Confessions (and other things) longer nowadays?

[HomeschoolDad]

Has anyone else noticed that many people seem to take longer in confession than they used to — of those who actually go to confession, that is?

Sometimes I wonder what is going on in there that is taking so long. I try not to clock-watch, but sometimes it goes on 7, 8, 9, 10 minutes and longer. Many times I have seen people not get to go to confession because earlier penitents took so long, and the priest had to end confessions (to begin Mass on time, etc.). On occasion, I have been one of those people who didn’t get to go. If everyone took 10 minutes and confessions were heard for an hour, that means only six people could make their confessions.

If there is some serious pastoral problem that is being discussed, couldn’t the priest simply ask the penitent to confess their sins, manifest sorrow and repentance, assign a penance, perform the absolution, and ask the penitent if they would like to set up an appointment later to discuss things further?

It seems like other things in the Church — sermons among them — are gradually getting longer and longer. Many is the time that I have been listening to a sermon, thought the priest was done, then he talked for another 5-10 minutes. When you hear “please be seated” after communion and thanksgiving, sometimes that means that another talk or presentation is going to be made, and that’s another 10 minutes or more. Sometimes people have places they have to be, or things they have to do (I suppose in that case they could simply leave, with just cause). And in parishes with multiple Masses, the next Mass has to begin, the parking lot has to clear out, and so on.

Is this some kind of cultural shift taking place in the Church that I’m not aware of?

I realize that we as Catholics have it relatively easy as churches go. Some evangelical churches and others last 2-3 hours, with people expected to come back for services later in the evening and during the week. We Catholics don’t know what a “long” sermon is.

(Side note: I once sat through an SSPX sermon that lasted 45 minutes, and this was for a normal Sunday Mass. This particular priest was known for that sort of thing. Excellent confessor, though.)

 

[GiftofMercy]

We must pray and be thankful for God’s mercy on sinners.

I realize that we as Catholics have it relatively easy as churches go.

I pray the view of the Mass is not down to ‘easy’ or not as compared to other religions.

Christ did not die an easy death, nor was His arrest and trial easy.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

I realize that we as Catholics have it relatively easy as churches go.

I was only referring to the length of sermons. I have heard that in some churches, particularly evangelical and AA congregations, the sermons just go on… and on… and on…

 

[phil19034]

Sometimes I wonder what is going on in there that is taking so long. I try not to clock-watch, but sometimes it goes on 7, 8, 9, 10 minutes and longer. Many times I have seen people not get to go to confession because earlier penitents took so long, and the priest had to end confessions (to begin Mass on time, etc.). On occasion, I have been one of those people who didn’t get to go. If everyone took 10 minutes and confessions were heard for an hour, that means only six people could make their confessions.

I’ve noticed this sometimes. It my experience, it happens with priests who don’t instruct/coach
people how to give a proper confession.

So some people go in and talk almost like it’s spiritual direction time, giving lots of back story, etc instead of simply listing their sins by kind & number.

I THINK sometimes these priests think it’s a not a big deal because they see only the number of people who come into the confessional. But what the priest doesn’t see is the number of people who get out of line and leave when “Susan from the Parish Council” is giving a 10 minute confession.

NOTE: now, that doesn’t mean that sometimes you are not going to have legitimate long confessions.
For example: someone who starts crying in the confessional, is totally distraught and needs the time. That happens from time to time. However, in general our priests need to instruct people how to keep their confessions direct and to the point.

And we laity need to let Father know if we see people leaving the confession line due to “Susan’s” long confessions.

God bless

 

[GiftofMercy]

I was only referring to the length of sermons. I have heard that in some churches, particularly evangelical and AA congregations, the sermons just go on… and on… and on…

Does it really matter what non Catholic churches do as far as worship of God? I dont think that is a good comparison. Our benchmark should be set really high and not allowed to slip.

As an aside, my Diocese Priests are restricted to 7 minutes.

 

[Wesrock]

Half the time I try to go to Confession I wait 45 minutes and don’t get to go. I think I’m in the confessional only 1 to 3 minutes when it’s my turn. I have noticed many other people take three to four times that.

Just observing. I don’t know what’s going on inside.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

I was only referring to the length of sermons. I have heard that in some churches, particularly evangelical and AA congregations, the sermons just go on… and on… and on…

It really doesn’t matter. Keep in mind that in many of these churches, they really don’t have a “liturgy” per se, it is only hymns, Scripture reading, the sermon, and “testimonies”. The quality of the sermon is of paramount importance, and the talent of the choir is of prime importance as well. You can have a “meh” sermon and a “meh” choir at a Catholic Mass, and no one really cares.

7 minutes is a good sermon length.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

Half the time I try to go to Confession I wait 45 minutes and don’t get to go. I think I’m in the confessional only 1 to 3 minutes when it’s my turn. I have noticed many other people take three to four times that.

Just observing. I don’t know what’s going on inside.

I try to get there no later than when confessions are supposed to start, and there’s already a long line. It gets longer as time goes by. One time I had someplace else I needed to be, someone in there was taking forever (had to be at least 15 minutes) and I just left. Thankfully it was only a confession of devotion, and I was able to go a short time later.

They’ll tell you nowadays just to make an appointment, but I prefer anonymous confession behind the screen. I will go F2F if there is some good reason to, but I prefer the screen. Due to my family situation (elder caregiver, homeschooler, and full-time stay-at-home single parent, all under the same roof), it is not as easy for me to get into town just “anytime”.

They need to have more priests hearing confessions, more frequently, and for longer than just an hour. I know they’re overworked as it is, but this is one of the most important things a priest does.

 

[babochka]

You should check some of Saint John Chysostoms homilies. He wasn’t named golden-mouth for nothing.

My own Pastor usually preaches for about 20 minutes and I know a number of other priests who will preach even longer than that. If this was a problem for me, I could always seek out another Parish.

As far as confessions go, I have confessed to the same priest almost exclusively for over 10 years and he always takes a long time with everyone. I think my shortest confession has been about 10 minutes and my longest about 45 minutes. I once went to confession to my former bishop and it’s lasted well over 30 minutes. Maybe it’s a Byzantine thing? As a backup, if my regular Confessor is not available, I sometimes go to the FSSP parish and confessions there definitely are not and in and out experience. Those priests are very well trained in moral theology and take the time to help form the consciences of penitents, something that I appreciate very much. And yes, I have been the person who doesn’t make it to confession because the previous person has taken so long. Remember, it isn’t always the penitent who takes a long time. I’m usually pretty brief with my confessions and the priests are the ones who have more to say. Again, I appreciate it.

I think there is a bit of a cultural shift going on and I think it’s a good thing. We can tend to be so utilitarian in our thinking and want to reduce things to the bare minimum of validity and licety, but there is great value in going above and beyond what is absolutely necessary.

 

[babochka]

I’ve noticed this sometimes. It my experience, it happens with priests who don’t instruct/coach
people how to give a proper confession

This has not been my experience at all. My confessions are rather succinct and it is almost always the priest who makes them long. If you are finding that there are certain priests who always have slow-moving lines, chances are it is the priests and not the penitents who are taking their time.

My priest takes a long time with confessions always and we always have a line. I have mentioned it to him before that I have a hard time getting in at our scheduled confession time, which is quite limited by necessity. He is always happy to hear my confession at another time and it usually takes at least 10 minutes.

 

[GiftofMercy]

Yes we have Liturgy of the word and Liturgy of the Eucharist. And did you know some of our singing is actually enacting the Rite, rather then just supporting it.
Sermon or homily quality seems dependent on the ability of the individual to speak. The choir’s job is to lead the singing. That is where their prime talent should focus, leading the singing and teaching the Assembly what is new.

People tend to forget the Choir is made up of everyone at the Mass including the Priest and the Assembly. Everyone should be singing. Regardless of ability, I said on another thread that a recent ordination of a Bishop, the guy can speak well, but cannot hold pitch. He gets to do a lot of singing in the Mass now

 

[ZemD]

I’ve had two long confessions in my life. One was about 20 minutes and the other was over 30.

They were both when I was becoming serious about my faith in my early 20’s. I made detailed examinations of conscience, but had confessed everything within 5 minutes. The rest was guidance from the preist. I am still very thankful for that guidance. On the first occasion the preist taught me the churches teaching on birth control, and being in a state of grace to recieve communion - both things I had never learned up to that point. The other confession the preist actually started mass late because what he felt he had to tell me was so important.

I have also been in the position where a long confession of someone else has caused me to be unable to go at that particular time, but because of my experience I hope that whoever is using that time is learning what they need to do to be better Catholics.

I don’t dispute that the confessional is not supposed to be the time for remedial catecheis, but for me what I learned in confession inspired me to learn more on my own to fill in the rest of the gaps in my knowledge myself.

 

[Brian_K]

I run into this issue more frequently than I’d like. I’ve started checking my watch to make sure I stay in line till shortly before mass starts, and if I can see there’s no way I’ll make it in time I go to my pew. Then I know intention to confess was there. I also have a list in my pocket with a summary of my examination of conscience. During the penitential rite I take it out and read it directly. That give me something to do directly as a “backup” plan for a long confession line.

 

[phil19034]

chances are it is the priest and not the penitence who are taking their time.

yes, this can happen too

 

[HomeschoolDad]

That is one way to look at it. To paraphrase what the Anglicans say, “all may, many should, some must”. (What they say is “all may, some should, none must”, which is hard to reconcile with Roman Catholic theology.)

I don’t dispute that the confessional is not supposed to be the time for remedial catecheis, but for me what I learned in confession inspired me to learn more on my own to fill in the rest of the gaps in my knowledge myself.

That is another idea I had in the back of my mind. With the sheer ignorance of Catholic teaching that many have today, if a penitent is moved to go to confession for the first time in a long time (maybe even the first time since their first communion), they may have a lot to learn and a lot to unlearn. And many (including me) do not want to make appointments.

 

[catholiclala]

I get the annoyance at having to wait but I do think if people need more time, they just need more time. Confession is often the only opportunity most people have to speak directly to a priest and the opportunity for priests to give pastoral care. Perhaps lay and priests alike can be directed to be more brief but honestly I’m just happy to hear about lines to confession and priests willing to take the valuable time to shepard.

 

[DeniseNY]

I figure if someone is taking long with confession it’s because they need it. I’ve had confessions myself where i was crying and very upset. I’d like to think anyone waiting had some understanding and realized it wasn’t because I was being selfish or because I’m on parish council.

 

[babochka]

As an aside, my Diocese Priests are restricted to 7 minutes.

I think I would feel deprived with such a short homily. I suppose it
depends on the skill of the homilist. With some priests, it might be a blessing. Do you know the reason for such an arbitrary limit?

 

[mrsdizzyd]

I don’t have a problem with waiting. I figure that whoever is in there really needs the graces they are receiving from that sacrament at that moment. I allow about an hour and a half for confession. Our lines are long and our priests take their time. They also do not stop until every person has had an opportunity to confess.

 

[HomeschoolDad]

As an aside, my Diocese Priests are restricted to 7 minutes.

If I had to guess, it is to keep Mass within one hour. Keep in mind that almost everyone goes to communion, and as I said previously, the church needs to be cleared out, including the parking lot, for Masses later in the day, if there are any. The “please be seated” time after communion also needs to be included in this hour. (I guess you can tell I am not too fond of “PBS time”.)