How often do you go to confession?

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Epistemes

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How often do you try to go to confession? Or, if you’re struggling with a big sin, how often do you find yourself going to confession?
 
I think weeky confession is important. The graces received through the Sacrament of Penance help us to resist temptation and defeat sin.
 
I voted, and sincerly attempt to get there once a month. I have the most problems in the spring and summer months however, as between work, and weekend activities with the kids, I am generally not around when my parish normal Saturday afternoon times are. i.e., it’s been about 8 weeks now for me, and I NEED to get there this Saturday!

It’s kind of frustrating actually that the “normal” time for confession in my area, across multiple parishes, is like 4pm on a Saturday afternoon. Yes, I realize I can call and make an appt., but I don’t understand why confession is not offered either more than once a week, or, say first thing in the morning on a Saturday etc.
 
It is usually every week. Sometimes two or three if I am good.
 
I try to get to confession every couple of weeks, or when I am really urged by the Holy Spirit to do so.
 
I answered once a month but may go every six weeks.
maryann
 
I go, on average, about once a month, unless it’s a mortal sin that makes me cringe with guilt, and then I go right away. However, I’ve been blessed with having a parish only 3 city blocks from where I started working recently, and the priest actually talks to you about your sin in the confessional (I’ve never had that before) so I try to go once every two weeks or so.
 
Confession seems to be one of the most neglected sacraments of the Catholic Church. The number of people who receive Communion every week greatly outnumbers those who go to confession regularly. Some Catholics don’t realise the importance of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

A conversation I recently had with my sister’s husband shows how some Catholics veiw confession:

My brother in law is a cradle Catholic and attended Catholic schools throughout his academic life. He was an altar boy and his mother has several ministries within the Church. She teaches Catechism classes and is an EMHC. My brother in law hasn’t attended Mass in years and regularly says that he isn’t interested in religion.

During a recent visit to his home, the conversation gradually turned to religion and we began discussing our Catholic faith. I shared my faith with him, and he shared his experiences growing up as Catholic. He told me that he’d only attended Confession once or twice in his life, and that he’d never seen a Confessional booth! I was extremely shocked by this, given the fact that he went to Mass every week as a child and admitted that he’d received the Eucharist hundreds of times. His mother teaches Catechism to children, and he’s attended Confession twice in his life! This perfectly illustrates the fact that the Sacrament of Penance is greatly neglected by a high percentage of Catholics today.
 
Once a month, wheter I need it or not 😉

of course I need it - I also go when my conscience / the Holy Spirit tells me to.

Dan
 
We go once a month–the whole family. I always tell my children that I will take them any time they feel they want to go. We have 4 regularly scheduled times at our parish so it’s pretty easy to get there. During Lent there are many additional times and some additional times during Advent also.

We love our parish! 😃
 
Every 3-4 weeks. I’d go every week, if it were possible. The Sacrament of Penance is one that should be received often. Especially since most (if not all) of us… DO struggle with at least one or two “habitual” sins. The only way to make progress… is through the grace of Our Lord, Jesus Christ. This we obtain through the Sacraments of Penance and the Eucharist.
 
Every two or three weeks works for me. When I go weekly, it gets to be too routine, and I don’t want that to happen. A month is a little too long.

Betsy
 
I go every time I can beat the little old ladies in our parish to the confessional. 🙂 There are several that go in and then stay until the priest has to leave. 😛
 
Tosk said:
I go every time I can beat the little old ladies in our parish to the confessional. 🙂 There are several that go in and then stay until the priest has to leave. 😛
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“Tosk” I had to smile, when I read this. I heard Fr. Corapi talking once, about the “little old ladies” who attend Mass daily, attend the Sacraments frequently… etc. He smiled and said something like… “Now THERE is power”. 😃 (I’m assuming he meant, because they pray and make sacrifices for the rest of us… :rolleyes: ). God bless.
 
I just went today - last time was 6-7 weeks ago. Time before that was 20 years ago. Now plan to go during the first week of every month. I went to the Cathedral as confessions are heard 3 times a day 6 days per week. Afterwards attended noon mass and spent an hour for Adoration, lit some candles before I left. I felt so at peace afterwards - definately need to make time for this monthly.
 
While there is never an excuse for receiving the Eucharist while in a state of mortal sin, it should also be pointed out that Confession can be hard to get to, depending on the parish you live in.

In my parish, up until recently when he retired, the priest who generally heard Confession often actively discouraged people from going frequently. He told me, more than once, that you only need to go to Confession for murder or adultery. More than once, he would say as I came into the Confessional, “Well, have you murdered anyone yet?”. I spoke several times with the other priest in the parish, but nothing was done. I started either going to another church for Confession or catching the other priest after or before Mass, which I was uncomfortable with.

Confession in our parish is from 4:15-4:45 on Saturday . Several times, Confession has been “cancelled” due to a wedding. Often, the priest leaves the confessional at 4:35 saying he has to get ready for 5:00 mass and those who are waiting don’t get their confessions heard. Our parish doesn’t “encourage” calling to set up appointments for confession during the week. My son is three years old (and not appropriate to be in the confessional with me) and my husband works from 4-10 most weekends. The general feeling in several of the parishes I’m familiar with in this area is that frequent confession is “scrupulous”. It can really be tough to get there, although it is, of course, worth the effort.

We have a new priest in the parish who seeems much more respectful of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Hopefully, confession will at least become more regular and everyone who is there in a timely manner will be heard. And maybe he’ll be more receptive to making appointments for Confession. I’m praying so! :crossrc:
 
soblessed said:
In my parish, up until recently when he retired, the priest who generally heard Confession often actively discouraged people from going frequently. He told me, more than once, that you only need to go to Confession for murder or adultery. More than once, he would say as I came into the Confessional, “Well, have you murdered anyone yet?”.
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I am really sorry to read that. While Church’s teaching only requires mortal sins to be confessed, Church also encourages us to receive this Sacrament for venial sins and imperfections. That’s how we work toward holiness. When we follow Jesus, we don’t just do the minimum, just to get by. We want to do all we can to be like Him, to move closer to perfection, to reach better union with the Beloved. How sad for a priest to shepherd the flock like the one you described!
 
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