Confession for weddings

[JimR-OCDS]

And this was the subject of the debate since the origination of this thread.

JIm

 

[OsculeturMeOsculo]

Except they are more likely to go to Confession and avoid receiving in a state of mortal sin.

 

[Edward_H]

I’ve run across far more cold hearted and head strong lay than priests.

There are too many nasty and bitter lay in the Church, resentful, complaining, little, self focused.

 

[OsculeturMeOsculo]

The have it on the invites so they know ahead of time.

 

[Xanthippe_Voorhees]

Let’s not try to make this more complicated.

Confession is simple Sacrament. Our Father wants us to use every means to return to Him, fully and completely.

If a priest has the time, it’s a great thing that he can provide this to whomever wants to draw ever closer to God!

It’s not more complicated.

Confession is not meant to be a last minute thing to get what you want.

If a person wants confession, he can approach the priest. But to simply make the priest sit in the confessional puts an implication on it that should never occur. IE Go to confession and get what you want.

If these people do not know they cannot receive communion it’s unlikely that they can be educated enough to make a good confession in a mere number of minutes.

Could it happen? Maybe. But it seems would be a bigger chance of heaping sacrilege upon sacrilege. Perhaps offering it at the rehearsal and inviting wayward family members to attend that? But I can see little good of springing confession on someone.

 

[Gorgias]

Not if they don’t go to church and haven’t been in a while. I mean, Why couldn’t a Priest do that before a wedding? Why don’t they do that anyway?

If they don’t go to weekly Mass, what makes you think they’d take you up on the offer and go to confession?

Not only that, but what makes you think that they hear the priest’s comments on receiving worthily and then actually pay attention to them?

 

[Gorgias]

So the priest should stop the marriage ceremony and tell Catholics that Holy Communion is only for those who are in good standing with the Church?

They don’t even do that at Sunday Masses.

Sunday Mass attracts folks who generally go to Mass each week. Wedding Masses and funeral Masses attract folks who know the person – and often, there are many who haven’t darkened the doors of a church in many moons.

So… that’s the reason it gets mentioned at these Masses, but not on Sunday.

 

[OsculeturMeOsculo]

I see little good in giving Holy Communion at weddings in the first place. Maybe for the bride and groom but only if they are disposed to receive.

 

[Gorgias]

They have confessions before Mass so I can’t see why they can’t have one before a Wedding service. Nobody is forcing anybody either.

The “confessions before Mass” thing is the parish’s normal confession schedule. Putting it immediately before Mass is a nod to folks who won’t go any other time. It’s a (somewhat sad) nod to lack of willingness of folks to go into a church more than once a week.

 

[Edward_H]

Confession can be before you get on an airplane.

You’re adding your own silly rules.

 

[OsculeturMeOsculo]

The last part is kind of ironic.

 

[Xanthippe_Voorhees]

Confession can be before you get on an airplane.

You’re adding your own silly rules.

No, I’m not. If someone seeks out confession before going on an airplane they perhaps are doing so out of the fear of death but are not doing so because they want to “save face” and receive Communion at Mass.

The implication is also that the people are confessing that they have not been to Mass, whereas confession before long travel may be for any reason.

It’s apples and oranges.

 

[Xanthippe_Voorhees]

I see little good in giving Holy Communion at weddings in the first place. Maybe for the bride and groom but only if they are disposed to receive.

When you invite someone to your home, you let them know the rules.

We had no trouble taking aside our lapsed Catholic family members and non-Catholic friends and letting them know that Communion was for practicing Catholics and that it meant that you were “in Communion” with the Church and followed its teachings.

Confession beforehand is incredibly heavy-handed and implies that the guests need it. While we all need confession it is vital to remember that it is a sacrament and must be approached with proper discipline. Confession on a whim can be very vaild and fruitful, but it should not be the norm.

 

[Irishmom2]

I see little good in giving Holy Communion at weddings in the first place. Maybe for the bride and groom but only if they are disposed to receive.

It is a wedding mass for some people. They shouldn’t allow a mass for a wedding?

 

[TheLittleLady]

Set up a security screeing type confessional “Please empty your pockets and proceed to the kneeler”

 

[BoomBoomMancini]

Or that’s the only time they can get to confession. If someone works during the day and has to take care of the kids in the evening, maybe the only option is go to Mass on the weekend a few minutes early and hit the confessional right before.

 

[TheLittleLady]

You are then assuming they have committed mortal sins. There was a Scripture about a splinter and a plank.

 

[Xanthippe_Voorhees]

The “confessions before Mass” thing is the parish’s normal confession schedule. Putting it immediately before Mass is a nod to folks who won’t go any other time. It’s a (somewhat sad) nod to lack of willingness of folks to go into a church more than once a week.

Have you never heald a job? The rectory hours are 9-5. Priests are “working” all Sunday Morning and many “work” Sunday night, too, as there are many Sunday night Masses. Saturday afternoon is when they are readily available to those who can’t make office hours.

 

[QwertyGirl]

Maybe the Church should just issue communion cards. You know, like the Atomic Sub Shop does. Each time you go to confession, the priest can stamp your card and then you can bring it up in the communion line. The person handing out communion can look at the card and make sure you have been to confession recently. Then they can size you up to decide if you look like someone who has done anything mortal recently. If not, you are good to go and you get communion. If so, you get declined.

Sound good?

 

[Gorgias]

Or that’s the only time they can get to confession. If someone works during the day and has to take care of the kids in the evening, maybe the only option is go to Mass on the weekend a few minutes early and hit the confessional right before.

In my neck of the woods, Saturday morning confession is still found pretty regularly. So, yeah… if you work Saturday mornings, then you have to find a parish that offers other times.

The original question, though, was “if churches offer it before weekend Mass, why not offer it before a wedding Mass?” So, the answer there is “it’s the regularly scheduled time.”