Confession: Loquacious and Loud

[JimG]

Not a good combination.

I’m not a priest. If I were, my advice would be: keep it quiet; keep it short.

ASK FATHER: Should I tell a noisy penitent that we can hear everything said in the confessional?

From a reader... QUAERITUR: There is a young lady who regularly takes a very long time in Confession (25-30 minutes, sometimes longer). She is not making a long confession, and it's not the priest spending long amounts of time giving her counsel. It's her repeatedly asking questions about what t

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[Maximilian75]

The confessional is not primarily for spiritual direction. The confessional is for confession. If everyone realized this, lines would be shorter, and, personally, I think more people would avail themselves to the Sacrament.

 

[Cruciferi]

Somebody blurts out, “We can hear you!” I keep it low…

 

[Limoncello4021]

It inevitably happens to me (like in the supermarket) that I get behind a long-winded person in the confessional line, someone who is in the confessional for, say, a full 10 minutes. I never understand this! Sin is not really that complicated, and priests have heard it all. I agree that the confessional is not for spiritual direction or counseling, and I suspect such folk are engaging the priest in these ways.

 

[Spyridon]

behind a long-winded person in the confessional line, someone who is in the confessional for, say, a full 10 minutes. I never understand this! Sin is not

Many times that is the Confessor and not the Penitent creating the delay.

My Confessions can usually be done in under 2 minutes.

However, my Confessor likes to give detailed counseling and often my Confession will take 10 minutes because of this.

 

[exnihilo]

I actually do know someone who once was advised by a priest during confession, in a very kind way, to lower her voice. A few times I’ve encountered people who are loud enough in confession that I have to keep my mind focused on my own thoughts so that I don’t hear what they say. A few times I’ve even put my hands over my ears. I have never actually comprehend anything said, thankfully.