Confession access

[Catherine_k]

We recently relocated to a new area and I need to go to confession. After searching online, I found a parish that listed reconcilliation from 6-7 PM last night. Drove to the parish, and discovered there were several other people waiting in line (some with their small children) for confession. Unfortunately, the priest did NOT show… after approximately 30 minutes, we all left.

First, I was heartened to know there were several of us who WANTED to go to confession… even on a Thursday in the evening.

Second, since the parish is large and undergoing an expansion, I assume that the priests were unavailable do to some other pressing concern. What it drove home to me is that there ARE NOT ENOUGH priests… The priests here are stretched to the limit with their obligations.

Wondering, how many others have been unable to have access to sacraments due to the priest shortage?

This diocese has brought in (sponsored for immigration) priests from India and Africa to help address the shortfall… what else can be done?

 

[Bookcat]

Pray

PS: you can call and make an appointment too…and in the meantime make an act of contrition.

 

[promethius]

We recently relocated to a new area and I need to go to confession. After searching online, I found a parish that listed reconcilliation from 6-7 PM last night. Drove to the parish, and discovered there were several other people waiting in line (some with their small children) for confession. Unfortunately, the priest did NOT show… after approximately 30 minutes, we all left.

First, I was heartened to know there were several of us who WANTED to go to confession… even on a Thursday in the evening.

Second, since the parish is large and undergoing an expansion, I assume that the priests were unavailable do to some other pressing concern. What it drove home to me is that there ARE NOT ENOUGH priests… The priests here are stretched to the limit with their obligations.

Wondering, how many others have been unable to have access to sacraments due to the priest shortage?

This diocese has brought in (sponsored for immigration) priests from India and Africa to help address the shortfall… what else can be done?

Not addressing what can be done, I might also note that this could be a misprint.

Last Good Friday, I saw a local parish had a Good Friday service and elected to attend this one (the last of the day in my area). When I showed up… nothing. Empty parish, empty sanctuary, lights off.

errors in printing and proofing happen…

 

[brotherknight]

Not addressing what can be done, I might also note that this could be a misprint.

Last Good Friday, I saw a local parish had a Good Friday service and elected to attend this one (the last of the day in my area). When I showed up… nothing. Empty parish, empty sanctuary, lights off.

errors in printing and proofing happen…

I guess you had quiet access to the church by yourself.:getholy: Always trying to be the optimist!

 

[Chatter163]

Parents should encourage vocations to the priestly and religious life–not discouraging their kids away from these pursuits–which, sadly, many do today.

 

[promethius]

I guess you had quiet access to the church by yourself.:getholy: Always trying to be the optimist!

I did! And it was beautiful inside… so I spent ten minutes or so, then nearly flew an hour and a half to a neighboring city… couldn’t make a Good Friday service, but they had a late stations of the cross that I could attend!

 

[TraditonRules]

Parents should encourage vocations to the priestly and religious life–not discouraging their kids away from these pursuits–which, sadly, many do today.

I agree, my Mother always found Priest being unmarried odd, even though she was a Catholic.

 

[Chatter163]

I agree, my Mother always found Priest being unmarried odd, even though she was a Catholic.

And that is the crux of it. Catholics, sadly, have become so mainstream that they look, sound, and smell like Protestants, and have imbibed mainstream WASP values. Naturally, they want their children to be sucessful in every aspect of life, so the idea of being celibate and without every possible material comfort conflicts with their image of what that entails. It is only natural that we all wish for our children to be happily married and bring us grandchildren, and to have social and material advantages that we ourselves did not have, regardless of what our soci-economic levels may be. However, the result is that not as many parents are not urging their children to consider a supernatural existence, and in many cases directly or indirectly influence children away from it, especially if a young adult shows an interest in it. “(You should explore this other career now. You can always consider the priesthood later on, if you still feel a calling…”)

 

[Mrs_Sally]

Not addressing what can be done, I might also note that this could be a misprint.

Last Good Friday, I saw a local parish had a Good Friday service and elected to attend this one (the last of the day in my area). When I showed up… nothing. Empty parish, empty sanctuary, lights off.

errors in printing and proofing happen…

This is very true. I always call a church to ensure the stated times are correct on their website - for Mass or Confession - because websites are not always updated correctly. There may also have been an announcement at Masses that week about changes in confession times, that you would have missed.

As for what to do about the shortage or priests and consecrated religious PRAYER! is the best answer. If you can become involved in teaching CCD or mentoring a youth group and encourage those children/teens. Call your diocesean vocations office and see what they suggest. If you can, contribute to funds to help support seminarians or help pay off debt for those entering seminary/religious life.

 

[promethius]

And that is the crux of it. Catholics, sadly, have become so mainstream that they look, sound, and smell like Protestants, and have imbibed mainstream WASP values. Naturally, they want their children to be sucessful in every aspect of life, so the idea of being celibate and without every possible material comfort conflicts with their image of what that entails. It is only natural that we all wish for our children to be happily married and bring us grandchildren, and to have social and material advantages that we ourselves did not have, regardless of what our soci-economic levels may be. However, the result is that not as many parents are not urging their children to consider a supernatural existence, and in many cases directly or indirectly influence children away from it, especially if a young adult shows an interest in it. “(You should explore this other career now. You can always consider the priesthood later on, if you still feel a calling…”)

I respectfully disagree…

I think we have a double edged sword here: society says having children is inconvenient, so you should only want two children, if that. So many catholics are restricting the number of children they have to two, and only one of them is a male… but then we bump into that nasty thing about human nature:

We were BORN to preserve our own genetic line. We have a massive drive to ensure that we have progeny to carry on our genes… and this is made even more tough on boys, who also have the pressure to “carry on the family name” as well! If the boy becomes a priest, the family name dies out, and so does HALF the chance for genetic success. Why would any parent in that condition feel any urge to tell their children it’s okay to become a priest???

So we American and European Catholics have shot ourselves in the foot by stopping following the church’s teachings on being open to life… I say us specifically because worldwide there is NOT a shortage of priests: the shortage is only a decrease of 0.5% of priests, but the problem is that that represents a LARGE decrease in the west, and a large INCREASE in the East… and it’s OUR fault in the west for failing the church’s teachings.

 

[Chatter163]

I respectfully disagree…

I think we have a double edged sword here: society says having children is inconvenient, so you should only want two children, if that. So many catholics are restricting the number of children they have to two, and only one of them is a male… but then we bump into that nasty thing about human nature:

We were BORN to preserve our own genetic line. We have a massive drive to ensure that we have progeny to carry on our genes… and this is made even more tough on boys, who also have the pressure to “carry on the family name” as well! If the boy becomes a priest, the family name dies out, and so does HALF the chance for genetic success. Why would any parent in that condition feel any urge to tell their children it’s okay to become a priest???

So we American and European Catholics have shot ourselves in the foot by stopping following the church’s teachings on being open to life… I say us specifically because worldwide there is NOT a shortage of priests: the shortage is only a decrease of 0.5% of priests, but the problem is that that represents a LARGE decrease in the west, and a large INCREASE in the East… and it’s OUR fault in the west for failing the church’s teachings.

The point about Western Catholics not procreating in sufficient numbers is an excellent one, and it definitelty has impacted the priestly life.

The second paragraph seems to repeat what I said, but in different words. Both say that Catholics are not encouraging their children, especially sons, toward vocations, because they are following materialstic, wordly thinking.

 

[Anna_Claire]

Not exactly on topic…move this if need be.
Prayers for vocations to the priesthood are good but not the only thing that can bring about change and more priests. While not bringing up the subject of ordaining women(oops I just did)…and the celibacy issue…the church should make the priesthood more inviting. Yes, it’s a call from God but not many young men want to be part of a system that for the most part is with poor pay, poor benefits, in which they are over worked and cannot retire with benefits usually until they are 70. Not a very attractive lifestyle. It’s also a very lonely life. We need priests. We need change.

 

[Evan]

Not exactly on topic…move this if need be.
Prayers for vocations to the priesthood are good but not the only thing that can bring about change and more priests. While not bringing up the subject of ordaining women(oops I just did).

Henry Higgens asked “Why can’t a woman be more like a man?” Answer: because this world needs both men and women. You can’t ordain a woman, you can’t change a woman into a man. If you have problem with that, it is not with the Church, it is with Jesus. You need to get him to return and make some changes because he messed it all up the first time he was here (oh sure, like I believe that )

…and the celibacy issue…

All the priests I’ve ever heard speak on this issue agree: There is not time in a priests life for a wife, concubine or mistress. So celibacy is the best choice.

.the church should make the priesthood more inviting.

I don’t know if it is possible to make anything more inviting than to have been called by God to a special place. To be a father to an entire community!

Yes, it’s a call from God but not many young men want to be part of a system that for the most part is with poor pay, poor benefits,

I heard one fellow analyze the diocesan priestly pay and found it probably near the highest in the diocese. AFTER you add in: housing, meals, clothing, transportation, insurance, taxes, and retirement that all of us have to pay for!

in which they are over worked and cannot retire with benefits usually until they are 70.

All the older priests I know, who have retired, love returning to parishes for mass, dinners, festivals, easter, etc. The became priests because they love the parish life!

Not a very attractive lifestyle. It’s also a very lonely life.

Why would you say it is lonely, our priest never has an evening when he is not invited to someone’s house for dinner, he gets invited to all the weddings and baptisms, quinceneras, and even funerals. Rarely would he find an evening for quiet reflextion. That is one complaint I hear from priests… not time to prepare a homily. Too many things going on.

We need priests. We need change.

Yes for priests, no for change.

 

[Catherine_k]

First, I want to reiterate that I found it encouraging that I was one of many people waiting for confession. I find it encouraging that people feel the desire to use the sacrement as intended. Since others were there, and it WAS printed in the bulletin (and on the website) as as standing time for confession, I assumed that something extraordinary occured that necessitated that the priest be elsewhere.

I guess I was spoiled before as I lived in an area where I could reach a priest when necessary. I’d read about the priest shortage but had NOT experienced it first hand.

A religious vocation is unlike any other. Having talked to clergy (of many different denominations) I can state that it is a demanding profession unlike any other. I have the utmost respect for those called. AS a believer I cannot accept (and DO NOT) that God would not call enough of his children to religious vocations… and sadly ackknowledge we (the Church Militant in the Western World) are allowing the modern culture to mute out that call to our children.

My first question was : how many others have experienced an inability to recieve a sacrament due to the priest shortage?

Second, what specifically can be done to help ameliorate the shortage (what can be done to assist the priests in non sacramental duties) in the immediate term?

I love the idea of contributing to a fund to help those pursuing a religious vocation.
What other ideas do people have BEYOND the married priest/ woman priest issue?

 

[Anna_Claire]

Catherine…I live in an area in which,so far , it has not been an issue as far as sacraments go. I know we are fortunate. Our priests are definitely overworked, some having responsibilities between 2 or 3 parishes. They are very tired and have little down time. Lay people in the parishes do as much as possible and allowed.
Did you read my post above. Those are some suggestions as to what might be helpful if considered by the church. The priesthood should be made to look attractive to young men today. It should be an attractive vocation and career. Most older priests today, those now ready for retirement, have been content with their lives. Young men today are different and part of the modern world. Why not a modern priesthood? Maybe give them a choice. What if there was an option of the lifelong celibate vocation or an option for 10 years or so to make sure it’s truly a call they have answered. We can pray, we can have weeks or years dedicated to the priesthood, we can have retreats for young men…but so far those things haven’t proven to be that successful (I’m not saying those things shouldn’t be done)

 

[thistle]

We recently relocated to a new area and I need to go to confession. After searching online, I found a parish that listed reconcilliation from 6-7 PM last night. Drove to the parish, and discovered there were several other people waiting in line (some with their small children) for confession. Unfortunately, the priest did NOT show… after approximately 30 minutes, we all left.

First, I was heartened to know there were several of us who WANTED to go to confession… even on a Thursday in the evening.

Second, since the parish is large and undergoing an expansion, I assume that the priests were unavailable do to some other pressing concern. What it drove home to me is that there ARE NOT ENOUGH priests… The priests here are stretched to the limit with their obligations.

Wondering, how many others have been unable to have access to sacraments due to the priest shortage?

This diocese has brought in (sponsored for immigration) priests from India and Africa to help address the shortfall… what else can be done?

No problems here. We have Confession 6 days a week (Mon - Sat). The reason we don’t have Confession on Sundays is that there is no time as we have 10 Masses every Sunday. You also have the right to make an appointment with a priest for a face to face Confession (outside normal Confession times) at a time suitable to you both.