Decreasing Reconciliation Offerings at Parishes?

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I’ve noticed especially within the last 5 years or so, that most of my local parishes are not offering confession anymore, or if they do, it’s not nearly as often as it used to be. I think it’s mostly due to the lack of priests. In the last 5 years or so, 4-5 priests in my diocese either retired, removed from service, or past away - leaving a huge void. This has caused the remaining priests to take on double duty at other parishes. It used to be easy and convenient to go to confession, but now if you can’t make it to the one parish that does offer it at a certain time, it seems the only way is to set up an appointment with a priest. Before, every parish offered confession at least once a week, so there were many options to choose from. Not anymore. I’ve even hung around after mass a few times and asked the priest if he has a few minutes for a quick confession. Any one else experiencing the same?
 
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No, our parish added. We now have 3 priests for 2 hours on Saturday and 1 priest for 1 hour on Tuesday night.

During Lent, we have I night a week, with 3 priests.
 
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We are lucky and we don’t know how long it will last.

More than that…they’re solid confessors.

I recommend asking the priest for more…and also encourging your friends to go, and to really put their shoulder into the Confession so that the priests there once again see that the lay want to struggle toward holiness.
 
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We have one priest who looks after two churches and a chaplaincy single handed. When he’s not available we have another priest usually an older chap stand in. Always confession is available before mass but only for half an hour.

That’s Saturday or Sunday. During the week it’s possible to make an appointment. Oddly enough a friend was telling me how one priest years ago actually heard his confession whilst walking!
 
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There are fewer walk in confessions in my part of the world due to a shortage of priests. Confession is offered before all week day masses in our parish, otherwise it is a Friday evening at another parish or Saturday morning at the Cathedral. All our priests do offer confession by appointment, but I find that a difficult concept - I sort of think I should have a shopping list of every mortal sin to make it worthwhile - ridiculous I know.
 
I’ve gone on walks with priests and confessed.

I see a priest of Opus Dei and he hears hundreds of Confessions a week. They’re told NEVER fail to make time when someone asks for a Confession. The most approachable, cheerful, practical-minded, simple priests I’ve ever confessed to. “Never is our criterion”.
 
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In my territorial parish, yes. We recently changed pastors, gained a fifth priest, and lost over half the scheduled confession times in the process. :woman_shrugging:t2:

On the other hand, the ICRSS has added both more scheduled confession times and more locations where one can confess (the local apostolate has five churches in two countries in its care, and ministers to the faithful in four languages). No changes of priest—they had three canons before, they have the same three now. Then again, their ministerial challenges are not the same as those encountered by the diocesan priests. Everyone is very busy, just not in the same way.
 
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We have one hour on Saturday afternoon. There isn’t enough time before the two Sunday Masses because they have the Rosary and Adoration just before, often ending just minutes before the entrance procession.

I recently went to confession only to find the church locked. Unbeknownst to me, Fr. had had to go to the next community to celebrate a funeral Mass. I mentioned to him that I was travelling for medical tests and would like to confess beforehand so we met during a wake that was occurring two nights later and I was able to avail of the sacrament then. Priests are very accommodating if they know you’re looking for this sacrament.
 
Yea I have confessed by appointment a few times (before traveling/surgery) but It’s very awkward in doing so. It pretty much forces you to go face to face obviously. It also makes me feel like I’m bothering and inconveniencing them. I know they are busy with funerals, other masses, etc. I’d almost wish all the parishes would join together and have a long confession session once a week with all the priests for a few hours at one parish and just rotate it around to each parish every week.
 
The most frequent cause of cutting confession times is because no one comes to confession at those times.
 
Our parish offers Reconciliation for a half hour before every Mass ( even the 6:00am weekday Mass) plus an additional 3 hours on Saturday afternoon.

And there are usually lines

The parish near where I work also offers Reconcillation for a half hour before their Noon weekday Masses. That is where I usually go, as the lines are shorter there ( but still present)
 
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I’ve been to confession in a confessional which looked fairly unused. The priest told me that he normally hears confessions outside…
 
I’d never heard of it myself, I’m sure as long as it’s private then I’d be okay with it.
 
We have Confession once during Lent and once during Advent.

Other than that, if you want Confession, you need to specifically ask the priest for a timeslot.
 
Most parishes here, including my own have it right before Saturday Vigil Mass, usually 3:30 to 4, then the same priest says a 4 PM Mass.

This is awkward, as you already know your confession has to be short. I feel self conscious if there is a line, and I only get in at 8 minutes to 4.

I wish they would have confessions after Mass.
 
I guess it would depend on the setting. It could be either more private or a lot less private than a confessional!
 
Most parishes in my diocese have confessions for one hour on Saturday, and some are by appointment only. My parish has confessions on Saturday and for half an hour before the TLM on Sunday. However, we also have a Franciscan chapel that offers confession about 5 hours per day six days a week. That’s where I usually go.
 
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