Is it okay to go to confession at another parish?

[Reedolo]

I want to go to confession next saturday at a parish that’s not my home parish, even though confession will be offered at my home parish as well. Is it wrong for me to go to confession to another priest when I could very well go to my usual priest?

 

[jmcrae]

I want to go to confession next saturday at a parish that’s not my home parish, even though confession will be offered at my home parish as well. Is it wrong for me to go to confession to another priest when I could very well go to my usual priest?

No, not at all. You can go to Confession at any parish in your Diocese, and while it’s recommended that we have a regular Confessor, it’s not a requirement - you can go to Confession any time and at any parish you want.

 

[Wendy-Kay]

That is just fine!
Although, my priest encourages going to the same confessor for the same reasons you go to the same physician.

 

[LilyM]

No, not at all. You can go to Confession at any parish in your Diocese, and while it’s recommended that we have a regular Confessor, it’s not a requirement - you can go to Confession any time and at any parish you want.

You can go to confession in any Catholic parish ANYWHERE! Good to know for when you’re travelling. Just do make sure they’re in communion with Rome first if you don’t know the parish already, and don’t assume that the word ‘Catholic’ on the sign outside means that they are.

And sure, it’s best to have a regular confessor, but sometimes you need confession right away - just like medical emergencies, where you’ll happily go to the first doctor who’ll see you.

 

[MarySon]

I also go to a different parish for confession. In my current parish, you have to set up an appointment with the priest if you want him to hear your confession. So it is either an appointment with a priest or reconcilation service (as it is in my parish) or regular confession in a different parish. I think a choice (at least in my case) is easy

 

[Al_Masetti]

Yes, it’s ok to go to confession at another parish.

I don’t know how it is in other cities, but in New York City, there are some churches, such as St. John’s across the street from Penn Station where the Fransiscans make confession available practically 24/7. So, at St. John’s you can go to confession any time.

There may be places like that in your town.

 

[jmcrae]

You can go to confession in any Catholic parish ANYWHERE! Good to know for when you’re travelling.

Yes, good point - and when you are travelling overnight, you are considered to “reside in” the Diocese where you are spending the night.

Also, if you are travelling with a priest, you are a “retreatant” under his care, and he can say Mass for you and hear your Confession at any time while you’re on the road with him.

Just do make sure they’re in communion with Rome first if you don’t know the parish already, and don’t assume that the word ‘Catholic’ on the sign outside means that they are.

Absolutely.

 

[lak611]

I usually go to another parish for confession because the associate pastor is a great confessor, but the pastor is not. I never know who is going to be there, so I go to another parish to avoid having my pastor hear my confession. He sent me out with no penance and did not have me make an act of contrition. After I was done confessing, he just gave me the absolution and made the sign of the cross. I actually went to confession again elsewhere because I did not feel forgiven. The only way I would ever confess to him again was if I was in an emergency and didn’t think I would live to get another priest to hear my confession.

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

I want to go to confession next saturday at a parish that’s not my home parish, even though confession will be offered at my home parish as well. Is it wrong for me to go to confession to another priest when I could very well go to my usual priest?

No, of course there is nothing wrong with that. I go to Confession all over the country, whenever I have a chance.

 

[SeekerJen]

Of course. I do it frequently for convenience, and because I know the priests at my parish fairly well. I sometimes decide whether to go to confession at home or away depending on what needs confessing.

 

[LilyM]

I usually go to another parish for confession because the associate pastor is a great confessor, but the pastor is not. I never know who is going to be there, so I go to another parish to avoid having my pastor hear my confession. He sent me out with no penance and did not have me make an act of contrition. After I was done confessing, he just gave me the absolution and made the sign of the cross. I actually went to confession again elsewhere because I did not feel forgiven. The only way I would ever confess to him again was if I was in an emergency and didn’t think I would live to get another priest to hear my confession.

It is not required to make the penitent say an Act of Contrition - you can say this privately before or after the Confession or while the absolution is being pronounced. Penance - no, I don’t think a penance is actually a required element of a valid confession either. So it sounds like you did get a valid confession.

As to whether you ‘feel’ forgiven, well that’s the worst guide of all to go by. How many couples, after all, ‘feel’ married even if according to the laws of the Church and God (and sometimes even the state) they aren’t? How many people ‘feel’ that Catholicism or Christianity isn’t the true faith even if it is?

 

[lak611]

It is not required to make the penitent say an Act of Contrition - you can say this privately before or after the Confession or while the absolution is being pronounced. Penance - no, I don’t think a penance is actually a required element of a valid confession either. So it sounds like you did get a valid confession.

As to whether you ‘feel’ forgiven, well that’s the worst guide of all to go by. How many couples, after all, ‘feel’ married even if according to the laws of the Church and God (and sometimes even the state) they aren’t? How many people ‘feel’ that Catholicism or Christianity isn’t the true faith even if it is?

Well, even though that confession may have been valid, I still prefer to confess to a priest who actually takes the time to talk to me. The ones I go to now include penance and Act of Contrition, but they also give me advice on how to avoid my sins. A two minute confession with nothing at all said by the priest except the absolution may technically forgive my sins, but I like when the priest actually says something to help me avoid those “near ocasions of sin” in the future. Since we need both God’s grace and our own works for salvation, I want a priest who will help me with the “working out my salvation” part that I need to do.

 

[palmas85]

I want to go to confession next saturday at a parish that’s not my home parish, even though confession will be offered at my home parish as well. Is it wrong for me to go to confession to another priest when I could very well go to my usual priest?

You can make your confession with any Priest who has the faculty to hear them Priests need to have authority granted to them by the Bishop to hear confessions, but unless they are in trouble for some transgression most of them do.

I regularly confessat three diifferent churches depending on where I am, what I’m doing and how far and how badly I’ve slid over to the dark side.

 

[LilyM]

Well, even though that confession may have been valid, I still prefer to confess to a priest who actually takes the time to talk to me. The ones I go to now include penance and Act of Contrition, but they also give me advice on how to avoid my sins. A two minute confession with nothing at all said by the priest except the absolution may technically forgive my sins, but I like when the priest actually says something to help me avoid those “near ocasions of sin” in the future. Since we need both God’s grace and our own works for salvation, I want a priest who will help me with the “working out my salvation” part that I need to do.

No advice, well fair enough, but that *is *a completely different matter to getting absolution or a set penance.

I presume you’ve actually asked the priest for advice. If none is forthcoming, then your complaint is justified. Perhaps it should be mentioned to the Bishop as well, since he may be remiss in other areas too.