So few people going to Confession, why?

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For Lent and Advent our parish has an announcement before that there will be 5 priests hearing confession after mass on that one day. The priest even points out the “hard of hearing” priest. 😉

While I find it very nice, I would rather not have it sprung on me that way, as I like to think about it first. I am going to suggest to our pastor that he announce it the week before. It is pretty well attended, but I do think more people would rather know ahead of time.

(We also have confession on Wednesday night every week. ) Perhaps he thinks the element of surprise will get people to go? “I am here, I might as well go today.”
 
But how wonderful it is that they all want to go so much that they are mobbing the confessional. While the priest should maybe schedule some extra times, hopefully those who got shut out will be first in line next time.

And honestly, nothing encourages people to go more than seeing lines of others going. It’s a monkey-see monkey-do activity. Every time I’m at a shrine and confessions are happening, I hear people saying, “Oh look there’s confessions. I haven’t been in 6 months (or a year), I should really go”. It’s like when kids hear the ice cream truck bell jingle and suddenly all want ice cream though it wasn’t on their mind before.
 
My confession before a few weeks ago i hadn’t been able to get to confession for a very long time so I knew that I needed it. At the time that was when I saw so many people wanting the sacrament and when I came into the Faith in '18 was also anther time when I saw so many people who were wanting the sacrament of confession .
 
Bad confessors are a problem and reason why many don’t bother going.

If you’re just gonna rattle off a list of sins and then be given absolution rattled off as fast as possible by the priest, the person will feel like they wasted their time.
 
I’m sure that’s not universal. Honestly, people should keep it simple. Details are not strictly necessary unless they affect gravity. It’s not a mark of a bad confessor to go with a “just the facts” approach.
 
At our parish Church we have normal Confession 6 days a week, Monday to Saturday evenings and at Easter and the run up to Christmas more times are made available.
We don’t have Confession on Sundays because we have 10 Masses on Sundays so there is no time.
 
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TheLittleLady said:
Maybe none of those people were in a state of grave sin. Maybe they went to Confession yesterday, maybe they had to get to work.
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Just speaking from practical experience.
Many are unaware of their own sinfulness and need for confession.
It takes something big and nasty to drive them there.
On the bright side, once done the first time, the next time is easier.

I also have found in my own case, the more often I go, the more I find to confess.
 
It is not promoted. It is not explained. It is not pleaded for. It is not sufficiently available. OK priests are now off the hook.

WE are at fault. If all Christians, non-Christians and even atheists know that Catholics confess their sins, are WE off the hook? Nope. WE cannot claim ignorance if those others are aware of the sacrament.

Many have fallen into the practice of “confessing directly to God” - which is certainly correct, but far from complete. It is also not the way Christ established His Church.

Let’s face it: Confession is embarrassing. It is an admission of fault to another human being, of personal failings. Pride, envy, gluttony, theft, lust and sexual sin (LOTS of those), failure to do good, eco-sins (just kidding!) - it may seem like hitting ourselves on the head with a hammer. But that misses the point!

We need to hear that forgiveness. We need to hear the words of absolution. If we do not, we risk the sin of presumption, in which we simply presume/assume that God has automatically forgiven us. Well, what if He didn’t?

Problem. Maybe not now, but one fine day…

Back to the beginning: It is not stressed enough and we are too spiritually lazy to learn about it, to humble ourselves and to do what is expected - even required - of us.
 
Greetings in Christ. I think there are many reasons why people don’t confess often. I don’t know about western Europe, but in my city it feels like many churches don’t have Confession often, so it may be difficult for people to go. Generally, Confession is only available by appointment or for a small time on Saturdays. Mainly though, I think that many people don’t focus on repentace and mercy. Many people don’t find it important. It is really very sad. It is good that you went to Confession. I love to go to Confession. We sinners need all the graces we can get.

God bless
 
Anna5 said:
Yesterday, I was at Mass in my home town. There were about 40 people, all people who come regularly to weekday Mass. During Mass, the priest told us gently that today we are going to prepare ourselves for Christmas by going to Confession. He gently invited us all twice to come to Confession after Mass. I was very sad to see that only 4 four people (me including) actually went to Confession.
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I think you need take this with a grain of salt. You were at a daily mass, not a Sunday Mass.

Daily Mass goers are TYPICALLY the ones more likely to go to confession.

Also, this is not the Easter Season. Many people who don’t commit mortal sins only attend confession once a year at Easter. So please do not jump to conclusions during daily mass.

HOWEVER, IN GENERAL - yes too few attend confession and I think it’s because confession times are not convenient at many parishes. In generations past, families had little to do on a Saturday evening and could go to confession as a family.

Today, there are far too many things going on Saturdays.

Parishes really need to offer confession 7 days a week. (NOTE: I said parishes, not church buildings).
 
Good question — same thing happens at my parish in the USA. Pray for all of them. We need more teachings on sin, vices and the virtuous life. What is sin? What happens to your soul and life when in mortal sin?
I had a dream about hell once and did I ever get to confession after that. Hell is a place of no return and a trick of the evil one is making you think you might get out…it was the worse dream of my life. Will never forget it.
 
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Sometimes, we Catholics procrastinate. There is no reason not to go to confession.
Call your parish. See what time confessions are offered. If there is not a convenient time, see about gaining an appointment for confession with a priest.
Confess. Be sorrowful. Ask for absolution. Receive absolution. Do your penance. Receive the sacrament. Thanks be to God!!!
 
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Anna5 said:
Yesterday, I was at Mass in my home town. There were about 40 people, all people who come regularly to weekday Mass. During Mass, the priest told us gently that today we are going to prepare ourselves for Christmas by going to Confession. He gently invited us all twice to come to Confession after Mass. I was very sad to see that only 4 four people (me including) actually went to Confession. I felt sad for God and also for the priest. It makes me wonder, why do so many Catholics, even active parishioners who come to Mass on Sundays and during weekdays, decline this offer of mercy? It is not the first time I notice this… I live in West Europe. What could we do to encourage more people to go to confession?
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Just because they listened to his message about confession does not mean they necessarily feel prepared to go to confession at that moment or that they want him as a confessor.

Holy Communion wipes away venial sin. This teaching has been made clear in the past 50-60 years, but people are only recently being reminded again of the value of confessing even venial sins.
 
I once suggested to one of our priests that it might be a good idea to offer confession more regularly. He answered that confession is always available after weekday Mass, you just have to ask him, or by appointment.
But do you think this is sufficient?
For me, it takes quite some courage to approach the priest after Mass and ask for confession. I do this, but it makes it harder to go to confession than when the priest is just there in the confessional. I wonder why priests are not more actively inviting parishioners to come to confession instead of waiting until somebody asks them to hear their confession.
 
I’m too scared to go. I know it is ridiculous and silly. But I’ve been into church many times with the intention of going but never ended up doing it. I just don’t know what to say.

I’m embarrassed to admit how long it has been.
 
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