Looooong Confessions

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I am a revert to the Church after considering leaving the Church Catholic after my divorce and during the annulment process. I came running back which is another subject for another time.

I have even MORE appreciation for the priest shortage and the consideration needed by all parishioners to be Bold, be Brief, and Be gone. That is the only way to let the greatest number of people to confess in a short period of time. We have a Sacrament many churches/denominations don’t ; private confession. Be considerate of others’ time as well.

I have made two appointments for confession when I needed more time. That is the standard expectation for Catholics. If a priest spends more time with you for you are upset and need counsel of course that is his prerogative. He wants to help all and you have put that priest in my opinion in a precarious position of needing an hour of time for a slot of 1.5 hours or however long your priest hears confession.
 
i don’t understand the position of posters here who say it is OK to clog the confessional line with counseling sessions while other penitents wait in line behind them while the clock is ticking

my parish bulletin makes it absolutely clear that personal confessions are available in the rectory

pick up the phone & make an appointment

is this rocket science?
 
I believe at some time a general absolution will be allowed given the lack of time for priests o hear confessions. Also priests in the confessional often have no idea how many people are behind you in line.

I know my priest well and he has often asked me how many people do you think are waiting. I really appreciate this priest trying to be accommodating while assisting his parishioners in their confessions. If there is a 1.5 hour time slot someone taking ONE HOU cuts off many people who also are in need of confession or are in mortal sin and cannot even Commune until they confess.

Be considerate, if it will take you a while that’s great for you to confess fully your sins but please be considerate of others
 
CD45 said:
You know there might be a few people coming back to the Church or coming into the Church that have some very burdensome sins to confess. It’s not necessarily a drive-thru for everybody.
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The problem is that when there is only a half hour for confession and 10 people in the line, it is a bit difficult when one person takes 20 minutes, leaving the other 9 with a little over a minute apiece.

Sometimes the priest is understanding of this and will extend time for everyone to have a chance or if he’s rushing to say a Mass, will offer to have more confessions after the Mass for those who didn’t get a chance. Other times the priest just says sorry, he’s done at the end of the half hour and if you didn’t happen to get a turn, you missed it.
 
JimG said:
I recall attending several weekend retreats at which a number of people had not been to confession in a long time. Before the confessions began, Father gave a talk in which he reassured people that they need not take a long time to confess even if it had been years since their last confession.
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Yeah, I managed to get through 18 years worth of accumulated large sins in about 3 minutes, myself, by using a similar “list” approach. Being nervous enough about going back to confession, the last thing I wanted to do was spend a lot of time in there. Badabing, badaboom, done.
 
I’m just glad we have options in many places and I will pray for vocations in those places that don’t. I seek out confessors that take their time and give careful attention to each penitent.

Years ago, I used to go to a local parish for confession. Generally, they had three priests hearing confessions, with three different lines. One of the lines moved at lightning speed. The elderly, Irish priest was known for very quick, in-and-out confessions. Confess, give three Hail Mary’s, absolve, next… He was half deaf and would frequently cut you off after one and a half sins with his cheerful, lilting voice. “Is that all, then?” He was king of the 60-second confession. Some people really liked that. He would also stay until everyone was gone.

The other two priests were about average, I guess. They heard one confession for every three or four that the speedy priest heard. Every once in awhile, someone would take a long time, but rarely.

I just think that priests have different styles and penitents are seeking different peripheral things from confession. It is ideal when what the priest offers matches what the penitent is seeking and everyone can find his or her ideal match.
 
be honest, be brief; be gone

there are other penitents waiting in line

you want counseling?

make an appointment at the rectory
 
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crookbackt said:
So maybe it’s the priests that are taking a long time and not the confessors?
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Sometimes this is the case, yes. Other times, it is not. And sometimes both parties have a hand in prolonging the confession.

(BTW the priests are the confessors. The people confessing are penitents.)
 
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I confess impatience quite a bit, since I am working on this bad habit. I have to say that long confessions when I am waiting in line and nervous about even getting in at all make me impatient, so then I have to confess that too!
 
I made an appointment with my priest to speak with him as I have some issues to speak about since I am just came back to church about a year and a half ago. I have already gone to confession and this has been stirring a lot of other stuff in my life that needs to be dealt with. He is willing to take the time and I am so appreciative of this. I am scared at the same time because I have a hard time speaking to another person that I don’t know that well but this is needed in order to for me to have the relationship with Christ that I am longing for.
 
I am just impressed that you have people in line for Confession…when ever I go I am the only one there…sometimes Father is even startled when I come, I think he might have been sleeping…
 
A church near me is like this. If you show up to confession an hour before Mass and there are 2 or 3 people a head of you, you’re not getting in. I’m assuming that people are treating it more like spiritual counseling rather than confession.
 
Bataar said:
A church near me is like this. If you show up to confession an hour before Mass and there are 2 or 3 people a head of you, you’re not getting in. I’m assuming that people are treating it more like spiritual counseling rather than confession.
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If this is a consistent situation at the same parish, it would seem the deciding factor is the priest.
 
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