I don't know that they aren't. I'm just asking for Natural's personal experience. I've never been to a Catholic Confession, so I'm admittedly ignorant of the types of penance, but it would appear that Hail Mary's and Our Fathers and recitations of the Rosary seem to be a common thread for those seeking penance. I'm just wondering if any priests have ever suggested that in order to do penance, that the sinner recite chapters from the Book of Leviticus or some other difficult scripture.
Just curious man. Educate me. You guys have been to confession hundreds of times (sometimes I suspect after losing your tempers on these threads) so tell me if I'm wrong from your own personal experience (YOPEWC) "Your Own Personal Experience with Confession"
It would certainly seem that way in popular culture (TV, movies, etc), but IMO that's just another area of popular culture that's not really correct. Certainly, the idea that one's penance is simply a matter of reciting a set of words as fast as possible (and nothing more) is not correct ... if that's all the priest tells the penitent to do, the priest isn't really doing his job. My experience has been more along the line of topics for prayer, specific to the nature of what I confessed.
Regarding the nature of praying the Rosary, I posted the following on another thread:
OK. I see two ways to look at the Rosary.
1) External form. The external form of the Rosary is to recite a set of standardized texts (adapted from the Scriptures) a prescribed number of times in a prescribed order. The string of beads is a useful tool for keeping count, although it is not necessary. If one is simply reciting the words (nothing more), well ... I can think of better ways to spend one’s time. I can also think of worse. One who is simply reciting the words is missing the point.
2) Internal state of mind. Actually praying the Rosary entails meditation on a set of twenty events in the life of Christ, 18 of which appear directly and explicitly in the Gospels. The repetitive recitation helps one to drown out the distractions of the world ... the purpose of praying the Rosary is to deepen one’s personal relationship with Our Lord Jesus Christ.
No one has told me to say a Hail Mary or Rosary since is was about 12 years old. My experience with confession is a priest asking me if I knew that what I confessed was a sin when I did it and did I know why it was a sin. I have been guided and have been taught when or if I was uncertain or unclear. I have been told to pray about my transgressions and to ask God for forgiveness and the strength and wisdom to avoid sin and temptation in the future.
I did have a priest tell me to do push-ups and run laps for screwing up, but he was my football coach.