Is it time............

[Lainey63]

I want to thank all those that e-mailed in. I never realized what a controversial issue this was. Apparently the element of “time” and its value or lack there of, has been on many a mind. The upshot was that my children and I kept shifting lines from one priest to another depending on its shortness. The deacons were also very encouraging that we do this. My children, though exhausted, went to Confession for Advent.

       My wife raised a very interesting question.  If penitents with mortal sin on their soul aren't given the opportunity to confess their sins, how else can they be presentable to receive Communion?  Is mortal sin covered in general absolution in the beginning of Mass or is this a case of spiritual emergency?

        Please reply, but be kind to those that disagree.  We are all Christians searching for answers.:)

As far as I know that blessing doesn’t absolve one from mortal sin. Even though a lot of people may think so. I believe that I have heard priests address that issue several times from the pulpit…everyone goes to communion but very few go to confession.

 

[michael_quinlan]

I’ve got an idea! A large ticking clock facing the penitent(no alarm set) AND another large ticking clock facing the well-meaning priest. Next to the clocks can be in large numbers when Confession ends for everyone.

On another thread, one day, we can discuss whether brevity has any value anymore. I have often been told by the priest not to try to remember so hard. Only state what is immediately on your mind. Period. End of Story. You’re absolved. NEXT!

 

[zab]

B]…On another thread, one day, we can discuss whether brevity has any value anymore.

I have often been told by the priest not to try to remember so hard. Only state what is immediately on your mind. Period. End of Story. You’re absolved. NEXT!
That’s just it. There is nothing wrong with being brief. Being brief means being prepared. It means being humble and stating only that which needs to be said without any giving excuses and so on. It means being considerate for those waiting in line.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

This thread seems to be all over the place but I have noticed one thing.

It seems that there is some judgment being placed on people who “take to long” (whatever that means) in the Sacrament of Penance.

We can not know why some people are in the confessional longer than others and it is wrong for us to disparage them or make assumptions as to why.

 

[zab]

This thread seems to be all over the place but I have noticed one thing.

It seems that there is some judgment being placed on people who “take to long” (whatever that means) in the Sacrament of Penance.

We can not know why some people are in the confessional longer than others and it is wrong for us to disparage them or make assumptions as to why.

I might add that there has also been some judgement placed on those who are brief.

 

[Ghoti]

I think you misunderstand; his point was that most sins mentioned in confession go in one ear and out the other.

I know, 'twere just a joke.

 

[LilyM]

I might add that there has also been some judgement placed on those who are brief.

Not a bit of it - I, as I have stated several times, am very brief in my own confessions, so I would never judge others who are brief.

The only judgement I have made has been on those who seemed to feel that EVERYONE who takes longer than a few minutes must be doing so simply because they
a) want a social chat, or
b) are being unnecessarily long-winded about their sins, as if every single situation can be properly confessed in twenty five words or less, or
c) God forbid, want spiritual direction (as if getting direction in the confessional is a crime or an abuse of the sacrament or something)

and went on at length about how terribly hardly done by they were as a result.

 

[zab]

Priests aren’t just robots meant to hear about your sins, offer no advice or other help and just pronounce absolution. No point having a priest there if that’s all he ever does.

Neither are penitents just robots meant to rattle off a list of sins at as-high-as-possible speed. No point them being there if that’s their attitude to it either.

Seriously, you guys want the sacrament to be run like the queue at a McDonalds or something - it isn’t and shouldn’t be.

As I said, the sacraments are not the drive through window at McDonald’s or the checkout at the supermarket, (‘12 sins or less’ queue anyone?). Putting a time limit on them is treating them as such.

I think it’s better one proper confession where the person is sure they’ve confessed all their sins AND gets good advice that keeps them away from sin in the future, than 12 where people forget most of their sins (or worse still, deliberately don’t mention them) because one eye is on the clock, get no advice to help them, and either end up abusing the sacrament or not really getting all the graces they need as a result.

… ALSO for the record I never take more than five minutes myself, not being the chatty type, so I have no dog of my own in this fight.

If other people disagree then it is sad - it seems to me a sign that they DO see the sacrament as just one more to-do item like picking up the groceries or whatever, to be done as quickly and mechanistically as humanly possible. And not as an opportunity to receive God’s grace - which works on HIS time schedule and not ours.

I was just saying it’s viewed as an abuse of the sacrament of communion to rush through it at warp speed. Same with confession.

Not a bit of it - I, as I have stated several times, am very brief in my own confessions, so I would never judge others who are brief.

The only judgement I have made has been on those who seemed to feel that EVERYONE who takes longer than a few minutes must be doing so simply because they
a) want a social chat, or
b) are being unnecessarily long-winded about their sins, as if every single situation can be properly confessed in twenty five words or less, or
c) God forbid, want spiritual direction (as if getting direction in the confessional is a crime or an abuse of the sacrament or something)

and went on at length about how terribly hardly done by they were as a result.

 

[turtle18]

Wow…maybe you should learn to be a bit more patient. Having kids is no excuse to cover your impatience and lack of consideration for other people. You are also teaching your children to be impatient. Everyone “lacks” time in modern society. Unfortanately, no one “lacks” time to commit sin. Confession is not an express service.

Why don’t you use the time you are in line to say a Divine Mercy Chaplet, pray for your confessor, pray for the person making a confession, pray for yourself, etc. Unless they moved Confession to the cafeteria, Jesus is still present in the tabernacle, whether He is brought out for Exposition or not.

As far as little old ladies who take forever in Confession, you need to remember they were brought up pre-Vatican II where everything was a sin. And you can never really judge why they need to go to Confession–you can’t assume because they are old that their sins aren’t serious.

 

[zab]

Certainly there are cases when people need extra time. But what is so bad about asking people to be considerate of those waiting in line when it is not necessary to take up so much time?

 

[zab]

Wow…maybe you should learn to be a bit more patient. Having kids is no excuse to cover your impatience and lack of consideration for other people. You are also teaching your children to be impatient. Everyone “lacks” time in modern society. Unfortanately, no one “lacks” time to commit sin. Confession is not an express service.

Why don’t you use the time you are in line to say a Divine Mercy Chaplet, pray for your confessor, pray for the person making a confession, pray for yourself, etc. Unless they moved Confession to the cafeteria, Jesus is still present in the tabernacle, whether He is brought out for Exposition or not.

As far as little old ladies who take forever in Confession, you need to remember they were brought up pre-Vatican II where everything was a sin. And you can never really judge why they need to go to Confession–you can’t assume because they are old that their sins aren’t serious.

What makes you think that he wasn’t trying to be patient and praying for his confessor and praying while he was in line?

 

[MrsMeganMc]

I have been following this thread closely. And thought of it yesterday at my church’s Advent Reconciliation service…

There were about 10 priests there to hear confessions.

I got in line to see my regular confessor - and I would personaly wait 10x as long to see him as opposed to anyone else.

I will tell you that the time it took for me to get to him - some of the priests had seen twice as many people, if not more.

I am SO happy that he takes the time that he does with pentitents - helping us to understand our faith more and encouraging us to use the sacrament when we need it.

Now - I must also say that I have always made a personal appt to see him - as I like to take my time and get spiritual direction. I went last night cause I unfortunately needed to go…

Obviously this situation is different - as there is no mass time approaching. But I think it is a beautiful thing to see priests take their time with confessions and truly appreciate the sacrament - as it has made my own appreciation of it grow.

Just my two cents.

 

[SwizzleStick]

…When I went to the Confession lines with 2 young children, it took an hour and a half. I want the children to respect the Sacrament of Reconciliation and its appropriateness in our lives. While waiting I began thinking about the procedure. Couldn’t families, especially with young children, go first?

If possible, maybe you could consider not taking your young children with you to the Sacrament of Reconciliation? I do not take my children with me (12, 10, 5), but I have the benefit that the older two go to Confession during school hours and can stay home with Dad when I go on Saturdays or stay home with me when he goes.

I personally do not think we need to place time limits on this Sacrament, nor should we change the “first come, first serve” basis, though I would have done so for an older gentlemen when I went to Confession this past Saturday. He got up out of the pew and I watched to see if he was headed for the line to the confessional so I could offer him my place in line because he was having difficulty moving and standing in line would have likely been a hardship for him. But, instead he was leaving the Church since he’d apparently already been to Confession. I would say his need was as great to go earlier as someone with young children and since we all have needs and places to be, I still think the most fair way is the “first come, first serve” way that is in place, with the option for individuals to extend changes as THEY’D like. Why remove the chance that someone may extend you the simple kindness of offering you their place in line by making it mandatory that they allow you to go first because you brought your children with you?

 

[kage_ar]

Sorry, you lost me. (I’m not the efficiency expert myself. I’d rather wait in line so that all penitents have sufficient time; I’ve never known a priest to leave before the last penitent did – at least if he knew they were still waiting.) But what do you mean by your question? And perhaps I miscommunicated.

I am flabbergasted that a Catholic Parish would have people confessing in public! This is a violation of the secrecy of sacrament.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

Certainly there are cases when people need extra time. But what is so bad about asking people to be considerate of those waiting in line when it is not necessary to take up so much time?

First, one must define what “take up so much time” means. How much time is too much?

Second, you have no way of knowing if those people are being considerate of those waiting in line.

Third, you have no way of knowing if it is necessary or not.

I think the point is to be patient and wait. If a person can not wait then they should try to get there early so they can go first or if they can not then they should try and make an appointment.

Or maybe better yet, if a persons confession is going to take “too long” maybe they should just give it up and forget about it. That seems to be the way this thread is going.

Seems some here want to say, “Why should I have to wait, I want it now.” rather than being patient and happy that people are actually coming to the Sacrament.

 

[michael_quinlan]

I refuse to deprive my children of the grace received through the Sacrament of Reconciliation because of logistics. In my humble opinion, time still needs to be shown a proper respect somehow when an entire community is involved.

 

[zab]

First, one must define what “take up so much time” means. How much time is too much?

Second, you have no way of knowing if those people are being considerate of those waiting in line.

Third, you have no way of knowing if it is necessary or not.

I think the point is to be patient and wait. If a person can not wait then they should try to get there early so they can go first or if they can not then they should try and make an appointment.

Or maybe better yet, if a persons confession is going to take “too long” maybe they should just give it up and forget about it. That seems to be the way this thread is going.

Seems some here want to say, “Why should I have to wait, I want it now.” rather than being patient and happy that people are actually coming to the Sacrament.

I think you totally misunderstand or are not willing to understand.

 

[Friar_David_O.Carm]

I think you totally misunderstand or are not willing to understand.

That is your opinion which you are free to have. I can not read people’s minds, I can only go by what is posted here.

From what I have read it seems that there are many who seem to think some people take to long in the confessional and that those who do so are 1) inconsiderate and/or 2) wasting time with social talk. They seem to think that those who “take too much time” are not doing so for valid reasons. I come to that conclusion by the choice of words used, “take too much time”, specifically those underlined.

But if I am misunderstanding what someone is saying, then please would that person clear it up.

As someone who is studying for the priesthood, I plan to never turn any one away from confession but I also plan to never tell someone to “speed” it up.

 

[Elizabeth502]

I am flabbergasted that a Catholic Parish would have people confessing in public! This is a violation of the secrecy of sacrament.

No, No. (Sorry if I misled you in any way!) It’s a Reconciliation event (just like others have described here & on other threads): public prayers first, time for examine, etc. Then individual confessions, face-to-face, privately, at individual visible “stations” throughout the church. (Various “corners” of this mostly non-cornered, open-space church, which is also large.) Lines obviously do not come within true hearing of the content of anyone’s confession.

Depending on the size of the crowd, there could be 6-12 priests involved.

(Don’t think there would be any problem with “lines” if the confessions were public. Not many takers, probably, except a handful of saints. )

 

[Elizabeth502]

As someone who is studying for the priesthood, I plan to never turn any one away from confession but I also plan to never tell someone to “speed” it up.

I really appreciate your awareness of what the priesthood is about.