Alternative to Confession

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TheLittleLady said:
Canon law guarantees you the right to an anonymous confession, for your first, your 101st or your last confession.
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There were anonymous options, such as going during any of the usual confession times or to another parish. There might have even been a way to anonymously set up an appointment, but I wasn’t aware of any. Besides, once I sent an email to the priest to set up a time, anonymity was lost.
crenfro said:
Confession isn’t therapy, it’s a sacrament.
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I don’t think the time of guidance necessarily counts as therapy. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is a sacrament of healing. I’m not going to fault a priest for taking a little time to offer long-term aid, by prayer or advice, along with the immediate healing.
crenfro said:
Confession needs to be face to face, too.
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While I personally do confession face-to-face, I do want to echo what @TheLittleLady pointed out: Canon laws requires that anonymity be provided, so clearly the graces can be received whether done face-to-face or anonymously. If the anonymity helps incentivize someone to come and receive the graces of the sacrament, it isn’t something we should scoff at.
 
No “posted” business hours. I’ve tried in the morning, in the afternoon, in evening…not getting through. Can an entire Cathedral be on vacation? Seems farfetched….🙂 that’s ok, if I don’t get anywhere, I will personally go and knock on their door by next week. The worst that can happen is I get to see another Cathedral. 🙂
 
Absolutely. Perhaps @crenfro meant in person, rather than by phone, video, etc.
 
kgmlg said:
No “posted” business hours. I’ve tried in the morning, in the afternoon, in evening…not getting through. Can an entire Cathedral be on vacation? Seems farfetched….🙂 that’s ok, if I don’t get anywhere, I will personally go and knock on their door by next week. The worst that can happen is I get to see another Cathedral. 🙂
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Visiting Cathedrals is nice! 🙂

The cathedral’s web site should have the confession hours.

If the Cathedral doesn’t have its own web site then there should be one for the diocese, and you can navigate that to the cathedral and individual parishes. Sometimes it takes a little effort to find the reconciliation times, but it’s usually there.

Google search may take you straight there. I just picked a random cathedral in the US, St Cecila in Nebraska, and searched “st cecilia cathedral reconciliation times” and it took me to https://archomaha.org/parishes/find/st-cecilia-cathedral-parish-omaha/. Then you have to press the + button (near top right) to get the times - five mornings in the week, and one afternoon. (Note that this is the diocese web site, not the Cathedral’s).
 
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Honestly went through a stage like this! LOL! We would schedule confessions, the priest wouldn’t come. We’d go to scheduled confessions for the congregation and the priest wouldn’t show. We’d try to go to confession before Mass, the priest wouldn’t enter the confessional. Been in your boots and it can be tough!

You’ll get there though and once you do, it’ll get easier again.
 
I have abstained from going to Holy Communion if I haven’t been able to get to confession. It’s a bummer, but better to not receive unworthily.
 
I was referring to the suggestion about online confession, but you’re right, it can be either F2F or anonymous, with the screen, just so it’s done in person. Sorry, didn’t mean to confuse anybody.
 
This is not the US and things aren’t as organised. 🙂

But….I have some good news! They may not answer phones, but the cathedral has emailed me their confession schedule! Woohoo! I am finally getting somewhere here. Thank you Lord!

So yeah! Looks like I am going to visit another Cathedral! Not too bad! 🙂
 
Say a perfect act of contrition and go when you can. It’s really that easy. I’ve asked priests this before.
 
“I have been told several times to come back another day as they are too busy.”

What a decadence…
Next time someone come up with this excuse, just tell them that it’s part of the priest’s “job” to hear the confession of the faithful.
 
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Yeah! What’s with this anyway?! It really feels like a test, you know, “let’s see how far she goes without losing her marbles” sort of thing. LOL.
 
You need an intermediary, the priest, to give you absolution
 
Perfect contrition is the only other option, though Catholics should not rely on it because the Catechism of the Council of Trent states that few can obtain forgiveness this way. So you will have to find a priest, no matter how far away.

Catechism of the Council of Trent:
“Contrition, it is true, blots out sin; but who is ignorant, that to effect this, it must be so intense, so ardent, so vehement, as to bear a proportion to the magnitude of the crimes which it effaces? This is a degree of contrition which few reach, and hence, through perfect contrition alone, very few indeed could hope to obtain the pardon of their sins. It, therefore, became necessary, that the Almighty, in his mercy, should afford a less precarious and less difficult means of reconciliation, and of salvation; and this he has done, in his admirable wisdom, by giving to his Church the keys of the kingdom of heaven. According to the doctrine of the Catholic Church, a doctrine firmly to be believed and professed by all her children, if the sinner have recourse to the tribunal of penance with a sincere sorrow for his sins, and a firm resolution of avoiding them in future, although he bring not with him that contrition which may be sufficient of itself to obtain the pardon of sin; his sins are forgiven by the minister of religion, through the power of the keys.”
 
Success!!! Finally!!! Thank you all for your prayers!

I had to plead, yes, plead. Again went one hour before mass, and the priest came 2 minutes before mass. Initially he said no there’s no time, but I pleaded and pretty pleased and told him its been forever since I received communion, please please please.

He finally said alright alright after mass 😊 I think he even sped up the mass to accommodate me. 😊 Cause it was kinda short.

The thing that surprised me was he told me to receive communion BEFORE the confession. Huh? I asked him if it was retroactive and he said no its not, but I will confess you later anyway. So I did not understand this, but I followed instructions.

And then during confession he told me I was more critical of myself than God is, and I shouldn’t have stopped receiving communion cause there was no mortal sin in my list. Aaaaaa oops!

Just a note, when I left confession, there was a line waiting for their turn! LOL. Even if it was not official confession time! People around here must be desperate, and when they saw me go in, they must have thought, “Oh! Today’s the day!” LOL. Poor priest.

But thanks again for your prayers! The Lord said yes! Yes!

God bless you all.
 
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