Nothing binds you to that parish. How far apart are your parishes? I have two I go to, depending on the time it’s offered.
It is about the same distance in the other direction to another parish, which I sometimes go to as well. The last few times I have been to confession I have gone there actually. It is doable, it is what I do.Nothing binds you to that parish. How far apart are your parishes? I have two I go to, depending on the time it’s offered.
I forgot to add to my last post that when I lived in NY, they were luck to have maybe 2 or 3 waiting in line.
Good for you! Don’t let anything get in the way of a good confession.
Only the small childrenGood for you! Don’t let anything get in the way of a good confession.
I wish they had some kind of reliable, safe, quick childcare during confession times. But that is a stretch.LOL. I understand. Sometimes parishioners go with their friends and take turns watching each other’s children while one parent is in the confessional.Only the small children
That would require having friends with kids who care about confession
Been there too. It’ll get better.That would require having friends with kids who care about confession
It’s me I have anxiety, I have trouble making friends.
Thanks, I hope so. That is one reason I am hesitant to quit attending my current parish - because I at least kind of know the people there, whether I have “friends” or not, I recognize faces and people smile at me and it makes me feel comfortable.Been there too. It’ll get better.
Going to daily mass usually breaks the ice. You become familiar then people (or other moms) approach you.
I used to attend daily mass, before I had kids. Right now it’s offered right at lunchtime (for the downtown working crowd I’m sure). But right now my 18 month old is teetering between 1 and 2 naps, so that means right at mass time I’m either fixing lunch (on two nap days) between naps, or actually putting a child down for her only nap of the day (which needs to be long and can’t be a car nap). But back when I did go, there were no mothers with children. It was mostly men.
Maybe contact the parish office and see if there are mommy groups that meet. You can bring up the child-care-during-confession concerns and maybe you and the other mom’s can schedule confessions together so you can all have children looked after while you’re in confession. Then go out to lunch/dinner afterwards.
Already did that. No such groups, they suggested I could put one together, but I do not have time or anything to do that, although I’d like to. Maybe when the kids are a bit older I can. They have a ladies group, but I went once and the youngest person there was old enough to be my mother, most were my grandmother’s age. It would be a lovely group but all of their lunches are about $20 a plate and it’s a bit rich for my blood. Then when the kids are in PRE I think there are some things, but they basically told me that they found mothers of young children were just too busy to organize things (like myself) and there was no one to organize things for them.
I had that problem at another parish. It was a big church and I was afraid I was shouting and my sins were echoing throughout the church with people waiting their turn.
I’m just curious, why does face-to-face bother you?
Due to my aforementioned anxiety, I have difficultly focusing on recalling and confessing my sins when I am face to face with someone. I have a more difficult time than others with it due to my mental health issues, and also because I’m a convert I think. I have only been confessing for 4 years now, and with a lot of my sins being sexual in nature, it is just easier for me to focus on the sacrament and not the social aspect of speaking to the face of someone I shake hands with after mass.