Length of time in the Confessional/Brooding in Mass

[aurora77]

Pentecost2005:

Actually, I was surprised at confession the other day when the priest recognized me by voice. He mentioned that I have “struggled with this before,” and he was exactly right. I had confessed to him two or three times before, always the same thing–but these are old-fashioned confessionals, where you confess through a screen, and the priest and I have never been introduced face-to-face, or by name. I’ve been to several Masses offered by him, though, so I knew who he was immediately. This is at the Cathedral of one of the largest archdioceses in the country, not my local parish.

He must have a great memory for voices and people, then. I’m impressed! Maybe it goes with the job description.

I’m a big believer in the face to face confession and you bring up a good reason why–when he said that you’d struggled with that issue before. If a person confesses face to face, they can build a more personal confessor/confessee relationship and help us to better address the particular sins and concerns that are specific to us.

 

[ComradeAndrei]

I thank the Lord that I am going to school in Lincoln, NE. This town is like Confessional USA-if you want to go to confession any day of the week, or especially during Saturday, you will not be disappointed! Practically every church in town has confessions during the week at some point and on Saturdays.

St. Mary’s (the Old Cathedral) is especially good about this, confessions before every Daily Mass (8:00 and 12:10) and, if I remember right, 4 time slots on Saturday, some being a couple hours. There seems like there are always lines, I believe, because people know that confession is available and so they go. Same with St. Thomas Aquinas (the UNL campus church), it also has confessions before Daily Mass and on Saturdays.

 

[JimG]

So, he gives light penances and no advice. That is nothing to worry about. Your sins are forgiven. That is the main thing. You can do more penance voluntarily, and seek out spiritual direction outside of confession. I can pretty much tell you what advice he would give: avoid the occassions of sin as much as the sin itself.