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

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SwizzleStick said:
Elizabeth502, I’m not sure why you directed your post #88 above (partial shown) to me (and Brother David)? I realize additional penance services are offered during Advent and Lent in addition to the regular weekly times and anytime by appointment of the Sacrement of Reconciliation at most parishes. I guess I missed something somewhere? I do think it would be a wonderful reversion to old ways if most Catholics chose to go to Confession much more frequently, perhaps every few weeks or once a month, instead of choosing to go only once or twice a year as some do. That would be a wonderful development for our entire Catholic community and grace would surely abound for us and our brothers and sisters in Christ should that be the case!
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My post was actually in response to kage_ar’s post 84 and Br. David’s post 87, that’s all.

Not a big deal. I merely mistyped one of the names, that’s all.
 
Elizabeth502 said:
My post was actually in response to kage_ar’s post 84 and Br. David’s post 87, that’s all.

Not a big deal. I merely mistyped one of the names, that’s all.
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Okay, I understand, no problem. I’m easily confused, so I thought I missed something. 👍
 
SwizzleStick said:
Okay, you disagree, but I don’t know how the points made above by quiet52 are bad points.

I think it would be wonderful for every Catholic to go to Confession monthy. If the OP does that and takes his children, it is a wonderful grace for all of them. I do not see how pointing out that the Sacrament of Reconciliation is available year round, not just during Advent and Lent, and suggesting that one go monthly is uncharitable. It is a good point.

The OP did state that he thought it would be good if families with children could go to confession in front of others. I think that while that might not quite be having a sense of entitlement, I do not see why the OP feels we should change the “first come, first served” basis that has existed for as long as I can remember (except on an as-needed basis with elderly, handicapped and/or ill parishioners). I have two children old enough to go to Confession myself and I wouldn’t dream of doing anything but have them wait their turn with me (in the summertime when they do not go to Confession at school, for example), so I think this is a good point.

Too, I think it is a good thing to realize that we are all in need of spiritual healing and God’s grace and forgiveness. We should seek it and do what is necessary to find it during the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Waiting in line for a while and conveying that it is inconvenient to do so to one’s children may not help them realize that they are in need of this sacrament on a regular basis. Quiet52 did not say that the OP did this, but he did make a valid point in simply stating that we should teach our children the value of this sacrament without worrying about the “convenience” of seeking it out.

If you feel I was impatient, uncharitable and judgemental in simply saying that quiet52 made valid points, I do not understand. The Sacrament of Reconciliation is SO wonderful, I would like all to take part in it fully and well and frequently. I do apologize if I offended anyone with the statement that quiet52 made valid points.
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Sometimes it is the manner in which “good points” are given. Were they given in charity or in a condescending way?
SwizzleStick, I never said you were impatient, uncharitable or judgemental. It was a statement in general and it was a good point.
 
Desert_Dancer said:
I will pray for you while I’m waiting for Confession! 👍
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I thank God that you are studying for the priesthood. What a blessing to the Church! I would ask you thoughto pray about what your calling is to. Does it include what is best for the entire congregation? If your penitent was confessing and she took the entire hour, and you were the only priest on duty, would you actually not intervene in a polite manner to “hurry her along” to absolution? There are ways, seminarian, to get a message across without saying outright “let’s wrap this up”.
 
zab said:
Sometimes it is the manner in which “good points” are given. Were they given in charity or in a condescending way?
SwizzleStick, I never said you were impatient, uncharitable or judgemental. It was a statement in general and it was a good point.
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Point made and taken.👍 Another good point, indeed.🙂 We should all strive to be patient, charitable and nonjudgmental, though I know I do fail a lot, but it is certainly something to aim for.
 
michael_quinlan said:
I thank God that you are studying for the priesthood. What a blessing to the Church! I would ask you thoughto pray about what your calling is to. Does it include what is best for the entire congregation? If your penitent was confessing and she took the entire hour, and you were the only priest on duty, would you actually not intervene in a polite manner to “hurry her along” to absolution? There are ways, seminarian, to get a message across without saying outright “let’s wrap this up”.
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Great post, Michael. And of course we understand that you are addressing your post to ByzCath and not Desert_Dancer.
 
michael_quinlan said:
I thank God that you are studying for the priesthood. What a blessing to the Church! I would ask you thoughto pray about what your calling is to. Does it include what is best for the entire congregation? If your penitent was confessing and she took the entire hour, and you were the only priest on duty, would you actually not intervene in a polite manner to “hurry her along” to absolution? There are ways, seminarian, to get a message across without saying outright “let’s wrap this up”.
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There are ways to handle this.

If I am in such a post where I will be hearing confessions on a regular basis (after all I am a religious and there is the possibility that I will not be in parish ministry) I would have to deal with this as it occurs. No two cases are the same. All I can say now is that I would try to make sure that I do not have anything scheduled so close to the end of the confession time that I would have to leave before everyone who was in line before the end of the time period could be taken care of.

I might suggest to the person who takes that long (an hour in this example) that they might wish to schedule some counseling time where we could speak at length.

Right now I am in my first year of theological studies (rightfully I am called a theologian not a seminarian as I attend a theologate not a seminary, a theologate is like a seminary but it is for religious who live in a house of studies that takes care of the formation that the seminary would normally do) and I will have a break after this year to do a two year internship in one of our ministires before I return to finish my MDiv. Right now I am feeling called to something along the lines of spiritual direction and pastoral counseling but that could change.
 
Our previous pastors have requested that confessions at the Penance Services, where many people are present, be kept to confessing only and they said that this was not the time to ask for spiritual direction and recommended that people needing extra time should go at another time.
 
I say put uncomfortable kneelers in the confessionals!

Though I respect everyone’s desire to use the Sacrament how it is helpful for them I do think it is a bit selfish to take too much time.

I think that those that stick too closely to the formal full Examination of Conscience will tend to take to long
 
Feanor said:
I say put uncomfortable kneelers in the confessionals! …
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That is already the case in our parish. Also, the kneeler is set very close to the screen so that I have to kneel and arch a bit away from the screen, which is NOT comfortable at all. Perhaps simply by going to Confession, I am already starting my penance.😃
 
michael_quinlan said:
I thank God that you are studying for the priesthood. What a blessing to the Church! I would ask you thoughto pray about what your calling is to. Does it include what is best for the entire congregation? If your penitent was confessing and she took the entire hour, and you were the only priest on duty, would you actually not intervene in a polite manner to “hurry her along” to absolution? There are ways, seminarian, to get a message across without saying outright “let’s wrap this up”.
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Man, I can just imagine a military chaplain hearing confessions…

Penitent: “…and I took extra cookies at chow this afternoo–”

Padre: “SUM UP!!”
 
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