Detail from the Master of the Hartford Annunciation, now showing in the Wadsworth Atheneum exhibit “Heaven and Earth” (which is up through April and a tour of which will be the subject of “Reasonably Catholic”‘s April 7th episode).

Passionist Fr. John Baptist Pesce, interviewed over lunch on the 64th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. He talks about what’s he’s learned from his many years of listening to penitents and absolving them from their sins, some of which don’t even qualify as sins, he says. As much as people don’t partake of the Sacrament of Reconciliation as much as in years past, he says, some people come too frequently. Especially interesting is his approach to confession on LGBT retreats; his question for the penitents, he says, is whether they acted lovingly.