When did confessors start giving easy penances?

[The Curt Jester]

Yes, I read it.  No, I did not "jump to a conclusion."  A whole rosary is most generally and typically 5 decades, not the 15 of all the mysteries, and no trad priest I know, which includes dozens, believes that when he assigns "a rosary," or "a whole rosary," the penitent assumes it is 15 decades.  It is unusual to assign 5 decades.  I'm not interested in technicalities or semantics, although the poster is.  The priest assigned 5 decades routinely.

Challenged and answered.

Since you claim to have been aware of his meaning, then the tone of your answer now makes less sense than it did in the first place.

[Michael Wilson]

It also came to my mind that 5 decades of the Rosary, is considered to be about the "toughest" penance that a person who Confesses regularly will ever get. So this can hardly be called a "tough penance". I think most of us say at least 5 decades of the Rosary every day.

[Philip G.]

If you steal a small amount of money, that is a venial sin.  Do that enough times, and it becomes a mortal sin. 

I don't think that's how that works.

I am pretty sure if you steal more than one day's wages, it is a mortal sin.  And, if you steal little by little over time *from the same person an amount that equals more than one day's wages, it is also a mortal sin.

"A Brief Catechism For Adults" by Fr. Cogan Tan books from the section "a list of some mortal sins", number 25 says:" stealing something expensive, or a large sum of money(more than the daily wage of the person you steal from).

I must also mention that in the same 1958 imprimatur catechism on the next page under the heading "a list of some venial sins" it states "stealing something inexpensive, or a small amount of money". 

[orate]

It also came to my mind that 5 decades of the Rosary, is considered to be about the "toughest" penance that a person who Confesses regularly will ever get. So this can hardly be called a "tough penance". I think most of us say at least 5 decades of the Rosary every day.

I was once given the penance of reading the entire book of Job.  It we shortly after I had given birth and I had several small children at the time.  I hadn't finished by my next confession.  My confessor took pity on me and just told me to finish when I could, as the penance for that confession, as well.

[Michael Wilson]

Yes, that was kind of a long Penance. He must have perceived that you had many trials and tribulations and was trying to console you in your afflictions.

[Frank]

Is the Ave Maria a "stupid" thing?

Don't put words in my mouth, Peneto.

You said that, though. 'Stupid small penances, such as the Hail Mary.' Literally just said that. Are you ok GOG?

No he's not OK - and if you read his posts from the beginning you will soon discover why. He's seriously damaged goods.

And and unlike another nit-picker  who was roasted Groggy ain't going to laugh and say "touché"

He's just going to go quiet and sulk.

[Goldfinch]

I'm a little disappointed when I'm given stupid small penances (such as Hail Marys) during confession. Whatever happened to serious penances? It appears that they weren't heavy burdens right before Vatican II.

Long public penances fell out of use by the high middle ages.

You're approaching this question from the wrong angle, though. The whole process of forgiveness is dependent on divine grace: the grace of repentance given to you by the Holy Spirit, without which your soul wouldn't agonize over your faults, and the fact that Christ's blood shed on the cross is what enables your sins to be washed away and forgiven. The penance that is attributed to you, be it big or small, is also a product of God's grace: there's no real equality between it and the punishment deserved for having sinned. Divine justice is appeased by Christ's blood, your penance is remedial in nature and should mostly demonstrate your willingness to make amends for your sins.

[Gardener]

It also came to my mind that 5 decades of the Rosary, is considered to be about the "toughest" penance that a person who Confesses regularly will ever get. So this can hardly be called a "tough penance". I think most of us say at least 5 decades of the Rosary every day.

If given such a penance, I don't double dip. I say 2 rounds - daily and the penance. It's certainly not waiting for 4 years outside the church and wearing sack cloth and ashes. But personally I do not treat it as part of my normative daily prayers anymore than I would treat a penance of 3 Hail Mary's as being rolled into night prayers.

ETA: We can do many hard things to no avail. We can do many objectively easy things to much merit. The question is if we do them well. The penance itself should grow a person, not just check a block. And, nothing is stopping one from mortifying themselves of their own accord (as spurred by grace).

[Gardener]

It also came to my mind that 5 decades of the Rosary, is considered to be about the "toughest" penance that a person who Confesses regularly will ever get. So this can hardly be called a "tough penance". I think most of us say at least 5 decades of the Rosary every day.

I was once given the penance of reading the entire book of Job.  It we shortly after I had given birth and I had several small children at the time.  I hadn't finished by my next confession.  My confessor took pity on me and just told me to finish when I could, as the penance for that confession, as well.

I once confessed sins against charity via words (it's ok, you all can act shocked) and was told to read James chapter 1. Oof. That one stung a bit.

[TerrorDæmonum]

I once confessed sins against charity via words (it's ok, you all can act shocked) and was told to read James chapter 1. Oof. That one stung a bit.

I read that quite often.

I am not shocked. It is very easy to sin with words. If you read ahead:

Even so the tongue is indeed a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold how small a fire kindleth a great wood.

And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is placed among our members, which defileth the whole body, and inflameth the wheel of our nativity, being set on fire by hell. For every nature of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of the rest, is tamed, and hath been tamed, by the nature of man: But the tongue no man can tame, an unquiet evil, full of deadly poison. By it we bless God and the Father: and by it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

[Gardener]

I once confessed sins against charity via words (it's ok, you all can act shocked) and was told to read James chapter 1. Oof. That one stung a bit.

I read that quite often.

I am not shocked. It is very easy to sin with words. If you read ahead:

Even so the tongue is indeed a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold how small a fire kindleth a great wood.

And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is placed among our members, which defileth the whole body, and inflameth the wheel of our nativity, being set on fire by hell. For every nature of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of the rest, is tamed, and hath been tamed, by the nature of man: But the tongue no man can tame, an unquiet evil, full of deadly poison. By it we bless God and the Father: and by it we curse men, who are made after the likeness of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

My point was I'm a talker of skubala. It was sarcasm that anyone would be shocked.

[red solo cup]

Good one. Going to add skubala to my lexicon.

[TerrorDæmonum]

It was sarcasm that anyone would be shocked.

See what I mean?

[TerrorDæmonum]

Good one. Going to add skubala to my lexicon.

It is a Greek word which means "trash" usually. It can be used for specific forms of refuse, but it doesn't have the vulgarity associated with such English words now.