Discussion on having Sunday confessions

[Brendan]

The problem is that a confession can randomly take longer than 15 minutes which leaves the priest no time to vest and prepare himself to celebrate the liturgy…

Our priest seems to manage it quite well actually.

It helps that we also have a 91 year old retired priest in residence to often hears these confessions. For the non Sunday masses, he will usually stay and hear the confessions of anyone remaining in line ( and then will come out to help distribute the Eucharist )

 

[salvereginadude]

I know the Basilica of the Assumption here in downtown Baltimore has Sunday Confession. I think it’s great. Sometimes I’m just very busy on Saturdays and I’m not able to make it to my parish, I’d hate not to be able to receive the Eucharist on Sunday because of that. So I could just go down to the Basilica, say my Confession there, and receive the Eucharist. It’s very convenient, Confession doesn’t have to only be on Saturdays .

 

[chicago]

Here’s an interesting thought. In cases where mass is about to start, could the priest give a general absolution before mass if he makes certain that they confess afterwards?

No. It has to be a genuine serious situation. Even in the case of, say, a big event (like some pilgrimage for a feast day) where there is an impossibility of hearing everyone’s confession before Mass, general absolution is not allowed.

To get back to your original question, I would say that, similarly, one must refrain from receiving communion before confession (if there are mortal sins involved) unless this is the only Mass which a person could attend for an extended period of time (such as in mission territory). Otherwise, you are to abstain until having first received reconciliation.

As to the issue of Sunday confessions, my observation has been that this is the most effective opportunity to bring people to the sacrament. More and more parishes seem to be offering it before or in between Sunday Masses to positive effect.

 

[PaulaB52]

I find the parishes that offer Confession often are the parishes that have the longest lines. The parishes who only offer 30 minutes on Saturday afternoon have no one in line.

 

[Greg27]

If you work in the city here there are churches which have confessions during the morning and afternoon, and elsewhere it is usually on Saturday.

 

[Brendan]

If you work in the city here there are churches which have confessions during the morning and afternoon, and elsewhere it is usually on Saturday.

I know that St. Peter’s ‘in the Loop’ in downtown Chigago offers confessions throught the business day

 

[chicago]

I know that St. Peter’s ‘in the Loop’ in downtown Chigago offers confessions throught the business day

Monday through Saturday, basically all day yes. Their hours today are actually cut back a bit from what they once were in past decades. (As is their Mass schedule. Once they had Masses every half hour much of the day).

Oh, BTW, they’ve gone back to calling it “St. Peter the Apostle” now.