Recently, I had a conversation with a woman who had not been to
Confession for 10 years because the last time she went the priest bawled
her out. I assured her that the vast majority of priests do not act
like that, and I advised her to muster enough courage to go to the
sacrament again.
I told the woman of my own experience with a
priest in Confession in a major Roman basilica. The priest was quite
contentious, and we quickly began to argue. (He started it!) I told the
priest thanks but no thanks, and I left halfway through the Confession.
(I have thought many times since then that had I been a “fallen-away”
Catholic who, while in Rome, was inspired to go to Confession for the
first time in years, and had a bad experience with a confessor, I would
possibly never darken the door of a church again.)