Confessions on Saturday only?

[silentdeb]

No you’re not weird at all, IMO you’ve got exactly the right attitude. Also it’s a good idea if possible to find a priest whom you find suitable as your “spiritual director”, to whom you can confess regularly (not necessarily identifying yourself by name, you might use just your Christian name or a pseudonym or remind the priest “I’m the one who’s been discussing with you my struggles with overcoming the sin of (whatever it is)”.

Ah, thank you! I’m not going to hurt anyone’s feelings if I show a preference in priests? (or are they too busy to notice?)

Some Catholics get so uptight about their anonymity that they go to some lengths (sometimes literally) to go to a priest who they’re sure won’t know them.

I can imagine that if the priests were my brothers or something similar …

As they are perfectly entitled to do; any Catholic is perfectly free to choose any priest he wishes to hear his confession. And everyone has the right to give his confession anonymously (through a screen etc) rather than face-to-face if he wishes. And hey at least they are actually going to confession.

Very true! I guess it has to be a huge hurdle for some people.

But as I said I think you’ve got a better approach.

Thank you!

Re the priests offering only limited hours for confession “because so few people come” or “sometimes there’s quite a few and sometimes there’s no-one”: Maybe if the priests mentioned occasionally from the pulpit the great benefits of frequent confession and urged people to go, many more would turn up and they could have more sessions. The only time I ever hear them urging confession is re the Second Rite celebrations in Lent and Advent.

sadly Yes … well, I guess it’s true, isn’t it, that you only ‘have to’ go to confession once a year? Still, it seems to me you’re rather depriving yourself that way …

Sometimes I sense that, as with contraception, all the trenchant secular criticism has “spooked” priests away from talking about confession.

That’s a shame. Being Catholic should be something to be proud of … I could well be talking out place, because I have no experience with being ill-treated for my religion, so forgive me if I’m being stupidly simplistic… I just think it’s true.

I hope that the priests are not refraining from urging confession or expanding the times for it because they are “too busy”; next to saying Mass, hearing confessions is the most important part of a priest’s job.

Maybe it’s somewhere that they’re just not feeling very ‘needed’ anymore. Must be hard sometimes, being a priest.

 

[silentdeb]

One of the wonderful things with the TLM is the fact of confession prior to Mass.

REALLY? Another thing in its favour!

Isn’t it funny, almost my entire mental image of Catholicism - prior to a few years ago, when I started making a semi-serious study of it - was of a pre-Vatican II version… which is absolutely daft, when you think about it, because I’m only 40. I have no memories of a pre-VII world at all. Must be the type of books and films I favour, I guess. But I had no idea, until a few years ago, that there was anything BUT a Latin Mass. I can’t wait to go to one.

 

[silentdeb]

That is not anything to do with the “TLM” in particular. In many places especially rural churches in Australia and I’m sure other countries, the priest only visits for a couple of hours each Sunday (or maybe only once a month) on his “rounds” of his big parish, and people go to confession immediately before Mass.

How does that work the rest of the time, then? Is there no priest at the church? (sorry, another dumb question, I know)

 

[silentdeb]

My church (which happens to be the bishop’s Cathedral) offers the traditional one hour on Saturday afternoon. There are usually somewhere around 25-30 people, which sounds good at first sight, but when you consider that the parish includes over 1,000 families that changes the way it looks!

turning on the positive attitude Then they’re very good people with nothing to confess?

My youngest daughter attends a large church in another city–a very orthodox NO parish, with an excellent parish school which both of her sons have attended. I think the best indication of what sort of parish this is, though, can be recognized from their Confessions schedule:

Daily: 8:30 to 9 a.m.; 5:30 to 6 p.m.
Sat: 8:30 to 9 a.m.; 3 to 4:30, 6 to 7 p.m.

NICE. I think that gives everyone a chance!

And my daughter says there are long lines no matter which time you choose…

I like it!!

 

[Petergee]

Ah, thank you! I’m not going to hurt anyone’s feelings if I show a preference in priests? (or are they too busy to notice?)

I don’t think they’re too busy to notice, but I’m sure every priest understands that everyone has a different personality and style and some people naturally get on better with others. Even if you came to confession and saw it was Father X and said “I’m sorry I wanted to confess to Father Y, when will he be hearing confessions?” I’m sure Father X wouldn’t mind. In any case most of the time the priest would have no idea if you’d gone to another priest unless they happened to see you in his queue, and I’m sure priests can rarely even identify someone who confesses to them through a screen.

sadly Yes … well, I guess it’s true, isn’t it, that you only ‘have to’ go to confession once a year? Still, it seems to me you’re rather depriving yourself that way …

Very true. Same with Communion.

That’s a shame. Being Catholic should be something to be proud of … I could well be talking out place, because I have no experience with being ill-treated for my religion, so forgive me if I’m being stupidly simplistic… I just think it’s true.

God bless you, you’re right we should be proud, and I’m not saying those priests are not proud to be Catholic, just wondered if they were a bit intimidated. It’s true though that unfortunately there are a lot of “cradle Catholics” who don’t appreciate the priceless treasure they have received in the faith, and are embarrassed about being Catholic and try to “water it down”.

Maybe it’s somewhere that they’re just not feeling very ‘needed’ anymore. Must be hard sometimes, being a priest.

Yes. But as I said I think it’s a vicious circle. If the priests don’t regularly tell people the benefits of frequent confession (and the need to confess any grave sin before receiving communion), then they’re unlikely to get a lot of parishioners coming to confession.

 

[Petergee]

How does that work the rest of the time, then? Is there no priest at the church? (sorry, another dumb question, I know)

That’s right. The priest might be based in one town and have churches in half a dozen other small towns which he visits as often as he can. I’m sure the same thing happens in remote parts of Canada.

 

[Jennifer_G]

A lot of churches seem to have Saturday only confessions (some on Thursdays before First Fridays). The cathedral in my city has daily confessions and Mass (both around lunchtime), and some do have 5:30pm Masses. But, some churches will have confessions by appointment.

 

[KathleenElsie]

That’s right. The priest might be based in one town and have churches in half a dozen other small towns which he visits as often as he can. I’m sure the same thing happens in remote parts of Canada.

The priests in our area that do this have confession at each parish prior to the Mass. This enables everyone to have a time to go if desired.

 

[John_Romanoski]

In regard to confession…My pastor comes to the confessional every Saturday at 3:30 and if no one is there he leaves. I am the only one that goes to confession regularly out of 375 people that comes to church regularly. I go to confession because of a need to go to confession.

 

[silentdeb]

That’s right. The priest might be based in one town and have churches in half a dozen other small towns which he visits as often as he can. I’m sure the same thing happens in remote parts of Canada.

VERY likely true, yes … it’s been a long while indeed since I’ve lived in a remote part of Canada to find out, though. grin

Are you allowed into the church when the priest isn’t there?

 

[silentdeb]

I don’t think they’re too busy to notice, but I’m sure every priest understands that everyone has a different personality and style and some people naturally get on better with others. Even if you came to confession and saw it was Father X and said “I’m sorry I wanted to confess to Father Y, when will he be hearing confessions?” I’m sure Father X wouldn’t mind. In any case most of the time the priest would have no idea if you’d gone to another priest unless they happened to see you in his queue, and I’m sure priests can rarely even identify someone who confesses to them through a screen.

Ah, that helps - as long as I won’t hurt anyone’s feelings, that’s lovely!

God bless you, you’re right we should be proud, and I’m not saying those priests are not proud to be Catholic, just wondered if they were a bit intimidated.

I can understand that… how sad.

It’s true though that unfortunately there are a lot of “cradle Catholics” who don’t appreciate the priceless treasure they have received in the faith, and are embarrassed about being Catholic and try to “water it down”.

nodding I know more of that variety than the ‘proud to be Catholic’ sort… I guess when you’re born WITH something, it often doesn’t occur to you to really find out what it’s all about, sadly.

Yes. But as I said I think it’s a vicious circle. If the priests don’t regularly tell people the benefits of frequent confession (and the need to confess any grave sin before receiving communion), then they’re unlikely to get a lot of parishioners coming to confession.

Good point - not nice for anyone!

 

[silentdeb]

In regard to confession…My pastor comes to the confessional every Saturday at 3:30 and if no one is there he leaves. I am the only one that goes to confession regularly out of 375 people that comes to church regularly. I go to confession because of a need to go to confession.

Yeah, I think I’d feel that need too… I am very much looking forward to my first confession.

375 people, and only 1 regular confessor? shaking head That’s sad, really - confession is a sacrament, not a punishment.

 

[otjm]

Hello everyone,

I’m looking at the web page ( stbernadetteparish.ca/parish/home.html ) for the church I’m hoping to attend (when I work up the nerve!), and I’m a bit baffled by the mention that confessions are held from 10:00am to 10:45am Saturdays.

Saturdays ONLY, it appears.That is the way it was in my parish, long before Vatican 2, while Pius 12th was still Pope. We had a longer time for them, but Saturday afternoon it was.

 

[lak611]

VERY likely true, yes … it’s been a long while indeed since I’ve lived in a remote part of Canada to find out, though. grin

Are you allowed into the church when the priest isn’t there?

My parish is open all day until midnight, whether a priest is there or not. It is a great blessing to be able to go to the church and pray before Jesus in the tabernacle. I have gone to my church to pray during the day when things have been troubling me. I love being able to be in His presence no matter what is going on in the world.

 

[silentdeb]

My parish is open all day until midnight, whether a priest is there or not. It is a great blessing to be able to go to the church and pray before Jesus in the tabernacle. I have gone to my church to pray during the day when things have been troubling me. I love being able to be in His presence no matter what is going on in the world.

How beautiful! I would enjoy that very much - I know God is with us wherever we are, but there’s something special about going to visit alone with *Him,/I], so to speak, rather than waiting for Him to come to ‘your place’, if you know what I mean.

(I grew up with the feeling, somehow, that going to church was like picking a flower for your mum from her garden - you were giving her something she didn’t need and was already hers, but it was your way of saying ‘Hi, I was thinking of you and I love you!’)*

 

[lak611]

How beautiful! I would enjoy that very much - I know God is with us wherever we are, but there’s something special about going to visit alone with *Him,/I], so to speak, rather than waiting for Him to come to ‘your place’, if you know what I mean.

(I grew up with the feeling, somehow, that going to church was like picking a flower for your mum from her garden - you were giving her something she didn’t need and was already hers*, but it was your way of saying ‘Hi, I was thinking of you and I love you!’)
I agree with you!

 

[Petergee]

Are you allowed into the church when the priest isn’t there?

Yes you are encouraged to visit Jesus and adore him, in the Blessed Sacrament. Unfortunately though the days are gone when even hardened criminals had respect for a church, and many churches have to be locked up to prevent theft and vandalism, if there’s nobody able to keep an eye on them all day.

 

[Sina]

My parish also has confession just on saturdays from 4- 4:45. My old parish had it on wednesdays as well from 6 - 6:30. I liked that time.

As most of my friends aren’t Catholic ( and those who are, don’t practice ) I find it awkward to explain to them that I can’t go for an all day hike, or I can’t be out shopping or whatever it is that we do on saturday’s around 4:00 because I have to duck out and head to church for confession. I just find it so personal that one goes to confession that I don’t really want to explain too much to them. My non Catholic spouse asks me if he can ask about confession and how it went and I say " no it is personal and private".

 

[14er]

We in Colorado Springs have a Catholic center at one of our shopping malls where confession is available daily 10:00am - 9:00 pm. AWESOME! It is staffed by the Capuchin Fransiscan priests here. Maybe you can contact them to find out how they got started and how something like this can be done where you live. Website is:

www.catholicchapelmall.org

 

[silentdeb]

I agree with you!

beaming Thank you! :hug1:

My, isn’t this a nice place that I could actually say such a thing and not have anyone think I’m silly? (or,at least, be too kind to SAY so )