Confession, Forgiveness in Catholic/Orthodox Traditions

My (Dave’s) mom was raised by an Irish Catholic mother. My Catholic mom and my Baptist dad met in the middle and were married in the Episcopal Church (where I was raised and served as an altar boy). I enjoyed a childhood that was blessed by some wonderful Catholic adults and kids. Growing up I was fortunate to be coached in various sports by wonderful Catholic men such as Joe Lordan, Tony Damato, and Manny Berreta. My best friend, Rob Guidi, and his family were Catholic. Mrs. Guidi, my second Mom, was very Catholic and crossed herself whenever she drove by St. Rita Catholic church, the church her family attended. I played for two seasons with Rob on the St. Rita team in the Catholic Youth Organization basketball league. An abiding memory is of the free throw ritual performed by Hoss Parnow, one of the best players in the league, who would stand at the free-throw line, toss the ball in the air with backspin, and would cross himself while the ball was in the air. Adding to the mystique, Hoss never seemed to miss.