MERGED: Confession: Why long Lines/Hard to get to?

[Deo_Gratias42]

Ok, I know I’m ranting, but I honestly don’t understand what the thinking in behind making confession so difficult to get to. Over and over again, I hear religious and the faithful decrying the laity’s lack of employing the sacrament of confession. But then, try to get to a confessional. Inevitably, the hours are “4:45 to 5:15 PM”, on a Saturday afternoon. Or, they’re during working hours. And, without fail, the hours are limited to no more than 30 minutes. I do have one parish where the confession is 6 AM - and the line is always out the door! I salute the priests at that parish, but they’re being let down by their brothers. It’s easier to set up a wedding, a baptism, or even a funeral than to get to confession.

Grrr…

Do you have access to FSSP priests? They hear confessions before, usually after, all Masses, and if you simply ask one of them, they generally speaking will hear your confession.

 

[Catholic1954]

Ok, I know I’m ranting, but I honestly don’t understand what the thinking in behind making confession so difficult to get to. Over and over again, I hear religious and the faithful decrying the laity’s lack of employing the sacrament of confession. But then, try to get to a confessional. Inevitably, the hours are “4:45 to 5:15 PM”, on a Saturday afternoon. Or, they’re during working hours. And, without fail, the hours are limited to no more than 30 minutes. I do have one parish where the confession is 6 AM - and the line is always out the door! I salute the priests at that parish, but they’re being let down by their brothers. It’s easier to set up a wedding, a baptism, or even a funeral than to get to confession.

Grrr…

Or you can make an appointment for anytime.

 

[InNomineDomini]

I’m sorry that you’re having this issue.

I would think, however, that you could always set up an appointment for Confession. I couldn’t begin to imagine why that would be a problem.

 

[Oneofthewomen]

Ok, I know I’m ranting, but I honestly don’t understand what the thinking in behind making confession so difficult to get to. Over and over again, I hear religious and the faithful decrying the laity’s lack of employing the sacrament of confession. But then, try to get to a confessional. Inevitably, the hours are “4:45 to 5:15 PM”, on a Saturday afternoon. Or, they’re during working hours. And, without fail, the hours are limited to no more than 30 minutes. I do have one parish where the confession is 6 AM - and the line is always out the door! I salute the priests at that parish, but they’re being let down by their brothers. It’s easier to set up a wedding, a baptism, or even a funeral than to get to confession.

Grrr…

Sadly, we do not have a plethora of priests in the US, so that one can dedicate time to the confessional in each parish, every day, all day.

If the times that are chosen by your local parish are not convenient, why not make an appointment for when it is convenient for you. Call the office, tell whoever answers the phone that you want to talk to a priest about a personal, sacramental issue. Be prepared to have to leave a message. While not the ideal situation, sometimes we need to be pro-active.

Oh, and remember to pray for more vocations!!!

 

[AKDee]

My parish has confession at 3:30-4:30 on Saturdays or by appointment. I have also just asked Father if I could make a confession one day after Mass was over and he took me aside and heard my confession on the spot.

We also have a Cathedral downtown that hears confessions daily at lunch hour.

Are you sure you don’t have more options than you think you do? If you truly are limited to a time that you cannot make it and they don’t do confessions by appointment bring it up to your parish priest and ask for options.

 

[utah_rose]

Ok, I know I’m ranting, but I honestly don’t understand what the thinking in behind making confession so difficult to get to. Over and over again, I hear religious and the faithful decrying the laity’s lack of employing the sacrament of confession. But then, try to get to a confessional. Inevitably, the hours are “4:45 to 5:15 PM”, on a Saturday afternoon. Or, they’re during working hours. And, without fail, the hours are limited to no more than 30 minutes. I do have one parish where the confession is 6 AM - and the line is always out the door! I salute the priests at that parish, but they’re being let down by their brothers. It’s easier to set up a wedding, a baptism, or even a funeral than to get to confession.

Grrr…

I second your frustration. I think it would be a good idea for all priests to hear Confessions before Sunday Mass. After all, they do have to be there. And yes the FSSP priests are very good about hearing Confessions before Mass. As for appointments, I was very disappointed when coming back into the Church during Holy Week in 2002, I tried calling all week for appointments but to no avail. Finally, on Holy Saturday, a priest at a nearby parish heard my Confession. I had been away from the Church for 20 years and in mortal sin! I do hope that even with the shortage of priests, some will copy St. John Vianney, the patron of priests and make time for this holy Sacrament!

 

[Allegra]

Once, when I was feeling particularly burdened, I looked up confession times on the diocese website. They listed all the confessions times in all the parishes around town and you could search by day. Surprisingly enough, when it was all added together, there was almost 24 hour coverage, if you were willing to drive across town! Maybe your diocese has a similar page on their site?

 

[IrishAm]

I get it. Our local 3:15-4:15 on Saturday is definitely not the most convenient, and I’m not inclined to make an appointment either. I’d feel it somewhat sinful to take up the time of our very busy priests for my monthly recitation of faults, even though I’m sure they would be nice about it. (I also prefer “behind the screen” rather than face-to-face . . . just old school, I guess.) On the other hand, if I was in a clear state of mortal sin or about to undergo life-threatening surgery or be deployed to war – yeah, I’d be knocking on their door.

 

[3DOCTORS]

It’s true that sometimes it’s not the easiest thing but if I’m honest I realize I often play the “inconvenience” card when really I’m just nervous or lazy about going . . . I do believe the Enemy can take advantage of this in a person, and it becomes easier and easier to procrastinate. We shouldn’t wait until we’re in some kind of danger, whether physical such as surgery or travel, or spiritual. Definitely if we’re in mortal sin, getting our hind ends to Reconciliation should be our first priority! :sad_yes: I say this because I know how much of a slacker I’ve been recently. Not in mortal sin but certainly could use those graces, y’know? Maybe we should start a Confession Challenge and encourage each other to MAKE time to go. :yup:

 

[twf]

Have you tried your city’s cathedral (if relatively accessible for you)? Often the schedules are more generous. At our cathedral confessions are heard three times a day, six days a week, and there is always a line (as the cathedral is right in the heart of downtown).

 

[George_Stegmeir]

On a number of occasions, I have entered the Sacristy from the Altar area about 15-20 minutes before Mass, and caught the priest before he vested up. I asked if he would hear my Confession.
I have never been turned down!
In several cases, where there were others present, the priest asked them to leave for a few minutes.
In all of my life, I have found that Confession is always available. You just have to sincerely search for it. FWIW, I was a professional sailor for many years and have found a priest in almost every port I was in…from super large ports to some really primitive places.

 

[pensmama87]

I am fortunate that I live in a densely populated area with lots of nearby parishes. I swear they must coordinate, because there are available confessions almost every day of the week (not always at convenient times, mind you, but still, almost every day.) But every parish specifies that they can hear confessions by appointment as well. I prefer anonymity, but if it’s urgent it is nice to know I can just call up the parish office and see someone.

I do know some people who work in downtown areas will go to confession over their lunch break (and if they have the flexibility may take an early or late lunch depending on the available hours.) I think actually a few city parishes may schedule confession at these times on purpose.

Definitely pray for more priests!

 

[InNomineDomini]

.
In all of my life, I have found that Confession is always available. You just have to sincerely search for it.

Well said!

I’ve not been Catholic for a particularly long time, but I’ve found the same is true.

 

[Gorgias]

I think it would be a good idea for all priests to hear Confessions before Sunday Mass.

Just a gentle reminder: priests typically don’t celebrate only one Mass on Sundays. Often nowadays, they have to travel between two or more church sites. And, there’s usually somewhat limited time between Masses. Yes, “they have to be there” – but, if you want your priest to be well-prepared for Mass (not to mention having a chance to grab a bite or have a cup of coffee between Masses), you might want to consider that taking some time out of your Saturday is a bit more respectful of your priests’ time than asking him to be ‘on the clock’ all Sunday morning. Just sayin’…

As for appointments, I was very disappointed when coming back into the Church during Holy Week in 2002, I tried calling all week for appointments but to no avail.

One hopes that, since that time, you’ve come to realize that Holy Week is an incredibly busy time for priests, and that many opportunities for reconciliation are offered during Lent, leading up to Holy Week. Moreover, parish offices tend to close during the Triduum; hopefully, you don’t mean that you started calling Holy Thursday or Good Friday and were surprised that no one was there to get your call at that time…

 

[InThePew]

In all of my life, I have found that Confession is always available. You just have to sincerely search for it.

I definitely agree with this but I can also empathise with the OPs frustrations around inconvenient times - parishes co-ordinate mass times within a local area but never seem to do the same with confession times. Still, sometimes you just have to take the initiative by buttonholing a priest (my last confession was heard by a visiting priest in a choir loft) or phoning a presbytery and asking if they’re free in the time it will take for you to get there! FWIW hearing confessions is part of a priest’s bread and butter ministry - it’s what they’re ordained for - so no one should ever feel like you’re taking up their time or inconveniencing them. Just ask and keep on asking - God came in mercy to the aid of all so that those who seek might find Him.

 

[Yeoman]

Sadly, we do not have a plethora of priests in the US, so that one can dedicate time to the confessional in each parish, every day, all day.

I think that’s a lot of it. Lots of parishes have one priest, and therefore they have a lot to do. That makes it tough to add additional times for anything.

Our downtown parish, when it had two priests, had a noon Mass everyday. Now that its down to one, and appears to be set to stay that way, only an early morning Mass, which I can’t make, is offered daily. I miss the noon Mass and have asked about it, but unless we get a second priest it won’t be coming back.

 

[babochka]

I do think that it would be nice for parishes to coordinate confession times. I live in a suburban area with about 20 Catholic Churches within a 30 minute drive. The vast majority of those parishes have confession times from 3-4, 4-5 or 3:30-4:30 on Saturday afternoons. Perhaps that is seen as the “traditional” time for confessions, but it does not reflect the reality of modern life. There are a handful of parishes offering confession on weekday evenings, and the Cathedral and the FSSP parish offer confession daily, which is fantastic. My parish is one of a few that has confession on Sunday mornings. While I think that is great, it is very difficult for me to get myself and my 6 children to church early on a Sunday morning. I usually make an appointment.

 

[utah_rose]

I go to Confession quite frequently - at least once every three weeks. Why? I read somewhere that Satan hates Confessions more than Exorcisms.

I do feel greater strength to resist temptations having frequented Confessions. However, I am still very weak in spirituality and pray too little. Of course I have so much to tell Jesus - every time when I kneel before Him in Eucharist I always wonder why I don’t set aside some time every day to talk to him, when I really have so much to tell Our Lord.

Then very often I lapse into the same sin again. Usually things go very well after receiving the Eucharist on Sunday. Then I commit sins on Fridays or Saturdays (just like yesterday). Then I’ll have to fret over where and when to go to Confession (since I feel bad telling the same priest the same sin every Sunday - especially when he is a bit fierce).

For your information I usually go to the Traditional Latin Mass during summer, but there is usually no priest for Confession probably because it’s a small community and people simply make an appointment for Confession. So I’ll have to travel around looking for a priest - except the fierce one in my home parish. I know this isn’t right but really I feel scared about him.

Then I mourn for my stupidity - why would I have to put myself in such labour and predicament had I not sinned?!

Yes, temptation is difficult to resist. Of course I see small improvements. But the progress is too slow!

I hope there would be reply to my post soon since Sunday is coming. Time to decide where to go for my Confession…Sunday Confession Hunt XD

 

[utah_rose]

utah_rose:
What kept me away from our parish for awhile was one of these fierce priests who had me in tears a few times. I’d advice anyone having this problem to please go to another parish where you feel comfortable going to confession. When I was growing up we lived on the same street as our parish and were familiar with all of the priests. It wasn’t so bad then though because in pre Vatican 11 you had the old confessionals. In some instances I prefer to confess behind the screen even though I know the priest is taking the place of Christ. In those days most went to Confession weekly!

 

[Yeoman]

What kept me away from our parish for awhile was one of these fierce priests who had me in tears a few times. I’d advice anyone having this problem to please go to another parish where you feel comfortable going to confession. When I was growing up we lived on the same street as our parish and were familiar with all of the priests. It wasn’t so bad then though because in pre Vatican 11 you had the old confessionals. In some instances I prefer to confess behind the screen even though I know the priest is taking the place of Christ. In those days most went to Confession weekly!

Aren’t Confessionals the norm everywhere in the Latin Rite?

I know that you can do it face to face, but I don’t. I stay behind the screen.

Indeed, Confessionals are one of the great things that the Irish church gave to the rest of the church. I prefer the anonymity even if I don’t know the Priest and I frankly feel that the “face to face” movement that came about in the 70s was one of those poorly thought out things that was going on during that era.

Anyhow, I don’t know anywhere where you have to go face to face, and I notice that in churches that I go to for Confession have separate doors for face to face as opposed to a screen, more people opt for the screen.