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Should I tell (possible) new priest?

dsf95
dsf95

okay,


Merry Christmas! 


Our priest has died, and a young man from our parish is becoming a priest. I hope he can be our new priest, but that's not a given. 


I could not help but feel twinges of guilt/shame over my dance studio fiasco from 2015 while singing in the choir last night. I am done with the studio itself, but feel that the situation may not be "over" because a student from that studio has become president of the dance club I joined, and, I am worried the young-priest-to-be may be friends with my ex-dance teacher who assaulted me ( they were connected on social media at one time, before he went off the social media grid to focus on church.)


I had felt like I'd been honest with my church by coming clean at Reconciliation last year, but now, the that priest has passed away. I don't want the priest-to-be or anyone from my church to be embarrassed by me. I'm not sure what I should do, or if I should just not say anything else and totally pretend it didn't happen. 

Community LeaderSunCloudJD
SunCloudJD
I am very sorry that your priest has died..... At this point you don't know who will be taking his place...
I don't know why anyone from your church would be embarrassed by you??
If you feel you want to discuss something personal with your priest there is nothing wrong with that.... I don't know that a priest will take a side though
That isn't what it will be about for him and I suspect he won't take a side against someone else... an act yes but not a person.
If this is a place where you find comfort and support I would continue..... Big hug and a blessing....xo
dsf95
dsf95
Thank you suncloud!

I probably will go to another Reconciliation service at a nearby church in the meantime.

I wish someone would take my side, but I honestly wouldn't want to involve the future priest with those dance wolves. At least church has gotten my attention away from the past. But I am sad about the former priest passing. Thank you.
arfie
arfie
Is the former priest the same fellow who had a heart attack just before a big performance?

So, or no, Condolences. Losing a trusted spiritual advisor is rough.

As for whether or not to tell the new priest. . . Seems like you ought to be able to let God lead that dance. If it is right to tell him, the clarity will present with the opportunity. In Arf World, at least. . .
dsf95
dsf95
Yes, our priest passed away a few days after the heart attack.
Great advice, Arfie!! Not in a hurry to talk about that.
Community Leadermujicaptsd
mujicaptsd
I'm so sorry your priest passed away, ds. I would miss my spiritual guide, too. I agree with arfie, there's no need to rush or worry about disclosing what happened to your new priest. The right moment will present itself as it should in God's time.
patti22
patti22
I don't know the ins and outs of how someone becomes a priest, but it seems to me, that until they ARE one...then they're not. (Did that make sense?) I would wait until he's actually a priest to confide anything in him. Although rare, I believe people do sometimes change their minds at the last minute.
LivingWater
LivingWater
Although I am not a Catholic, I do know quite a bit about it. It seems to me that if you confessed the dance-hall incidents to a priest in confession, you are NOT obligated to keep confessing it to later priests. As for feeling guilty and embarrassed, if you receive forgiveness and absolution, that should give you peace and a clean slate. Let God's grace wash over you and realize you are a cleansed person.
dsf95
dsf95
Thank you living water! And good points patti22
gustokitty
gustokitty
I am sorry for your loss of the priest. Well as an ex-Catholic, I feel obligated, with respect to your own beliefs and ideas, to offer that ultimately it is the Blood of Christ that cleanses us. And our true forgiveness can only be granted by Him(Jesus/God/Holy Spirit). God grants this forgiveness out of pure Grace and Mercy, if we have truly accepted His gift, and try to align ourselves with Him and are sincerely sorry. I don't think that goes against anything in the bible that priest use and the Catholic church uses. God really hasn't delegated that authority to what may be a well meaning man. He still is only a man, and does not hold the keys to your forgiveness or entry to "heaven". That being said, I think within the constraints of Catholic belief, Livingwater has got it right on.
dsf95
dsf95
Yes, gustokitty. Only God can grant forgiveness.

Reconciliation seems helpful to me on many levels. To verbalize my sins and commit to doing better, to hold myself accountable to my church community. Although many are offended by concepts of male authority, I feel it is healing to have positive male authority figures in my life because of my feelings of hurt from my uncle, father, and dance teacher.

I respect different expressions of belief.
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