'Confess-a-thon' at Colombian mall draws 350 priests [CNA]

[CNA_News]

http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/images/size340/Confesaton_ConferenciaEpiscopalColombiana_121015.jpgBogotá, Colombia, Oct 14, 2015 / 03:05 am (CNA).- In the South American nation of Colombia – where an estimated 70 percent of the population identifies as Catholic – it is not unusual to encounter Catholic priests at a cathedral, or perhaps at a religious school or hospital.

Seeing scores of priests at a shopping mall, on the other hand, is a less frequent occurrence.

But for thousands of shoppers at Gran Estación Mall in Bogota, Colombia last week, that’s exactly what happened.

Some 350 priests congregated at the mall to offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation in a “Confess-a-thon” held Oct. 6-7.

Shoppers were surprised to see the priests, who were spread out at different stations throughout the mall, offering opportunities for Confession, or just to talk.

Many took advantage of the opportunity.

“It's good to draw near to the Lord, to be reconciled, to give up all this evil,” said Luz Alba, a woman at the Bogota mall, according to the Colombian Bishops Conference.

The bishops’ conference reported on the event on its website. It shared the testimony of Father Ariel Viáfara, a priest of the Apostolic Vicariate of Guapi.

“It's a marvelous opportunity to go out to the people so they can be reconciled with God,” the priest said.

Fr. Hernán Baéz explained that the mall was chosen because it contains a chapel and prayer room, run by the Lord of the Beatitudes Parish, which Fr. Baéz heads.

“What we were able to accomplish with these days of Confession is to show that the merciful Jesus walks through the streets, even in a mall,” he said.

Fotos de la “Confesatón” en el Centro Comercial Gran Estación, en Bogotá. Vía @episcopadocol t.co/1fb1MGWZBE pic.twitter.com/DxYHaO9qfG

— ACI Prensa (@aciprensa) October 12, 2015

feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/catholicnewsagency/dailynews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/catholicnewsagency/dailynews/~4/ITlC51wQPEE

Full article…

 

[TCEL]

Love it.

 

[Maximilan_Kolbe]

That’s cool. I doubt my diocese could provide 350 priests to hit the local mall with all their other obligations, but if they did scrap all obligations for a day and send them to the mall, I’d be curious to see it as a social expiriment. There aren’t enough Catholics by percentage and those that are likely wouldn’t go (or understand what was going on), but it is a neat idea to try and reach people.

 

[pepipop]

Brilliant idea!

 

[Usige]

Wow. My diocese only has around 75 priests total. We’d have to borrow all the priest from the metropolitan archdiocese to be in the 350 priest range.

With only 18% of the diocese being Catholic, it would be an interesting social experiment. While we haven’t had as much direct fallout from the abuse scandal, we also have a high percentage of atheists and agnostics. Beyond seeing if it would bring anyone back to confession, it would be enlightening to see how a highly nonreligious community would react to a clerical invasion. In general clergy and religious in my area are not immediately recognizable in public so that many publicly declaring their faith might shock the populous.

 

[ringil]

Wow!
Did they only do it for Catholics, or for anyone who wanted to confess or talk?!

A totally great idea!

.

Anyone can go to a priest in Confession. Only Catholics, and Orthodox would receive absolution of their sins. I think that non-Catholics do periodically go to Priests for counsel.

It’s a guarantee of confidentiality.

 

[MaryT777]

What an amazing idea. What a blessing to have so many priests willing to participate in the Confess-a-thon.

Mary.