Reconciliation

[pianistclare]

We have as very old priest, who is very involved in confession. Out of our 4 priests, he is always one of the two hearing confessions. He also is the priest who, during RCIA, hears the first confessions.
I’ve only been in the Church for less than 2 years and I’m already tired of hearing about Vatican II.

I know right? It’s only been 50 years…

 

[Duane1966]

I know right? It’s only been 50 years…

It seems like yesterday.

 

[ChikaisHis]

All the churches in my area that I know of offer confession at least on Saturdays. I am very blessed to be part of a parish where confessions are heard daily and additional times during Lent and Advent.

 

[LaughingBoy1503]

We only have confession at my parish on Saturdays at 3:30pm which is 1 hour and 45 minuets before the Saturday night vigil Mass. But, there are near by Parishes that have confession on other days of the week as well as Saturday. So, anyone around here, that does their research (and if someone wants to go to go to confession bad enough, you will do your research) will find that they have several parishes all within driving distance that offer confession almost every day of the week. I have not found a local parish that has confession on Sunday or Monday but any other day of the week, I know of at least one parish that has confession. They are all in the evening, so having a morning job makes it easy to make it. Having a swing shift or graveyard shift job would make it harder but then I know of a Parish that is a little further away that has daily confessions around 7:00 in the morning. If it is still impossible to attend, then making a appointment seems like the solution.

As for the penance services, I have only been to two and I don’t remember exactly how it went down. All I know is that even if a priest does not ask me to say a act of contrition, I do it anyways when I leave the confessional. And if a priest tried to dismiss me without a penance, I would ask him for it. If he told me I already did it, I would just take his word for it.

 

[ccmcmg]

It seems to me that private confession, at least in the United States and Canada, is a thing of the past. Most of the churches in my area don’t offer designated times for reconciliation. For the majority of parishioners, the only opportunity for confession is during the Advent/Lent “Penance Service”. It’s sad. Seems like most people don’t know that receiving the Body & Blood of Christ while in a state of mortal sin is a mortal sin in and of itself (God forgive me, I’m guilty of this too).

At my parish’s Reconciliation Service last week, we said the Confiteor and Lord’s Prayer after hearing the Word. When I went to confession, the priest said that the Confiteor took the place of the Act of Contrition and the Lord’s Prayer was my penance, so I could basically just leave after absolution and do nothing.

Is this allowed/the norm for other churches, or is mine just crazy?

Thanks!

If you are ever up north in the big city there are confessions heard many times a day, every day. It’s pretty awesome.

I found a listing of parishes and their listed times for confession here:
masstimes.org/search.html?lat=37.08422710000001&lng=-94.513281&SearchQueryTerm=joplin,%20mo

You can participate at other parishes besides your own, as I’m sure you already know/