Is is okay to have priest preference for confession?

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Rosarydevotion

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Hi, I have a priest that I prefer to go to for confession, I’ve been to him a few times now and feel more comfortable with him than the other priest. But at my parish when I go to confession the two priests are available for confession, but there is only one line. And as the doors open to the confessional people just go to the priest who’s available first as it approaches their turn to go.

My question is, would it be okay to tell the person behind me that I’m waiting for a particular priest and then if the door opens for the other priest and it happens to be my turn, would it be okay for me to tell the person behind me that they can go to that priest, while I wait for the other one? 😊 It seems awkward, but I dont know how to do this.
 
Absolutely.

Most certainly.

Such is both an age old practice in the Church (regular confessor) as well as ones right in the Church.

Just say your waiting for your regular confessor.
 
This is fine.
If people were forced to go to confession with people they were uncomfortable with, some people would fail sometimes to go to confession. For people to be able to go to a priest they like will encourage them in this practice.
I know someone who was nervous and couldn’t remember the act of contrition. The priest dealt harshly with him about this, and he never went to this particular priest again.
 
Wow! Nothing like a great perspective to remember why we go to confession. I have a little different take on my experience. We only have one priest and he can come across as a very stern and serious priest, so it was causing me a lot of anxiety while I waited for my turn. I have had to work on just what you stated, and that was to focus on why I was there and remember he is a stand in for Jesus Christ, no matter what his personality is like. Father is a good priest and is devoted to his flock, and I had to remember it is not about feeling warm and fuzzy, it is about being humble and knowing why we are there. I am a new Catholic, and have had to come to terms with this fairly quickly because it was so uncomfortable.
 
Rosarydevotion said:
Hi, I have a priest that I prefer to go to for confession, I’ve been to him a few times now and feel more comfortable with him than the other priest. But at my parish when I go to confession the two priests are available for confession, but there is only one line. And as the doors open to the confessional people just go to the priest who’s available first as it approaches their turn to go.

My question is, would it be okay to tell the person behind me that I’m waiting for a particular priest and then if the door opens for the other priest and it happens to be my turn, would it be okay for me to tell the person behind me that they can go to that priest, while I wait for the other one? 😊 It seems awkward, but I dont know how to do this.
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Sure! I’ve done this plenty of times. Also, you can schedule a regular confession time with this priest so that you will be blessed to have him every time.
 
:eek:

I don’t mean to be rude, but it seems disrespectful to delay your confession because of things like this. As (name removed by moderator) said, we should be focused on having God forgive us, rather than worldly sensibilities.
 
I have been to confession where those in line prefer one particular priest. Parishioners stand in two lines. One on the side of one priest and another line forms on the other side of the confessionals for the other priest. Sometimes there is only one priest, and when I hope it is the one I like, it very often is the other. So I get the benefit of this holy priests’ advice/absolution and I’m good with that. After all, it is better to get back in the good graces of God. I prefer the one who is nice and won’t ‘lecture’ me, but guess what?, I needed the lecture and it helps me to grow in holiness. Accept what God is trying to tell you through the priest. The idea is not for the priest to tell you what you want to hear but to encourage you to avoid sin and give you spiritual direction.
 
Rosarydevotion said:
Hi, I have a priest that I prefer to go to for confession, I’ve been to him a few times now and feel more comfortable with him than the other priest. But at my parish when I go to confession the two priests are available for confession, but there is only one line. And as the doors open to the confessional people just go to the priest who’s available first as it approaches their turn to go.

My question is, would it be okay to tell the person behind me that I’m waiting for a particular priest and then if the door opens for the other priest and it happens to be my turn, would it be okay for me to tell the person behind me that they can go to that priest, while I wait for the other one? 😊 It seems awkward, but I dont know how to do this.
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That’s fine. Just turn around and tell them they can go on ahead. Trust me, they won’t contest your offer. 😛

I’ve had people let me go ahead. I would urge anyone who encounters that to not only expect it but to respect it.

It’s possible the people who do this for me have a particular confessor they are seeing for spiritual direction and must see only that confessor. Of course, it would be impolite to ask them about it. :o
 
acadiANNA said:
I have been to confession where those in line prefer one particular priest. Parishioners stand in two lines. One on the side of one priest and another line forms on the other side of the confessionals for the other priest. Sometimes there is only one priest, and when I hope it is the one I like, it very often is the other. So I get the benefit of this holy priests’ advice/absolution and I’m good with that. After all, it is better to get back in the good graces of God. I prefer the one who is nice and won’t ‘lecture’ me, but guess what?, I needed the lecture and it helps me to grow in holiness. Accept what God is trying to tell you through the priest. The idea is not for the priest to tell you what you want to hear but to encourage you to avoid sin and give you spiritual direction.
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It would be nice if they would have a schedule or at least ID themselves. The guessing game can be frustrating for some—as I said, some persons are seeing only a particular priest and for good reasons.
 
Rosarydevotion said:
Hi, I have a priest that I prefer to go to for confession, I’ve been to him a few times now and feel more comfortable with him than the other priest. But at my parish when I go to confession the two priests are available for confession, but there is only one line. And as the doors open to the confessional people just go to the priest who’s available first as it approaches their turn to go.

My question is, would it be okay to tell the person behind me that I’m waiting for a particular priest and then if the door opens for the other priest and it happens to be my turn, would it be okay for me to tell the person behind me that they can go to that priest, while I wait for the other one? 😊 It seems awkward, but I dont know how to do this.
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Yes, I ve done it and seen many others do it. A lot of parishes will even have separate lines for separate priests.
 
Faxero said:
:eek:

I don’t mean to be rude, but it seems disrespectful to delay your confession because of things like this. As (name removed by moderator) said, we should be focused on having God forgive us, rather than worldly sensibilities.
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Not at all! What if you are working with a single priest to help you through something over time like spiritual direction or scrupulosity.

I heard at my parish that our new priest gave out a copy of one of his homilies for people struggling with a sin that I had failed in too, so I wanted to go to him to get his advice and read his homily so it would help me not return to the confessional…and it did. I let someone go ahead of me so I could receive this from this priest…

There are many other examples of how this can be beneficial to a penitent.
 
I don’t see that there’s anything wrong with waiting for the confessor you prefer. I’ve been in line when someone in front of me did this. It’s no big deal.
 
Some people prefer to have the same one, others don’t. I’ve gone to other churches when traveling, and went to confession where I did not know the priest at all. I have gone to my parish priest for confession from time to time. I’ve gone to services where confession is face to face with absolution, and went to a different priest each time. Some of my family members prefer to go to the parish priest each time, but others go to a different church for different reasons for confession.
 
Jon_S said:
Not at all! What if you are working with a single priest to help you through something over time like spiritual direction or scrupulosity.

I heard at my parish that our new priest gave out a copy of one of his homilies for people struggling with a sin that I had failed in too, so I wanted to go to him to get his advice and read his homily so it would help me not return to the confessional…and it did. I let someone go ahead of me so I could receive this from this priest…

There are many other examples of how this can be beneficial to a penitent.
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Ah…I didn’t think of that. 👍 The point about spiritual direction and scrupulosity is a winner.
 
You can make an appointment for the priest to hear your confession in his office. Or, call the church office on Friday morning and ask which priest is scheduled to hear confessions. The receptionist should be able to tell you. However, sometimes the priests change around at the last minute. Ask God for the fortitude to approach any priest.
 
you may confess to any priest you want to and who you feel most comfortable with. recently I attended a reconciliation service in my own parish with priests from other parishes about 20 in total and each line had 2 priests at the top so my line was my own parish priest and a older parish priest
from another town the lady behind me was from this other parish so she asked me would I mind going to the older priest as she knew him I said ok and when the time came for me to go forward it was my own priest so I excused myself and let the lady go ahead I went to the older priest and he was lovely all chat asking where I was from. I am friendly with my own priest so a few days later he asked me was I upset with him as I refused to go to him I explained and he was ok.
 
SuperLuigi said:
It would be nice if they would have a schedule or at least ID themselves. The guessing game can be frustrating for some—as I said, some persons are seeing only a particular priest and for good reasons.
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The confessionals at our parish have cards with the priests’ names printed on them, so everybody knows which priest is in which reconciliation room. Some parishioners prefer one priest or the other, and many aren’t particular. (I don’t worry about which priest I confess to. I just want to go.)
 
Rosarydevotion said:
Hi, I have a priest that I prefer to go to for confession, I’ve been to him a few times now and feel more comfortable with him than the other priest. But at my parish when I go to confession the two priests are available for confession, but there is only one line. And as the doors open to the confessional people just go to the priest who’s available first as it approaches their turn to go.

My question is, would it be okay to tell the person behind me that I’m waiting for a particular priest and then if the door opens for the other priest and it happens to be my turn, would it be okay for me to tell the person behind me that they can go to that priest, while I wait for the other one? 😊 It seems awkward, but I dont know how to do this.
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I don’t see why it would be a problem. Alternatively, you could also book a time with your preferred priest for individual confession, outside of normal confession time. It’s actually a not uncommon practice for one to always see the same confessor. This can be particularly helpful if one is struggling with a problem (such as a recurring sin or scrupulosity), or if one is discerning a vocation.
 
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