Refused confession

[Steady_Eddy]

Refused Confession

Though I attended two daily Masses on Saturday the Mass times were changed for St Patrick’s Day and unfortunately I was very late on both occasions. Another Mass which is normally on at 1-05pm on Saturday was cancelled altogether. When I asked the Franciscan brother about this (in Church) he told me the only other Mass that day would be the vigil Mass for Sunday. I then said I’m after missing Mass today is there anyone available to hear my confession and he replied “no” I then added if I ring the bell at the confessional wouldn’t someone come out and hear my confession, and again he said “no”. This seemed very strange to me as I just saw not one but two priests leave the altar after Mass. Anyway, I then left and went to another Church and again there was no confession to be had. I returned later for the vigil Mass but couldn’t receive Communion. I’m wondering now how many others have been turned away like this possibly to never return again or even to die before being able to do so. Your thoughts on this please, have they got the right to refuse confession, my understanding would be a definite no.

2 Cor 13:13
Eddy Barry

 

[MarkThompson]

No offense, but you weren’t denied Confession, you simply went somewhere where Confession didn’t happen to be available at a moment’s notice. The two priests you saw may have been going to make hospital rounds, or to say Mass elsewhere, or even, if they were Franciscans, for a meal or the Office with their community, which, as Brother JR will tell you, takes precedence for vowed religious over pastoral work. In the future, you might just check ahead of time when Confessions are going to be heard, and schedule an appointment if you would like Confession at an odd hour. When there is no emergency, priests aren’t obligated to drop everything they are doing or might have scheduled and scurry to hear Confessions at unappointed hours.

And the discouragement you are feeling now is just the Deceiver trying to keep you away from the confessional next time.

 

[Steady_Eddy]

No offense, but you weren’t denied Confession, you simply went somewhere where Confession didn’t happen to be available at a moment’s notice. The two priests you saw may have been going to make hospital rounds, or to say Mass elsewhere, or even, if they were Franciscans, for a meal or the Office with their community, which, as Brother JR will tell you, takes precedence for vowed religious over pastoral work. In the future, you might just check ahead of time when Confessions are going to be heard, and schedule an appointment if you would like Confession at an odd hour. When there is no emergency, priests aren’t obligated to drop everything they are doing or might have scheduled and scurry to hear Confessions at unappointed hours.

And the discouragement you are feeling now is just the Deceiver trying to keep you away from the confessional next time.

Hello there, and thanks for your reply,

You’re half right in what you say. I wasn’t refused by a priest, he was a brother. And this particular Church has a bell which you are encouraged by a sign to ring whenever you wish, so confession is available on short notice. I think given the day that was in it, and the circumstances my confession could and should have been heard. Confessions are always heard on a Saturday. I certainly won’t be put off going by this, but some people I’m afraid might. When I do go to confession I will ask the priest how he would have responded had I gone directly to him. I will let you know exactly what he says. My own gut feeling is there are three things a priest should be absolutely delighted to do at any time, 1 Offer Mass, 2 Give the Last Rites, and 3 Hear Confession.

2 Cor 13:13
Eddy Barry

 

[FrBryan]

Steady Eddy,
Here is the Canon:

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.

A priest assigned to a parish is required to hear a parishioners confessions when they “reasonably seek” it. Now, I am not casting any judgment on any particular priests, as I do not know the circumstances. Personally, the only time I have ever delayed hearing someone’s confession is when they ask right before Mass and there is not enough time. From your description of what happened, I would presume that the priests had some pressing commitment.

I would encourage you to find out the posted time for confessions, then you will know that someone will be available. Otherwise, you could always make an appointment.

♱ Fr. Bryan

 

[triumphguy]

Steady Eddy I was trying to understand your need for confession having missed mass on a Saturday, then I remembered that St. Patrick’s Day is a Holy Day of Obligation in Ireland is it not?

So to get this clear - you tried to get to mass on a Holy Day, but missed because you didn’t have the right info. I’m not sure this would put you in a state of mortal sin would it?

 

[Steady_Eddy]

Steady Eddy,
Here is the Canon:

A priest assigned to a parish is required to hear a parishioners confessions when they “reasonably seek” it. Now, I am not casting any judgment on any particular priests, as I do not know the circumstances. Personally, the only time I have ever delayed hearing someone’s confession is when they ask right before Mass and there is not enough time. From your description of what happened, I would presume that the priests had some pressing commitment.

I would encourage you to find out the posted time for confessions, then you will know that someone will be available. Otherwise, you could always make an appointment.

♱ Fr. Bryan

Hello Fr Bryan,

I’m certainly not judging the priests either because they don’t even know what happened until I go to confession and explain. It was a brother that refused me. I should have gone directly to the confessional and simply rang the bell but I didn’t and I blame myself for that. The reason I was upset is because I am a daily Communicant or was until this happened. I think the brother was very wrong, he’s not entitled to make those decisions, and I was really stupid to listen.

2 Cor 13:13
Eddy Barry

 

[Edmundus1581]

Steady Eddy I was trying to understand your need for confession having missed mass on a Saturday, then I remembered that St. Patrick’s Day is a Holy Day of Obligation in Ireland is it not?

So to get this clear - you tried to get to mass on a Holy Day, but missed because you didn’t have the right info. I’m not sure this would put you in a state of mortal sin would it?

Ahh… thanks for that! I was a bit confused about how being very late for Mass on St Pat’s day became an issue about confession!

 

[felsguy]

Ahh… thanks for that! I was a bit confused about how being very late for Mass on St Pat’s day became an issue about confession!

Ditto that. Saved me from making an embarassing post. My Irish grandfather would have reached down from heaven and smacked me.

.

 

[Steady_Eddy]

Steady Eddy I was trying to understand your need for confession having missed mass on a Saturday, then I remembered that St. Patrick’s Day is a Holy Day of Obligation in Ireland is it not?

So to get this clear - you tried to get to mass on a Holy Day, but missed because you didn’t have the right info. I’m not sure this would put you in a state of mortal sin would it?

Hello there,

Sorry I couldn’t reply last night, I was in an Internet café, and they were just about to close when your message came in. I don’t have nor want a computer at home.

Anyway, you’re absolutely right, Saturday was St Patrick’s Day, and a holy day of obligation in Ireland. And though I realize I didn’t really commit a deliberate mortal sin by missing Mass in that fashion I still couldn’t, or wouldn’t receive Communion again without going to confession first. And no matter what anyone says, I still think it’s very strange that the Church not only changes Mass times around, sometimes by a mere 15 to30 minutes in order to confuse people, and then cuts out the normal Saturday confessions, and actually cancels several Masses altogether in various Churches, and all this supposedly to honour a saint. Two other Masses have been cancelled today (Monday) to complete the Bank Holiday weekend. I think the bishops and priests have become very lazy in recent years, and it’s weakening the Church severely. One time I could attend 7am Mass, now the earliest Mass is 8am, and that two was cancelled this morning at the Dominican Church. Other people are being caught too by these variations not just myself.

2 Cor 13:13
Eddy Barry