First confessions in normal confession time

[AlanF]

I’ve heard it said that priests don’t like to hear first confessions during the normal confession time because they are generally rather long. I am planning to make my first confession this Saturday and I have a lot of sins to confess, confession time last a half hour at this church. Should I go to confession this Saturday or should I wait and speak to my priest and do it another time separately?

If this is true though it probably contradicts a persons right to an annonimous confession which I’ve also heard about on this forum.

Is it true?

 

[nicolep]

If you are going to use more than a few minutes, you should schedule an appointment.

To keep it anonymous, let the office know when you’re scheduling that is what you want. The priest should be able to meet you in the confessional at the scheduled time.

 

[jmcrae]

Another option would be to go when other people are also making their First Confessions.

Find out when the kids are doing it this Advent at your parish or at other parishes, and join the line there. (Most people will assume you are one of the parents. The organizers will see you as setting an awesome example for the kids. No one will forbid this, and the time frame is more open-ended - they just keep hearing Confessions until everyone is done.)

What did your RCIA leaders suggest for you to do? I am assuming that you have already completed your instruction classes for First Confession.

 

[mercygate]

I’ve heard it said that priests don’t like to hear first confessions during the normal confession time because they are generally rather long. I am planning to make my first confession this Saturday and I have a lot of sins to confess, confession time last a half hour at this church. Should I go to confession this Saturday or should I wait and speak to my priest and do it another time separately?

If this is true though it probably contradicts a persons right to an annonimous confession which I’ve also heard about on this forum.

Is it true?

I did mine on a 7-day retreat at a hermitage. Although it was not anonymous, not only was I used to that because when I was an Episcopalian, it was always face-to-face, but I thought it would be wise to do it a fair distance from home. Turns out, I have been back there 8 times . . .

Make an appointment somewhere where you will feel comfortable.

 

[AlanF]

Another option would be to go when other people are also making their First Confessions.

Find out when the kids are doing it this Advent at your parish or at other parishes, and join the line there. (Most people will assume you are one of the parents. The organizers will see you as setting an awesome example for the kids. No one will forbid this, and the time frame is more open-ended - they just keep hearing Confessions until everyone is done.)

What did your RCIA leaders suggest for you to do? I am assuming that you have already completed your instruction classes for First Confession.

I’m 17 so I don’t think they’d think I was a parent. I’m not at RCIA either, but I am going to classes for confirmation and they said they’d help me recieve my first Holy Communion. Though I have been planning to go to confession since before I started that, I was just going to go so I can be in a state of grace.

I have examined my conscience and written my sins down so I don’t forget them and they take up a side of A4 paper, I’m not really sure how long that would take.

 

[jmcrae]

I’m 17 so I don’t think they’d think I was a parent. I’m not at RCIA either, but I am going to classes for confirmation and they said they’d help me recieve my first Holy Communion. Though I have been planning to go to confession since before I started that, I was just going to go so I can be in a state of grace.

Okay. Is anyone giving you instructions for First Confession, or a work book for you to do at home, or anything?

I have examined my conscience and written my sins down so I don’t forget them and they take up a side of A4 paper, I’m not really sure how long that would take.

I don’t either, although I’m thinking probably about 15 minutes. Keep in mind, too, that if you did something more than once, you just confess it once and say, “I [did this], [this many] times over the past [how long],” or else, “I was in the habit of [this bad habit] from when I was [this age] until [that age].”

Rather than mentioning every single time separately.

 

[AlanF]

Okay. Is anyone giving you instructions for First Confession, or a work book for you to do at home, or anything?

No, not yet but I think they’re planning to. They have to do that with me separately because I reverted and everyone else has done that.

I have read up abut the sacrament though on the internet, I know the order of it and how to examine my conscience, the Act of Contrition etc.

I think I would be ready to give a confession now, it’s just a matter of actually doing it.

I don’t either, although I’m thinking probably about 15 minutes. Keep in mind, too, that if you did something more than once, you just confess it once and say, “I [did this], [this many] times over the past [how long],” or else, “I was in the habit of [this bad habit] from when I was [this age] until [that age].”

Rather than mentioning every single time separately.

Yes, I knew that.

 

[jmcrae]

No, not yet but I think they’re planning to. They have to do that with me separately because I reverted and everyone else has done that.

Good - maybe ask them if you can get going on that now, since you’re thinking of making your First Confession as soon as you reasonably can. And ask when the other First Confession kids are doing theirs - just because they’re younger than you, or that you’re doing the study differently from them, doesn’t mean you can’t join the group on the day itself.

I have read up abut the sacrament though on the internet, I know the order of it and how to examine my conscience, the Act of Contrition etc.

Even so, you might find the course helpful, as well.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I’ve heard it said that priests don’t like to hear first confessions during the normal confession time because they are generally rather long. I am planning to make my first confession this Saturday and I have a lot of sins to confess, confession time last a half hour at this church. Should I go to confession this Saturday or should I wait and speak to my priest and do it another time separately?

If this is true though it probably contradicts a persons right to an annonimous confession which I’ve also heard about on this forum.

Is it true?

It may be possible to arrange a time, without saying who you are? With the priest waiting in the Reconciliation room behind the screen.

 

[AlanF]

Good - maybe ask them if you can get going on that now, since you’re thinking of making your First Confession as soon as you reasonably can. And ask when the other First Confession kids are doing theirs - just because they’re younger than you, or that you’re doing the study differently from them, doesn’t mean you can’t join the group on the day itself.

I might do that. They’re doing their first Penance on 8th of December, not too long but quite a while away.

It may be possible to arrange a time, without saying who you are? With the priest waiting in the Reconciliation room behind the screen.

hmm
I don’t think so, he’d come out of the confessional and see one person in the nave saying his Hail Marys and things!

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I might do that. They’re doing their first Penance on 8th of December, not too long but quite a while away.

hmm
I don’t think so, he’d come out of the confessional and see one person in the nave saying his Hail Marys and things!

I would recomend doing your penance asap, but you do not need to hang around and can do it somewhere else.

 

[muffinmojo]

I have been to parishes that have confessions for like, 30-45 minutes but only have 4-5 people come the entire time. If you go and there are only a few people (or no one) waiting in the pews, it would be okay to confess and take a while.

 

[AlanF]

I have been to parishes that have confessions for like, 30-45 minutes but only have 4-5 people come the entire time. If you go and there are only a few people (or no one) waiting in the pews, it would be okay to confess and take a while.

I went last week and they had confessions for a half hour and there were people confessing continuuously throughout that time, I didn’t even have a chance to go in. 30 Minutes doesn’t seem long enough to me.

That’s one of my nearest churches, the other one - the one where I’m doing my confirmation classes - doesn’t even have confession time, I went there a couple of times and the priest wasn’t even in the confession room thing at all.

 

[AlanF]

I suppose I could go up to Westminster Cathedral, they have priests in the confessionals for hours on end there.

Or is that too crazy?

 

[LindaS]

You can go anywhere that you feel comfortable. In our parish, RCIA candidates make their first confession on Holy Sat. morning, then Eucharist and Confirmation at the Easter Vigil Mass. If you don’t want to wait that long, talk to your priest. Since you are a revert, have you ever done Confession before? How old were you when you left the Church? If you haven’t made Sacraments other than Baptism, you need to be in the RCIA program. Go and find out.

Peace,
Linda

 

[muffinmojo]

I suppose I could go up to Westminster Cathedral, they have priests in the confessionals for hours on end there.

Or is that too crazy?

Heck, why not?

That sounds really good. There’ll be tons of people around so it won’t be quiet and awkward, you can have as much time as you want, they probably have reeeally experienced priests there who know how to help you out with your first confession.

 

[AlanF]

You can go anywhere that you feel comfortable. In our parish, RCIA candidates make their first confession on Holy Sat. morning, then Eucharist and Confirmation at the Easter Vigil Mass. If you don’t want to wait that long, talk to your priest. Since you are a revert, have you ever done Confession before? How old were you when you left the Church? If you haven’t made Sacraments other than Baptism, you need to be in the RCIA program. Go and find out.

Peace,
Linda

I turned away as a child, about 7, and didn’t really have much of a christian upbringing, so it’s more like a conversion except I’ve been baptised. I’ve not recieved any other sacraments ever.

My first post in Meet and Greet #22 post #6 has a bit more info. (although I’m 17 now)

I’m not in RCIA but I’m in the confirmation classes and I’ve spoken to my priest and the deacon; they said their discussing what they can do about it.

Heck, why not?

That sounds really good. There’ll be tons of people around so it won’t be quiet and awkward, you can have as much time as you want, they probably have reeeally experienced priests there who know how to help you out with your first confession.

Westminster Cathedral’s an hour away on the train, so I’d need to have half a free day. But overwise your right!