There are a few things going on in this thread that all boil down to one word, “Balance.”
No, a priest is not a confessional machine. Such a perspective is theologically incorrect. While absolving is definitely the proper ministry of the priest and the law says that a priest may not deny absolution to anyone who asks for it and can receive it, there are also rules of prudence.
If the priest is a religious, he has duties to his religious community, which he cannot forsake, on a regular basis, to hear a confession at the drop of a hat. That’s a judgment call that the priest and his superior have to make. How often do you miss out on community life when it becomes too often?
The faithful who live in a parish staffed by religious are bound to respect the religious life. The bishop makes this promise to the religious superior on behalf of the parishioners when he asks the religious to take over the parish. For example, if the religious have community prayers, dinner, recreation, etc at a certain time of day, people in the parish usually know this. It’s not like this is something new. Religious communities follow the same routine every day. You don’t show up at the religious house to ask for confession at those times unless it’s an emergency. If you do, the religious may ask you to return, to sit and wait a while or he may drop what he’s doing and hear your confession. It’s a matter of balance. But you shouldn’t be disappointed or upset if you have to wait or come back.
Most people live in parishes staffed by secular priests who belong to a diocese, ergo: Diocesan Priests. Like every secular man, these men have duty hours and days. They are lawfully entitled to time off from work. This means that they go off duty at a certain time of day and they have a day off each week, a vacation, time for retreat and they also have a personal life outside of the parish. It is unjust to demand that they be available for us at a time that is properly their time, just as it is unjust to demand that anyone give us time that is for them, unless we are in a crisis.
Yes, if you arrive at the parish office after hours, it is reasonable to have to come back during regular office hours. If you have an emergency, such as a sick or loved one who is sick, you have a right to have your priest hear your confession at that time.
A priest may never refuse to hear your confession. He can legitimately ask you to come by at a reasonable time when there is no emergency. The good thing here is that if you are contrite, have asked for forgiveness and made a resolution to go to confession as soon as Father can hear your confession, you’re OK. If you get hit by a runaway train, God is not a ruthless god. The Church tells us that if you are at mass and you need to go to confession, but cannot do so, you may try to make a perfect act of contrition, resolve to go to confession as soon as it is possible and proceed to receive Holy Communion.
As we can see in this regulation, the Church knows and understands that confession is not always possible when we need it and there are times when we have to wait, be it a few hours or a few days. Normally, the most we have to wait may be a day. Father may not be available today, but will be available tomorrow. Unless it’s a priest who covers large areas and does not come to the parish more than once or twice a week, in which case you may have to wait several days, most priests are available at least five days a week.
Sundays is a horrible time to ask for confession. One has to be sensitive to this. I have asked a priest to hear my confession on a Sunday. I wait for him to finish mass and be on his way out. I have grabbed him in the parking lot and asked if he would hear my confession. However, here is where balance enters the picture. If he says that he’s on his way out and can’t stop, I accept that. It’s not his fault that I need to go to confession. I was not in his plans. For all I know, he may be on his way to something important. I have to accept his situation, which means going to confession between two parked cars. It is unreasonable to expect him to go back into the church and into the confessional just for me. I know that priests may not deny me absolution, if I am properly disposed to receive it. At the same time, I must accept that he’s not MY PRIEST. I don’t own him and he’s not there just for me. If a priest is never available, then you have a real problem. If he is available, just not when you want him, the problem may be yours and not his.
This is a part of sin that we must take into account. Sin has consequences. Having to wait for confession is one of them. In all things, we must have balance and allow the priest to have balance too.
Fraternally,
Br. JR, OSF
there’s at least 22 other “kinds” out there