People Left Out of confession

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BlueRain

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I went to confession today, they usually end at 4:45 p.m. because the Mass Vigil starts at 5:00. Today there were many people. The priest left and there were at least five people who didn’t get a chance to confess. I understood the situation, but I think some people may have been upset, but I’m not sure. What would be the correct thing to do? Should the priest have stayed a bit longer? I think it would have taken another 1/2 hour at least to finish the confessions. I’m glad a lot people showed up though.
 
this happens at least once a month, some days there is nobody for confession, and other days there are dozens. if he does not finish before time to start Mass, Father always announces to those waiting that he will come back after Mass until every one has a chance to confess.
 
It sounds to me like the priest should make more time for confession. There is little worse than being ready to unburden your sould and then being denied the opportunity. IMHO - there should be several hours open for confession before Saturday Mass - I have always thought that an hour is not enough. Some might say that not enough people come so the hour is best. Did anyone ever stop to think that if the time was available more might come? There have been times in my life where I know there was not enough time for all who wish to confess to have the opportunity to do so, so I did not bothe going because I knew I would be denied (once it happens it is hard to forget…). Even if the priest sits there with no confessions for a good chunk of time He should be available. Confession should not be treated as something that is relegated to convenient times - it is a life giving process and should be treated as such.

KB
 
Our parish has confessions for a half hour before each weekday afternoon Mass. Sometimes there is a line, other times there is not. But confessions are heard every day, plus Saturday, so there’s always a chance to go.

If I go on a weekday, I try to get there a full half-hour before Mass starts, just in case there’s a line. If you arrive at the last minute, the priest might have to leave in order to start Mass.

Sometimes, if people are left in line, the priest will come back to the confessional after Mass, but that can’t be guaranteed, as he may have another appointment.

In most parishes, I don’t see a shortage of times available for confession.

PS–Five people left, with 15 minutes to go before Mass? Seems to me that five confessions could be handled in 10 minutes, as long as no one drags it out.
 
**IMHO - there should be several hours open for confession before Saturday Mass - I have always thought that an hour is not enough. **
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I think that assessment depends on the parish, how many priests are available, what the priest’s other commitments are.

Remember, for example, if its a single priest parish, often there are Saturday afternoon weddings as well as funerals to say.

A priest that keeps a time open for funerals (which are necessarily scheduled on short notice) can’t commit the time for confessions as well.
 
It seems to me that after the 5:00 Mass is over, the church doors close, although I may be wrong. There’s usually two priest listening to confessions.

I know it seems that 5 people might have been taken care of in 15 minutes, but I don’t think so. Some people were in there awhile. I wouldn’t want to feel rushed.
 
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puzzleannie:
this happens at least once a month, some days there is nobody for confession, and other days there are dozens. if he does not finish before time to start Mass, Father always announces to those waiting that he will come back after Mass until every one has a chance to confess.
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That happened last week here. I was the last one to confess before the priest started the Mass but he announced that everyone already in the Confession line who had not been heard was absolved so they could take Communion on condition that after the Mass he then heard their Confession.
 
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JimG:
PS–Five people left, with 15 minutes to go before Mass? Seems to me that five confessions could be handled in 10 minutes, as long as no one drags it out.
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With numbers like that (2 minutes per confession) you might as well have “drive through confession”:rolleyes: …Since when is it supposed to be like driving cattle through a gate - as many as possible in the smallest amount of time? That is not my understanding of the experience of confession…I don’t think we would hear Jesus say “ok - could you please hurry it up? I only have another minute left…”

KB
 
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BlueRain:
I know it seems that 5 people might have been taken care of in 15 minutes, but I don’t think so. Some people were in there awhile. I wouldn’t want to feel rushed.
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A while back, there was 1 man ahead of me and 30 minutes till Confession… 30 minutes later, someone is behind me and the man exits the Confessional, with the Priest. The waiting line (all 2 of us) were told we could ask the Priest saying the Mass to listen afterwards, but we found out afterwards he could not due to time constraints.

Were we mad that we could not get to Confession that day (and wait a week) due to someone taking 30 minutes? No, as if others need that time to reunite with Our Lord and return to the Church, I’ll gladly wait forever… Waiting only makes it better.
 
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CatholicCid:
A while back, there was 1 man ahead of me and 30 minutes till Confession… 30 minutes later, someone is behind me and the man exits the Confessional, with the Priest. The waiting line (all 2 of us) were told we could ask the Priest saying the Mass to listen afterwards, but we found out afterwards he could not due to time constraints.

Were we mad that we could not get to Confession that day (and wait a week) due to someone taking 30 minutes? No, as if others need that time to reunite with Our Lord and return to the Church, I’ll gladly wait forever… Waiting only makes it better.
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Amen!:blessyou:
 
Amount of time someone takes in confession is a matter of personal preference. Some people are in and out in a minute for a quick absolution. Others want to stay a while and discuss things to help them in future. I like to take my time a bit, so I deliberately go last or go when no one is waiting, so that the fast people can go in first. But yea… the priest can’t delay mass, so in this case he will have to delay the confessions. In other cases, there is nothing so important that confessions should be delayed… even if it means the priest has to stay awake 3 hours longer than planned (like what happened on a retreat weekend - I was helping to play the worship music, we had only 1.5 hours of music planned, had to improv after that coz confessions and prayers went for 5 hours). Yea it’s all a matter of priority.
 
Since today was a First Saturday, with the attached devotion, which includes confession, it is really unfortunate that no provision was made to hear all the confessions of those who were waiting. Dollars to donuts the priest had not even given this a thought.
 
There is a point in the Mass where confessions can no longer be heard, even if one Priest is saying Mass and another is in the confessional.
As to so many people going, that’s good, I have seen times where there were only two of us going on a regular basis.
Same two, week after week. I know when I was growing up we had long lines with two or three Priests hearing confessions, they always stayed until the last person confessed. (of course they didn’t have a Saturday Mass then either and the lines were so long in some places that some Priests were hearing confessions for at least 12 hours.)
Most parishes now offer confession early on Saturday morning and on Suday morning from what I have seen in my travels.
Try this site
www.masstimes.org
there are many places you can go besides your own Parish, the Cathedral, the Shrine’s, the Monsastaries where some of the Monk’s are Priest, plus the fact that those who need a longer time could call and make an appointment. Many places don’t just hear confessions on Saturday’s, many hear them daily.
 
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CatholicCid:
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Were we mad that we could not get to Confession that day (and wait a week) due to someone taking 30 minutes? No, as if others need that time to reunite with Our Lord and return to the Church, I’ll gladly wait forever… Waiting only makes it better.
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now here is a real Christian attitude, from someone who has obviously taken to heart the parables of the good Shepherd and the prodigal son.
 
On a similar note, if you’re in line to confess a mortal sin and the Priest has to start mass so you don’t get to confess until after mass, can you still receive Communion? Your intent was to receive absolution before mass, but circumstances beyond your control changed that.
 
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Jabronie:
On a similar note, if you’re in line to confess a mortal sin and the Priest has to start mass so you don’t get to confess until after mass, can you still receive Communion? Your intent was to receive absolution before mass, but circumstances beyond your control changed that.
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See my post #7.
 
Didn’t Saint Pio of Petrelcina stay for 12 hours to hear confession?
While priests are very busy, and understandably so, it is too bad
he didn’t stay for an extra half hour. I know our priest stays until
everyone has a chance to get into confession. Maybe your priest
had an appointment he couldn’t put off? I find it odd that he’d leave
with people still there? I hope that next time he has confession,
that these people will come back and go 🙂 Confession is very
important, and hopefully these people will come back 🙂
 
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Marilena:
Didn’t Saint Pio of Petrelcina stay for 12 hours to hear confession?
While priests are very busy, and understandably so, it is too bad
he didn’t stay for an extra half hour. I know our priest stays until
everyone has a chance to get into confession. Maybe your priest
had an appointment he couldn’t put off? I find it odd that he’d leave
with people still there? I hope that next time he has confession,
that these people will come back and go 🙂 Confession is very
important, and hopefully these people will come back 🙂
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see my first sentence on post # 13.
 
Heart Of Mary:
With numbers like that (2 minutes per confession) you might as well have “drive through confession”:rolleyes: …
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I guess it’s pretty much a personal thing; but I can confess a lot of sins in 2 minutes! Heck, I can confess a lot of sins in 30 seconds. Someone above mentioned a 30 minute confession. In 30 minutes I could sum up the sins of the entire congregation over the past 30 years.

For me, confession is an opportunity to have my sins forgiven, not a counseling session. You can always arrange a counseling session separately, or have a spiritual director. But, especially if one is in a line where you know there are people waiting and the priest has limited time, I think it would be charitable to those waiting to forgo the counseling, and just state the sins.
 
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Jabronie:
On a similar note, if you’re in line to confess a mortal sin and the Priest has to start mass so you don’t get to confess until after mass, can you still receive Communion? Your intent was to receive absolution before mass, but circumstances beyond your control changed that.
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Thistle: See my post #7.

Dear Jabronie and Thistle,
I don’t think the priest can give you a conditional absolution of mortal sin just so you can get by on communion. I’m not an expert on canon law, but it seems fishy.
I have had situations where I approached a priest before mass about confession. Rather than interfere with his preparations for the Holy Sacrifice, I attended Mass with great love, abstained from communion, and went to confession afterward. Out of honor for my Lord and Savior, I would rather be inconvenienced and not receive Him, than run the risk of eating and drinking condemnation on myself.
In Christ, Mulus
 
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