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Expert: Fr. Timothy Johnson - 7/24/2008


Question
Dear Fr Timothy Johnson

The peace of Christ be with you

I am a teacher accompanying young adolescents in Lebanon, a country of the Middle East, and I would like to consult about the reticence shown by the youth in the practice of the sacrament of reconciliation: the majority of young people refuse to go to confessional to confess their sins before a priest,
saying they do not need an intermediary between them the father in heaven.

Please send me your opinion and I will be grateful.

Thank you
Leon Kilzi,
Professor of religious education at Marist Brothers College, Champville, Lebanon.  

Answer
Hi, Leon:
Thanks for the question.
The situation you describe is certainly not unique to Lebanon, as it is encountered quite universally these days among many Catholics.  Certainly for starters you would need to point out to them and emphasize the Catholic Doctrine of Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son of the Father and High Priest is our Mediator between them and the Father in Heaven  So, really, nobody goes "straight to the Father" without going through the Son anyway.
We also know that the Lord Jesus Christ was criticized when He forgave the sins of the paralytic whom He healed... "Who but God can forgive sins?"  It seems that the Pharisees felt as though they could go straight to the Father to have their sins forgiven without an intermediary.
The Sacramental Ministry of the Church is a great gift of God's Grace and Divine Life, an encounter with the Saving Power of Jesus Christ Himself.  He gave the Apostles the authority to forgive sins in His Name in Gospel of John Chapter 20.
I believe that sometimes it happens that young people might not understand the "seal of confession", and are afraid the Priest might talk about them later and reveal their sins?  Or sometimes in regards to certain sins, they are ashamed, or don't know how to properly confess them with only the proper amount of information, but without an inappropriate amount of detail?  Whatever the case, it is pretty certain that a Priest has heard just about every kind of sin in the confessional...
People need to be drawn to, and encouraged to see the great gift of this wonderful Sacrament, and in the words of Jesus: "Do not be afraid."

Fr. Timothy Johnson

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Fr. Timothy Johnson

Expertise

A Traditional Catholic Priest, validly and licitly ordained, incardinated legally and canonically in the Diocese of Fargo, and in good-standing with my Local Ordinary (Bishop) on active assignment at a rural Tri-Parish. I can provide honest and balanced answers to questions on topics pertaining to Traditional Roman Catholicism of the Latin Church (Councils of Trent and Vatican II)and a lot about the Eastern Catholic Churches, including the Sacred Liturgy, Sacred Scripture, Church History, the use of the Latin language, the tradition of Sacred Music, and current events in the Catholic Church from a traditional, historical and balanced perspective.

Experience

I have been ordained a Roman Catholic Priest since June 2001.

Organizations
Knights of Columbus; Church Music Association of America (CMAA)

Education/Credentials
Ordained Priest, 02 JUN 2001; Ordained Deacon, 27 JAN 2001; MA - Dogmatic/Systematic Theology; MDiv - Professional Degree from Seminary; 2-Years formation with Canons Regular of Premontre including studies and experience in Sacred Liturgy, Chant, Latin, Sacraments, Spirituality. BA - Scholastic/Thomistic Philosophy; BA - Liberal Arts; AA - General Studies.

Past/Present Clients
I serve 3-small, rural Parish Communities in Easter North Dakota
I converted to the Roman Catholic Church in 1981, at the age of 15. Over the years I have done work as an organist, cantor, and choir director for the Latin Rite (English & Latin) Mass (Liturgy of the Eucharist), and even for the Hours of the Divine Office. I have worked as a cantor for a Melkite Byzantine Catholic Church. Presently my pastoral and administrative duties as a Catholic Priest do not allow me as much time as I used to have to devote to Sacred Music; but for my weekend Masses and Solemnities within my Tri-Parish, I offer High Sung Mass in English. Weekday Mass is typically Low Mass (recited Mass) in English, though on occasion I will offer the "Tridentine Mass" in Latin, which I usually offer on my "Day Off", as well. And now, in light of the "Motu Proprio" by his Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI placing the extraordinary usage of the Roman Rite back into the mainstream of the Catholic Church, I have been offering a regularly scheduled SUN, 2:00 PM Tridentine Latin Mass with a community of the faithful that has a stable existence.

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