Confession on the rise?

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My priest made an interesting comment the other day. He said in the past, lines for confession went around the block and in the phonebook there was maybe one or two psychologists–and nobody knew what they did. Now, in the phone book there is pages and pages of psychotherapists and psychologists, but the lines for confession are really short. I think that says something about our confused culture 🤷
 
Good to hear. I’ve been in a confession line that was too long for the appointed times just recently, so I know it’s a ‘popular’ sacrament at my parish!
 
I love the idea of confession at the shopping mall! What a great idea for kids who might want their families to know they’re going to confession. LOTS of 15-year-old boys would have NO problem saying, “Mom, can you drive me to the Mall?” but might be too embarrassed to ask, “Mom, will you drive me to confession?”

Ditto for people whose families are not exactly on board with the whole “Catholic” thing!

The Franciscans (both OFM and OFM Cap) have always done a brisk Confession business at their two Churches down by Penn Station. A priest I know says guys would breeze down from Westchester, slide into the confessional 3 minutes before he had to vest for Mass and say: "Bless me, Father, I have committed adultery 159 times . . . " LOL.

Another great spot for Confession is your local airport. Airport chaplains say they here very good confessions there since people are 1) concerned that their plane might go down and 2) in a place where they know the Priest will never see them again!
 
Glad you guys liked the article, it seemed to fit nicely into the CAF. Never expected to see it in the WSJ.
 
hilde_the_dog said:
Glad you guys liked the article, it seemed to fit nicely into the CAF. Never expected to see it in the WSJ.
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I wonder how much it would cost to rent a few square feet of space near the main food court at the Garden State Plaza or Paramus Park?
 
Here in Albany, we’ve had “confession in the mall” for 35 years. St. Francis Chapel was in a local mall, and when that mall “died” they moved a few miles down the road to a strip mall. They have confessions for at least 5 hours a day, mon-sat.

On Saturday’s it’s not uncommon to wait in line 20 minutes or more, and I think I could count the number of times I have been there when there was no line on the fingers of one hand.

The chapel is run by Franciscans who live at Siena College here in Albany, where I went to college - I often have my Physics professor as a confessor!
 
the last two times I’ve tried to go to confession before Saturday mass I’ve been unable to get in due to the long line. it’s a good thing that more people are going to confession but kind of frustrating to me. i’m hesitant to ask Father to extend the time or to have both of them (pastor and associate) be there. the priests work so hard in our huge parish. in a parish of more than 2500 families, 45 minutes is not enough anymore. 👍
 
Genesis315 said:
My priest made an interesting comment the other day. He said in the past, lines for confession went around the block and in the phonebook there was maybe one or two psychologists–and nobody knew what they did. Now, in the phone book there is pages and pages of psychotherapists and psychologists, but the lines for confession are really short. I think that says something about our confused culture 🤷
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I love that! I remember back in the 60’s when I was a kid, there were always long lines for confession every week. Now you’re doing good if you find a Catholic Church that has confession for 45 minutes once a week. One Church I know of has confession once a month for 45 minutes.

I hope this article is true, and that there will be revival of confession. To me it’s like cleaning - I hate cleaning, but oh how I love the result. And there is nothing like the feeling of peace after confession. I heard one priest say going to confession is like changing our dirty diapers. A little gross, but I think it gets the point across. 😉

Mary
 
lukefan said:
the last two times I’ve tried to go to confession before Saturday mass I’ve been unable to get in due to the long line. it’s a good thing that more people are going to confession but kind of frustrating to me. i’m hesitant to ask Father to extend the time or to have both of them (pastor and associate) be there. the priests work so hard in our huge parish. in a parish of more than 2500 families, 45 minutes is not enough anymore. 👍
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Everytime I read a post such as yours, lukefan, I’m am made to realize how very blessed we are in the parish I attend. We have over 3000 registered parishoners and 2 priests, plus 1 “in-residence” (he is pastor of the Syro-Malobar rite in our community). We have confessions every day after the 3 daily Masses, on Saturday from 3:15 to 4:15 (longer if necessary) and on Sundays at 4:00 before the 5:00 pm Mass. Both priests are available the majority of the time, but when one is out, our “in-residence” priest will assist with confessions. We are also blessed to have a Basilian Fathers Prayer house a few blocks away, and often one of the priests from the House of Prayer will come down to help out with Masses or confessions.

This week began our Novena to St Theresa, and there will be confessions every night this week before 7:30 Mass. How truly God has blessed us.
 
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