, although if you admit you are planning to commit a sin, (especially the one you are confessing), the priest might deny you absolution for being insufficiently repentant.

This probably doesn't make good drama so you may need to take some literary license, perhaps by having enough questions to make the action interesting but not enough to make it seem like the priest is giving him the third degree.  I don't know the dynamic you are trying to set up but having questions:

• that show concern and solicitude (or ascertain the circumstances) would be OK
• accusatory ones would not be realistic.

OK:

Penitent:

Father, I committed adultery.

Priest:

Just once?

Penitent:

Yes, Father.

Priest:

Have you been experiencing a lot of stress in your ministry?

Penitent:

Yes, I've been incredibly lonely.

Priest:

Oh, dear. How did it happen? The adultery, I mean.

Not so great:

 

Penitent:

Father, I committed adultery.

Priest:

How long has this been going on?

Penitent:

About two months.

Priest:

Had you been planning this for a while?

You said:
I also need to know the kind of questions a priest asks someone who has committed a sin.

Any help you can offer would be appreciated since I'm not Catholic and am pretty clueless on Catholicism.

Thanks

Thanks for taking the time to research this and ask us about it!  It shows you are concerned with being accurate, and we appreciate that.

Eric

Dear Friend,

This is a rather unusual inquiry and I feel a little awkward consulting on this matter given that many authors, who are ignorant of the Catholic Faith, paint it in a very uncharitable light. Assuming that you are writing in earnest, I can offer a little bit of guidance. I hope you will treat matters that are sacred to us, with the dignity they deserve.

First, Confession, apart from the necessary form, is a very subjective matter. What kind of dialogue may be had is hard to say, but it may be:

• very brief
• virtually non-existent, or
• very involved, especially if the two know each other and have an established a rapport.

The basic form follows this:

• The penitent says something to the effect of:
  
  
  Bless me father for I have sinned, it has been [period of time] since my last Confession. These are my sins . . .
  
  
• Then they may have a dialogue.
  
  
• If the Priest needs more information, he will:
  • ask, and
    
  • may add a bit of counsel and advice, or consolation for someone who is greatly troubled.
    
    
• Then there is the Act of Contrition, said by the penitent, and the Priest offers absolution which involves a particular form.
  

I hope this is helpful.

Peace,

Bob Kirby