Reconciliation is it always Saturday @ 4?

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Sarahforgiven

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As a new Catholic, I have read about the importance of regular reconciliation & noted that Catholics whom we look to as role models & many Saints recommend regular confession. The local parishes only seem to have this sacrament on Saturdays @ 4. I have thought about asking our pastor about this, but honestly when I went 2 weeks in a row once, he seemed surprised to see me so soon.
The Cathedrals have confession during the week, but both are an hour away.
Can anyone offer any insight on the availability of this important Sacrament?
 
Some confessors think once a week is good, some think that is it too often for lay people who have committed only venial sins. You might also ask around and find a priest nearby whose sense of how often to go fits with how often you feel a need to confess. You do not have to use your own pastor as your regular confessor.

Others are concerned that people would profit more from the sacrament if they examine their consciences more often and more deeply. IOW, if you’re going to confess frequently and have it be a profitable thing, you need to examine your concience many times more frequently than that. If you intend to confess weekly, examining your conscience once or twice daily is not too often. (This is also the model of the saints.)

BTW, just because your pastor was surprised to see you doesn’t mean he wasn’t happy to see you! Good for you! If you want to go more often and can’t make it on Saturdays, ask your confessor for suggestions. It is often possible to make appointments. Some priests are regularly available (although not always) for a short while after their daily Masses, as well.
 
Sarah, if you need weekly Confession at this time in your life then it is open to you. You come to the Lord in the Sacrament and if you need the grace, then that is ultimately between you and God.
At one stage I needed weekly Confession, and did so for a while. Our priest questioned me, and I replied…“well I am like a little mouse, and a small bump is still a mountain to me, so until I grow I may need to come more often.” He accepted that without comment and didn’t question me again. Perhaps he wasn’t ready for my next defence or explanation!

God bless you,
Trishie 🙂

From Canon Law:
Can. 980 If the confessor has no doubt about the disposition of the penitent, and the penitent seeks absolution, absolution is to be neither refused nor deferred.

Can. 986 §1. All to whom the care of souls has been entrusted in virtue of some function are obliged to make provision so that the confessions of the faithful entrusted to them are heard when they reasonably seek to be heard and that they have the opportunity to approach individual confession on days and at times established for their convenience.

§2. In urgent necessity, any confessor is obliged to hear the confessions of the Christian faithful, and in danger of death, any priest is so obliged.
 
Evertime I come out of the confessional, I feel about 10,000lbs lighter…😃 I was Confirmed this Easter and our parish had confession 30min prior to each mass. Now we’ve moved and are trying to find a new parish. A couple of parishes offer confession Sat at 4, and another (smaller parish I think) offers it on 1st and 3rd Sat of the month at 4.
 
Every church is different. If you check your diocese’s website, they should have links to local churches and you can find out who has confession on certain days and times.

My area tends to have them mainly on Saturdays but most churches will say other times by appointment if you call the church.

Yes, I do agree you feel less burdened after having gone to Confession too, and it does not matter if I had just venial sins or a mortal one weighing down on my soul.
 
Most parishes in my diocese have scheduled confession times on Saturday before the Vigil Mass.

While that is the most popular *“scheduled time”, *most, if not all parishes in my area also say that confession is available anytime by appointment, all you have to do is call the parish office and tell whomever answers the phone that you need to schedule a time for confession.

I work on Saturday afternoons, most weeks, and have never been able to utilize “scheduled times”, so I do this often, and have never had any problems.

Peace be with you on your journey!!
 
Sarahforgiven said:
As a new Catholic, I have read about the importance of regular reconciliation & noted that Catholics whom we look to as role models & many Saints recommend regular confession. The local parishes only seem to have this sacrament on Saturdays @ 4.
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This is one of my bugbears, that neighbouring parishes insist on having not only Confession times but also Mass times, at almost or exactly the same times as each other. Thank God this situation has improved in my nearby suburbs in the last couple of years so now we have more of a choice. I suggest if you have trouble making it to Confession at the set times, you politely request the priest to set up another different regular time for confessions non another day or time, it need only be half an hour.

Most parishes have confession Saturday morning or afternoon, or Friday night. So that people have the chance to confess soon before going to Sunday Mass. Many parishes also have confession on another weeknight.

Also remember that if you need to go to Confession (i.e. you have committed a mortal sin and don’t want to have to wait for several days before confessing it) you can ask any priest at any time to hear your confession and he will do so immediately or as soon as reasonably possible.
I have thought about asking our pastor about this, but honestly when I went 2 weeks in a row once, he seemed surprised to see me so soon.
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Just as well he wasn’t the confessor for Blessed John Paul II, who used to go to confession every week the whole time he was Pope. I’m sure it wasn’t because he was a great sinner!
 
As others have said, it all depends on the Parish. Ours, unfortunately, has no scheduled Confession time. You have to either call and make an appointment or go tap the priest on the shoulder and request his presence in the confessional once he shows up in church to greet people about 15 minutes before Mass.
 
Sarahforgiven said:
Can anyone offer any insight on the availability of this important Sacrament?
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Hi Sarah, I am a cradle Catholic and I also wonder about this important sacrament.

When I was a kid, confession was available before every Mass, except Sunday Mass, when the Masses were scheduled back to back and the priests had very busy days. Making Confession available before Mass seemed logical since a person may need Confession in order to receive Communion.

I assumed that the daily Confession times were discontinued because of lack of interest on the part of the parishioners. The schedules were mostly changed to only Sat. afternoon before the Anticipation Mass and by appointment. Other than situations like the poster who works on Sat. afternoon, what conditions would typically necessitate an appointment? Do the priests get many requests for appointments?

I confess at one of three different Churches in my town. One Church always has a long line for the sacrament, another usually a short line, and the third never has a line. What’s up with that? My suspicion is that the pastors place various import on Confession which is reflected by the congregations.

Confession is “the other” means by which we regularly receive sacramental grace. Frequent Confession is particularly beneficial to one who is actively trying to grow spiritually.
 
This is the most unfortunate post Vatican II change.

The natural thing is that every practicing Catholic should confess his/her sins at least monthly: no one can be his own judge.

Blessed John Paul II explicitly recommended confession before and if possible during every Mass. This was the rule in the good old times, at least one priest sat in the confessional even during weekday masses, and there were always lines.

In the St John Cantius churches there is confession before and during every Sunday Mass, and there are always lines, even if two priest sat in the confessionals.

Every other functions, even baptism, witnessing marriages can be done by deacons. The sacraments reserved to the priest is the Mass, the Confession and the last rites. Nothing should be more important for a priest than this.
 
BTW - I just remembered something. Apparently our priest made arrangements to hear someone’s confession. He announce that the confessional would be open after a daily Mass. About 20% of the people stayed for confession.
 
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Laszlo:
This is the most unfortunate post Vatican II change.
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This has nothing whatsoever to do with post Vatican II. I’m sorry to read your misconception about this, Laszlo.
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EasterJoy:
Others are concerned that people would profit more from the sacrament if they examine their consciences more often and more deeply.
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Excellent comment! I will note that since I have been going to confession more frequently, although not being in mortal sin, I have found strength in eliminating the frequency of certain habits due to the grace that the sacrament provides. I was surprised to find that these weaknesses occured less and less often. One habit of profanity (only to myself) was gone completely.
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Sarah:
The local parishes only seem to have this sacrament on Saturdays @ 4
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While I’ve seen some objections to this, it is most opportune for the majority who need to interrupt their daily chores, clean up, and travel XX miles to go to confession, only to drive XX miles again later to attend mass. With gas being so expensive, I understand the need to cut down on extra travel.

I have often received excellent advice, rather than use the confessional for counselling, by sending the pastor an email. Never has a pastor refused to answer, and the advice is clearly written, just in case I couldn’t remember part of it.
 
Petergee said:
Also remember that if you need to go to Confession (i.e. you have committed a mortal sin and don’t want to have to wait for several days before confessing it) you can ask any priest at any time to hear your confession and he will do so immediately or as soon as reasonably possible.
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True but this takes a lot of the anonymity out of the confessional process, one of the niceness about the confessional screen. I see the OP’s point, though, about times. It can be staggered about, even within a given parish. At my parish, once another priest opened up the confessional during Mass and within seconds, there were 10 people in line.
 
I do wish that more churches would offer non appointment times for confession during the week for those who may work weekends or have other family/work obligations to attend to first, and cannot make it on Saturday morning/afternoon. Some people do not feel comfortable calling their church to say I want to make an appointment for Confession, and would rather do so on a walk in basis.

Perhaps, those weekday confessions went on the wayside. Then again I was born not long after Vatican II as my parents remember confession being more readily available even on weekdays.
 
Several different circumstances contributed to the Saturday at 4PM syndrome: the shortage of priests, the popularity of the anticipated Saturday evening Mass, the schedule of weddings and funerals, and American suburban culture.

I agree with the fact that the availability of confession times is critical. No matter how busy a priest may be, celebrating the sacraments is the most important function of his priestly life. And when confessions are heard frequently and regularly, and also preached about, people show up. Our small parish has confessions heard seven days a week, before every Mass, on Friday evenings, and–get this–before weddings and funerals. The result is that people come.

My advice: Drive the hour to cathedral when you need to. It will be well worth it. 😉
 
Sarahforgiven said:
As a new Catholic, I have read about the importance of regular reconciliation & noted that Catholics whom we look to as role models & many Saints recommend regular confession. The local parishes only seem to have this sacrament on Saturdays @ 4. I have thought about asking our pastor about this, but honestly when I went 2 weeks in a row once, he seemed surprised to see me so soon.
The Cathedrals have confession during the week, but both are an hour away.
Can anyone offer any insight on the availability of this important Sacrament?
Click to expand...
Things that bug me about Saturday 4pm confession or confession by appointment:
  • Confession by appointment is for the most part, just plain inconvenient.
  • If you are in line for confession and (depending on the priest) 5pm mass starts , tough luck.
  • The need to frequently confess is being preached, but a 1-1/2 hr wait time??? Not knowing if you be seen? Please.:mad:
  • The “on deck” method where the next person in line stands right outside the door of the confessional. Some priests can be rather loud and . . . . . well, you get the picture.
On a positive note: The best confession I ever had was in my parents back yard the night my father died.
 
I remember trying to go to Confession the day before I went to my first EF Mass, and 2 churches canceled their Confessions on Saturdays (one due to a wedding, the other was a parish thing was going on) then I checked on my smart phone & found out that the diocesan cathedral (also a parish) had Confessions scheduled for noon on Saturday. So I went, and was 2nd in line, and when I left the Confessional (Reconciliation Room) about 10 people were waiting. I prayed my penance after and spent some time in front of the Blessed Sacrament before leaving.

Its hard to go to Confession on Saturdays as my job requires me to work til nearly 4pm with a short lunch time, and Mass is at 5pm. I also am required to work on Sundays starting at 7am too so Saturday evening Mass works best for me.
 
The power of this Sacrament to grow spiritually is evident. I may ask this question locally. As mentioned by some other posters, the churches in town hold the same schedule. Yes, it may be worth a weekly outing to one of the Cathedrals.
 
Sarahforgiven said:
Reconciliation is it always Saturday @ 4?
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No, sometimes it’s at 4:15 :p.

Saturday is the prevalent day of the week for Confessions in my diocese. It’s annoying for those of us who have to work on Saturdays, and making an appointment removes the annonyminity from it.

The only other times is Monday to Saturday 12:00-12:30 right before daily Mass at the cathedral. There’s always a line up, even a half hour before, and the priest is usually 15 minutes late so the odds of getting in are very slim.

Fortunately I’ll be moving back to where I used to attend the TLM and Confession with an FSSP priest who is very good about scheduling a lot of confession time throughout the week, and if people didn’t get in before Mass, and it’s not the week he’s going to another city to offer Mass, he makes himself available after to hear confessions. I prefer the late in the Saturday evening time. It’s more peaceful, and it keeps me out of trouble on Saturday nights.
 
mark_a said:
Things that bug me about Saturday 4pm confession or confession by appointment:
  • The “on deck” method where the next person in line stands right outside the door of the confessional. Some priests can be rather loud and . . . . . well, you get the picture.
Click to expand...
Can’t say that one has changed since I first started going to confession back in the late 50s.
 
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