Fr. Mike Reacts to Confession Scenes from Movies and TV Shows

Summary

Podcast Summary: Fr. Mike Reacts to Confession Scenes from Movies and TV Shows

Podcast: The Fr. Mike Schmitz Catholic Podcast
Episode Title: Fr. Mike Reacts to Confession Scenes from Movies and TV Shows
Host: Ascension
Date: August 18, 2025

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Overview of Main Theme

In this unique episode, Fr. Mike Schmitz dives into pop culture, offering live, unscripted reactions to various Hollywood portrayals of Catholic confession scenes. Mixing humor with catechesis, Fr. Mike evaluates the accuracy, tone, and theological substance of famous movie and TV depictions while offering listeners a crash course on what real confession is and isn’t.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Setting the Stage for Movie Reactions (00:00–01:00)

• Fr. Mike admits he hasn’t seen all the clips beforehand and neither he nor Ascension endorse the films.
• Tone is lighthearted: “I have the controls. I’m going to rent this. No, I’m not going to rent this. People don’t rent movies. What is this, 1992?”
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz, 00:00

2. Zorro Confession Scene—Impersonation in the Confessional (01:00–04:36)

• Fr. Mike notes Antonio Banderas (as Zorro) pretends to be a priest in the confessional, emphasizing:
  “Don’t do that. That is literally a really big deal sin...excommunicatable.”
  — Fr. Mike, 01:00
• Points out errors:
  • The confessor is fairly regular (“three days since my last confession”), which Fr. Mike praises, but movie priest discourages frequent confession—incorrect in real practice.
  • Movie mistakes commandments (mixing up 4th and 5th).
  • Over-emphasis on storytelling vs. naming actual sins.
  • Confessor gives absolution without the prayer:
    “Requires a prayer of absolution. Also excommunicated.”
    — Fr. Mike, 03:55
• Key Catechesis: Proper confession requires being specific, not telling stories, and only priests can absolve.

3. Daredevil Confession—The Weight of True Contrition (04:36–10:13)

• Matt Murdock (Daredevil) has a long preamble, talking about his dad and childhood, rather than his own sins.
• Fr. Mike highlights the patience required from priests and the need to get to “Why is this person here?”
  “You don’t have to make a perfect confession, because the priest...is asking, ‘Why is this person here?’”
  — Fr. Mike, 06:18
• Appreciates the priest’s gentle prodding to get to the actual sins.
• Points out a grave theological error:
  • Murdock seeks forgiveness for what he’s about to do (planning to sin), which is not allowed—called “presumption.”
  • Contrasts presumption with despair.
  • God’s grace is free, but not cheap—requires genuine contrition:
    “God’s grace is free. It is not cheap...I have to have contrition, right? ...Presumption is I’m going to take the grace without making the choice to leave the sin.”
    — Fr. Mike, 08:04

4. True Confessions—Best Practice: Naming Sins Clearly (10:13–11:39)

• Fr. Mike points out typical TV/film errors:
  • Priests seem bored or annoyed, which is unrealistic.
  • Sins are vaguely confessed (“anger” instead of concrete acts).
  • Proper confession requires number and kind, especially for mortal sins:
    “If someone says...the sin of anger…that’s a really, really broad brush...Could be anywhere from, like, literally, I got angry, someone cut me off, to...killed someone in anger.”
    — Fr. Mike, 10:22
• Affirms the sacredness and opportunity for grace inherent in each confession.

5. A League of Their Own—Priest’s Reaction to Salacious Confessions (11:39–14:49)

• Madonna is depicted as shocking the priest, who is sweating and dropping the Bible—played for laughs.
• Fr. Mike dispels the myth that priests are aroused or scandalized by confessions:
  “What the priest gets to see is the ugliness of sin. Confession is a place where we drop off the garbage of our souls...Priest gets to offer the joy of God’s mercy...he wouldn’t stick his head out and be like, ‘I gotta see the person who confessed this thing.’ Like, that’s ridiculous.”
  — Fr. Mike, 13:25
• Highlights two realities in confession:
  • The ugliness of sin seen in God’s light.
  • The powerful joy of forgiveness.

6. Gran Torino—Long-Delayed Confessions and Past Sins (14:49–17:31)

• Clint Eastwood’s character confesses for the first time in decades, recalling detailed past events.
• Notable moment: Priest is dismissive and not warm, which Fr. Mike criticizes.
• Affirms: If someone is going that far back, those sins weigh on them—priests should be gentle, not brusque.
• Favorite priest questions to hear:
  “Father, how do I become Catholic? Father, will you hear my confession? Two best questions ever.”
  — Fr. Mike, 15:14

7. Runaway Bride—Non-Catholics and Confession (17:31–19:29)

• Priest is addressed by his name (“Brian”) by former girlfriend Maggie, now non-Catholic but looking for comfort.
• Fr. Mike clarifies:
  • Only baptized Christians intending to become Catholic (catechumens) and sufficiently prepared can validly confess.
  • Maggie is just stressed, not prepared or intending to become Catholic.

8. Seinfeld—Confession as Comedy (19:29–20:51)

• George visits confession for “comedic offenses”—mixing religious themes with Jewish identity.
• Fr. Mike uses the scene to comment on confession etiquette:
  • Sometimes people or priests are loud—do your best to not overhear, and pray for those you overhear accidentally:
    “If you inadvertently hear, just pray for the person and try to not hear...If you’re trying to hear, that’s a whole nother thing. How about this? Don’t.”
    — Fr. Mike, 20:46

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Don’t do that. That is literally a really big deal sin...excommunicatable.”
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz on Zorro impersonating a priest, 01:00

• “You don’t have to make a perfect confession, because the priest...is asking, ‘Why is this person here?’”
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz, 06:18

• “God’s grace is free. It is not cheap...I have to have contrition, right? ...Presumption is I’m going to take the grace without making the choice to leave the sin.”
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz, 08:04

• “Sin looks glamorous from the outside, but when you actually see...you realize, oh my gosh, sin is so destructive.”
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz, 12:13

• “Confession is a place where we drop off the garbage of our souls...”
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz, 13:25

• “The two best questions a priest can hear anyone ask: ‘Father, how do I become Catholic?’ ‘Father, will you hear my confession?’”
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz, 15:14

• “If you inadvertently hear, just pray for the person and try to not hear...If you’re trying to hear, that’s a whole nother thing. How about this? Don’t.”
  — Fr. Mike Schmitz, 20:46

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:00] – Episode introduction, setup for movie/TV reactions
• [01:00-04:36] – Zorro confession and teaching on the seriousness of impersonating a priest
• [04:36-10:13] – Daredevil: How to approach confession, the necessity of contrition
• [10:13-11:39] – True Confessions: The importance of confessing specifics and correct priestly demeanor
• [11:39-14:49] – A League of Their Own: Dispelling myths about priestly reactions to "shocking" sins
• [14:49-17:31] – Gran Torino: Compassion for those returning after decades
• [17:31-19:29] – Runaway Bride: Non-Catholics and the bounds of sacramental confession
• [19:29-20:51] – Seinfeld: Confession etiquette, humor, boundaries

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Conclusion

Fr. Mike successfully blends humor, pastoral insight, and basic catechesis while critiquing cinematic confession scenes. He points out the inaccuracies typical in pop culture, provides illuminating commentary on true repentance, priestly compassion, and the spiritual potency of the confession. The episode offers an accessible, engaging way to deepen understanding and correct misconceptions about a sacrament at the heart of the Catholic faith.

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If you enjoyed these movie/TV confession reactions, Fr. Mike encourages listeners to send in more examples for possible future episodes!

Transcript

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Am I one of those people that watches the movie and keeps interrupting? What's this? Who's that person? Why are they doing that much? When he picks up a gun, shoots it through the confessional screen, they want me to stop watching this, but I have the controls. I'm going to rent this. No, I'm not going to rent this. People don't rent movies. What the heck? What is this, 1992? Hi, my name is Father Mike Schmitz, and this is Essential Presents. So we are doing something different today. The producers had the idea of saying, hey, how about you react to some scenes of confession in movies and TV shows and things like that? And I was like, that would be awesome. One disclaimer. I literally don't know where these are coming from. I. Neither I nor the producers at Ascension endorse these movies or TV shows because we're just looking at the clips. We're just gonna have some fun, maybe learn something along the way. Oh, I know this one. I remember watching this when it came out. I think this is a scene with Catherine Zeta Jones, Catherine Zeta, Scarn and Antonio Banderas.

[Movie/TV Character (Confessor)]

Is everything all right? It sounds like there is a battle going on out there.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Don't worry, my dear. You are safe in the house of the Lord.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Antonio Minera is Zorro, right? He's pretending to be a priest. Don't do that. That is literally a really big deal sin. I think it's actually excommunicatable. So don't. Don't do that.

[Movie/TV Character (Confessor)]

Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been three days since my last confession.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

That's not bad. Three days. Wow.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

How many sins could you have committed in three days? Come back when you have more time, please.

[Movie/TV Character (Confessor)]

Excuse me?

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Go to confession whenever you need to go to confession. Just FYI.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Listen, senorita, then please go on.

[Movie/TV Character (Confessor)]

I have broken the fourth commandment.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Pat, you killed somebody.

[Movie/TV Character (Confessor)]

No, that is not the fourth commandment.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Fifth commandment is don't do not, shall not murder. Fourth is parents just don't do. Okay, here we go.

[Movie/TV Character (Confessor)]

Of course not.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

In what way did you break the most sacred of commandments?

[Movie/TV Character (Confessor)]

I dishonored my father.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

That is not so bad. Maybe your father deserved it.

[Movie/TV Character (Confessor)]

What did you say?

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

I said, tell me more, my child.

[Movie/TV Character (Confessor)]

Well, I tried to behave properly the way my father would like me to, but I'm afraid my heart is too wild.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Too wild?

[Movie/TV Character (Confessor)]

Yes.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Could you be a little more specific?

[Father Mike Schmitz]

See, that's good. He's asking for specifics. You gotta, like, name the sin. If there's a Sin there. But don't. He's not a priest. He shouldn't be pretending. Excommunicated. Done.

[Movie/TV Character (Confessor)]

I had impure thoughts about a man. Yes, I did. I think he was a bandit or something. He wore a black mask.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

I wonder if you've ever been to confession and the priest has gasped. You've accomplished something there. I remember hearing this as seminarian getting ordained. Like, now you hear everything within the first six months and of hearing confessions and like, yeah, that's kind of the case. So obviously Tony Banderas, not a priest, also excommunicated.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

He had a deep voice. Yes, Rapidly handsome.

[Movie/TV Character (Confessor)]

I do not know. His face was half covered. But something in his eyes captured me.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Capture you?

[Movie/TV Character (Confessor)]

I felt warm, feverish.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Lustful.

[Movie/TV Character (Confessor)]

Yes, lustful.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

There's such a thing as being too vague when it comes to confession. Like, overall, you know, I go anger, okay. A lot of things underneath. Also you. You don't need to tell the story of the sin. You know, the kind of thing, like the, The. The. Like when she was saying, I felt this and this, like, feverish. Like just the sin of lust in my mind over this person. Like that's clear, you know, no big deal.

[Movie/TV Character (Confessor)]

Forgive me.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

I forgive you.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Well, that's it. There's. Requires a prayer of absolution. Also excommunicated.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Senorita, you have done nothing wrong. The only sin would be to deny what your heart truly feels.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Oh, come on, Antonio.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Now go. Elena.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

I was going to confession.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

What are you doing here?

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Where's the priest? He's out there.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Who is inside there? To whom the priest is here?

[Father Mike Schmitz]

None other.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Stand back. Alina Sorrow.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Wow, that's.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

That's.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

That's drastic. That's very drastic. No, the next one is. This is Daredevil. The Netflix Daredevil or Marvel? Daredevil. Matt Murdock is a Catholic. And because he's Catholic, he goes to confession.

[Matt Murdock (Daredevil)]

It's been too long since my last confession.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Okay, give me a sense of how.

[Matt Murdock (Daredevil)]

Long dad used to come to this church.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

I mean, we gotta give some kind of sense. I mean, you could say like, What, a year, 20 years. That, you know, too long could have been like. I don't went. I had committed moral sin, mortal sin. A week ago. Well, yeah, it's been too long. Go quicker, you know. Anyways, here we go.

[Matt Murdock (Daredevil)]

He was a fighter. Old school boxer. Lost more than he won at a 24:31 record before you.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Okay, just. I don't mean to pause everything, but you talk about your own sins, you know, talking about anyone else's life. Anyone else's sins? Talking about his dad. And also his boxing record. Okay, anyways, getting to the point.

[Matt Murdock (Daredevil)]

But he could take a punch.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Jesus, he could take a punch. Language.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Yeah, he swore he took the lawyer's name.

[Matt Murdock (Daredevil)]

Sorry, Father.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Back.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Yeah.

[Matt Murdock (Daredevil)]

Guys he went up against used to say I was like hitting oak.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Yeah? Yeah. What about you, Matt?

[Matt Murdock (Daredevil)]

Nights, when he was outmatched, my dad's strategy was to let him hit him till they broke their hands.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

It's like Rocky, he did that.

[Matt Murdock (Daredevil)]

I never got knocked out, my dad. Knocked down, sure, but he always got back up. I was always on his feet when he lost. Every now and then, he'd get hit and something inside of him would snap. My grandmother, she was the real Catholic. Fear of God ran deep. You'd elect her, she used to say, be careful of the Murdoch boys. They got the devil in him.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Okay. We're still waiting on your sins, Matthew.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Let's.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

When? We need to get to that, actually. When someone goes on like this, anytime. One of the great questions. It was Saint Minor's Abbey. There's a monk there, he might have even been the Abbot. And he taught priests how to hear confession. And he always said this. He said, the number one question you always ask in your heart, in your mind, of the Lord, even, is, why is this person here? And so, even though here's Matt Murdock, Daredevil, he's talking about his dad, talking about his grandma, he's getting to the point where he's like, oh, the Murdoch boys, they have the devil in them. In that sense, he's something in his heart. That's why he's there. And so, again, you don't have to make a perfect confession, because the priest, hopefully, is asking that question of the Lord and asking the question of the moment, which is, why is this person here? So I want to know, Matt Murdock, why are you here?

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

His eyes would go dead and he'd.

[Matt Murdock (Daredevil)]

Start walking forward real slow, hands at his sides, like he wasn't afraid of anything. And the other guy, he'd see that look and he'd try to get away from him. My dad, he'd catch him and trap him in the corner.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Let the devil out.

[Matt Murdock (Daredevil)]

And I didn't understand it. While he was feeling deep inside, I didn't understand it. Not back then.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Banana went up against Kingpin.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Don't you understand it now?

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Yeah. Here we go. Let's go, priest. He's asking, he's trying to draw out some of us.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Easier if you tell me what you've done.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Yeah, exactly. It'd be easier if you just like, what's the sin, bro? Easier for all of us.

[Matt Murdock (Daredevil)]

I'm not seeking penance for what I've done, Father.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Well, then, what the heck, man?

[Matt Murdock (Daredevil)]

I'm asking forgiveness.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

You asking forgiveness or not asking forgiveness? Oh, you can't do that. Okay, let's, let's. This is. Let's see what the priest says.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

That's not how this works.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Oh, nice Marvel.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

What exactly are you going to do?

[Father Mike Schmitz]

That's good. That was good. Because here is Matt Murdock. He needs torn. The question we always have to ask his priests, always, what is this person looking for? That's super good. That's what the priest was doing. He was like, so. And he did it nicely. He wasn't like a jerk about it. He was like, waiting, listening, patient. That's awesome. I don't know who the priest is in the, in the, in the show, but he did a good job. Secondly, when he's like, I'm not asking for penance for forgiveness about what I'm about to do. Can't do that. That is called presumption. And then don't work like that. Pentas is turning away and turning back. Like, turning away and turning towards, like, turning away from sin and turning towards the Lord. So I can't, like, say, okay, I'm also planning on sinning. Could I please be forgiven in advance? Like, no, because that's not what contrition is. That's not what repentance is. And God can't forgive us for something we're about to do because you still can choose not to do it. You know what I'm saying? Actually, presumption is really linked to despair in the same sense that I treat God's grace as ineffective. Despair is okay, God's grace is real, it's powerful. It can save me, but I don't believe it. And not me. Not in my case. And presumption is similar where it's saying that I don't treat God's grace with the gravity that it has. Like, the weight that God's grace has to forgive our sins, even the most. The worst of all sins, is to not believe that is despair, but to then treat it lightly is presumption. Like, oh, God's grace is free. Great. Awesome. No, no, no, no. God's grace is free. It is not cheap. The price of God's forgiveness, of course, is his own death on the cross, his resurrection from the dead, ascension to heaven. Like, that's really huge. But in order to experience that, I have to have contrition, right? I have to not just, like, feel sorry. I have to turn away from that sin. Presumption is I'm going to take the grace without making the choice to leave the sin. If that makes any sense. Comment below and make a whole nother video about that one. Okay, this is from True. What's it called? True what? I think Robert Denir was in this one. I don't know if you've ever heard of him. He's won awards.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Bless me, Father, for I assume it's been a year since my last guest confession. Since then, I accused myself of being pure actions. I curse a lot. I got a bad temper.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

They always have. Like, the priest, like, he's all sitting back, like, you know, like, you know, that kind of thing. It always bothers me. Number two, we need to name the sin. You know, you know this. When it comes to mortal sins, at least we need to actually say number and kind. This is important that we have some kind of idea of what number of this is this irregular. Is this pretty frequent? And the kind of sin. So, for example, if someone says, I confess, you know, the sin of anger. I'm glad you're honed in on something, but that's a really, really broad brush. Like, the sin of anger would. Could be anywhere from, like, literally, I got angry, someone cut me off to, like, I acted out, lashed out, killed someone in anger. I think sometimes when priests are represented as being in confession, they look like they're annoyed to be there. I know for myself, and I know other priests when they're in confession. Yeah, maybe they're tired, maybe they're. But I think it's one of those where, like, oh, my gosh, here's a person. This is amazing. This is an encounter of God's grace with a person who is coming to the Lord seeking God's grace. This next movie is what we call a League of Their Own with Thomas Hanks. You're familiar with him. I don't remember this scene. I remember I liked the movie it came out in when I was in high school or junior high or something like this. And there's no crying in baseball. Big line. This is League of Their Own. And who's in this one? Madonna's in Rosie o'.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Donnell.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

All these people in this movie.

[Movie/TV Character (Confessor)]

That's the second time he dropped that.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Bible since she's been in there. So the scene is Madonna is in confession. Not Madonna the singer, but Madonna the actress. Does that make any sense? Madonna's in Confession. And Rosie o' Donnell says that's the second time the priest has dropped the Bible because she's being so shocking when she walks out. So come on. Okay, this is great, actually. This. I really like this because this is what people think. Because going through priest's mind in confessions, he's just being blown away. Like, he is just in this place of, like, he's sweating because he's just so. So either so scandalized or maybe he's. He's in his own. Hey, guys. Oh, my gosh. I gotta tell you, that's not what happens. What? Confession is a place where we drop off the garbage of our souls, like the garbage in our lives. I think from the outside, we think sin is glamorous. I mean, we do, right? So even here's Madonna going to confession, and it's like, wow, all the salacious and crazy things you would say. Like, what would. Even Rosie Donald says, what'd you tell him? You know, what'd you say in there? Sin looks glamorous from the outside, but when you actually see. Uncover the face of sin, you realize, oh, my gosh, sin is so destructive. I'm guessing that what they're trying to say is, because I wasn't born yesterday, is that Madonna was confessing some kind of sexual sins, right? And that he was so shocked and so maybe even aroused, turned on by this whole thing that he's just like, you know, he's sweating bullets, this celibate priest. You guys, when anyone brings a sin to confession, what we get to see is we have to see sin in the light of God's grace. So two things happen. One is we see the ugliness of sin in the light of God's grace. I mean, really, it's just like. It's just. It's painful. It hurts to be like, oh, my gosh, you went through this. Like, this is what, you know. Yeah, you made that decision or whatever the thing is. But that it's. It's painful. That's one thing. We get to see sin in the light of God's grace, and we see how ugly sin actually is. The second thing we get to see is the sin in light of God's grace, meaning it's joyful. And I'm turning away from that. And now I'm being rescued by the Lord Jesus in this sacrament. And that whole thing about, again, what people think in their minds is this twisted vision of, like, yeah, priests are just thinking about all these things. Like, no, not at all. What they're seeing is the ugliness of sin. Because when someone goes to confession, oftentimes what they're saying is, I've experienced the brokenness of whatever I chose. And the priest gets to offer the joy of God's mercy. And so he wouldn't stick his head out and be like, I gotta see the person who confessed this thing. Like, that's. That's ridiculous. Okay, so this next one is from Gran Torino, which I believe is written, not made, written, directed, starring Clint Eastwood. I think I have no. I believe that. I don't know this scene. We'll see how this goes. Gran Torino, Clint Eastwood.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

There he is.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Go ahead and make my. What can I do for you, Mr. Kowalski?

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

I'm here for a confession. Thanks.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Oh, Lord Jesus, what have you done?

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Nothing. You should take it.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

And the daredevil, he corrected him for saying the Lord's name in vain. Here the priest says the Lord's name in vain. What have you done?

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Nothing. You just take it easy now.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

What are you up to?

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Are you gonna give me a confession or not?

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Yeah, for Pete's sake. Yeah. The two best questions a priest can hear anyone ask is, father, how do I become Catholic? Father, will you hear my confession? Two best questions ever. How long has it been since your last confession?

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Forever. Bless me, Father, I have sinned.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

What are your sins, my son? Okay. Also, what. How. Maybe back in the day, maybe Bing Crosby or whoever the people are, said, my son, I don't know. I don't know if you've ever been to confession. And someone said, oh, you know, my child. Do you like that? Is that something I should start doing? I don't know. Makes me feel weird.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Well, in 1968.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Oh, he's going way back. 1968.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Dorothy was in the other room with the other wives. It just happened.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Yes, go on.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Well, I made a $900 profit selling a boat and a motor. I didn't pay the taxes. It's the same as stealing.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Yes, fine.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Lastly, I was never very close with my two sons. I don't know him. I didn't know how.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

That's it. That's okay. I just want to pause. I don't know what the deal is with this priest. He is not very nice. I do not appreciate him. Number two is Clint Eastwood. Seems like a really decent man in this movie. Maybe there is more. Because if someone said, if you're going all the way back to 1968, means those are things that are on their souls. Like there's things they remember and they. They need to get them off their Chest off their soul. But if it's been that long, it makes sense that the priest would be like, okay, it's been 40 years. Like, maybe there's something more. So. But you say nicer than that, Father. Now, I guess the movie is Runaway Bride, which would be Julia Roberts, America's sweetheart. The priest is her, like, former boyfriend, if anything, from high school. I think. I think. I think I could be wrong. Oh, no, he's. She ran away a bride. She ran. Ran away bride at him and he became a priest. Okay, I remember that now, but I don't remember this scene. She's yelling at the priest through confession and he's. Wait, let's see.

[Movie/TV Character (Confessor)]

You'll marry my way out of that.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

My child.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Any sin.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

The my child thing, once again, name is Maggie.

[Movie/TV Character (Confessor)]

It was this side of ten years ago you had your tongue down my throat. So don't my child me, Brian, okay? It annoys me.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Hey, hey, hey, Brian.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Talk to me. Bram.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Thank you.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Maggie, you're not even Catholic, so you really shouldn't be here.

[Movie/TV Character (Confessor)]

I'm. I'm sorry.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

I'm just.

[Movie/TV Character (Confessor)]

I'm just so stressed out about this.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Okay. Okay, that's good. Okay. I appreciate how he dealt with that. So if you're a baptized Christian and you want to receive the sacrament of reconciliation. I remember there was a Franciscan friar of the Renewal who told me this once. And I think it's correct. The two requirements, if you're not Catholic, but you're baptized and you want to go to confession, two requirements are you're intending to become Catholic, so you're in Ocia or you're planning on starting Ocia, and number two is you're sufficiently prepared. Like, you know what the sacrament of confession is. You know how to prepare yourself to enter in the sacrament of confession and you're contrite for your sins. I guess that's the third thing, but you know what I'm saying? So, yeah, if you are not Catholic, but you're baptized, but you intend to be Catholic, like you're in the process of actively doing that and you're sufficiently prepared, you can go to convention. Now, Maggie is not prepared. She's just, as she said, stressed out. I think we have one last clip from one last something show or movie to go. What is it? The ultimate meaning final. But also maybe it's the best scene is from Seinfeld. And I remember back in the day liking Seinfeld a lot, but I have not watched it in a very, very long time. And so we'll see. What? This confession. Now, obviously, Jerry Seinfeld is Jewish, so I think George is too. Stanza. Yep. Elaine, what is she? I don't even know. Anyways, someone's going to confession and so we'll see what that is.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Um, excuse me, mother.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Sister.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Sister. Right. Do you know when Father Curtis has office hours?

[Movie/TV Character (Confessor)]

Well, not until tomorrow.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

I really need to speak with him.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Well, he's in the confessional. Imagine if someone gets in there, like, what do I do with this? Is it a seat? And he sits down. It makes sense if you don't know what you're doing.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

You know, that's a kneeler. Oh, tell me your sins, my son.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Once again with my son, I should.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

Mention that I'm Jewish. Well, that's no sin. Oh, good. Anyway, I wanted to talk to you about Dr. Whatley. I have a suspicion that he's converted to Judaism purely for the jokes. And this offends you as a Jewish person? No, it offends me as a comedian.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

And it'll interest you to know that.

[Priest/Confessor in Movie/TV Scenes]

He'S also telling Catholic jokes.

[Father Mike Schmitz]

Jerry, I gotta talk to you. Bouna Boun. A Funny. B. Sometimes it happens where you're waiting in line and the person ahead of you is. Either the door is not very well soundproofed or they are a very loud person. Sometimes the priest is loud. I know. There are times I'm in line and I can hear they're over here. I just like. I kind of do this kind of thing. If I have AirPods, I put the AirPods in. It's like. Well, that's not disrespectful. No, I'm trying to respect the person going to confession. So if you inadvertently hear, just pray for the person and try to not hear. If you're trying to hear, that's a whole nother thing. How about this? Don't. So you guys, if you like the reacts kind of idea, comment below because that could be a fun thing to continue to do. If you, like, reacts to confessions or if you were to say, like, oh, there's this great scene of confession or great example of confession in this TV show or movie or the worst one ever, put it in the comments below because it would be great to get more resources as far as, like, really good examples. And also, it'd be really great to see some of those really, really bad examples. Anyway, from all of us here at Essential for that, my name is Father Mike. God Bl.