What has caused confession to take a back seat?

[babochka]

That would be breaking the Seal of the Confession!!! God Bless, Memaw

In what way?

 

[Gertabelle]

I attend a parish in the city, full range of incomes, and a large Mexican immigrant population.

Our priests do preach about sin, forgiveness, and the sacrament of confession. They do a great job. Our parish offers confession seven days a week, every day of the year except during the Triduum. I usually attend the sacrament before work during the week as the line is a little shorter, and I can easily get there 30 minutes early (first in line ) and pray.

And there are ALWAYS lines – people of every age

I think this is due to the leadership of our Bishop, and the excellent training of our seminarians in recent years. It doesn’t seem to matter which parish I attend for confessions either – even the “liberal” parish has some of the longest lines in town! I’ve seen long lines in every parish, regardless of the day or time.

Thanks be to God!

When visiting my mom in Orange County, CA, in June, I was delighted to see how many parishes close to her were offering Eucharistic adoration and frequent confession times. That was not the case there when I was growing up.

Thanks be to God!!

 

[Sarcelle]

I think you and nodito point to a very valid point. In the past most people would see any father as both loving yet still ready to put you back on the straight and narrow. Ideally parents embody both mercy and justice. With the utter lack of respect for authority in our society many parents have tried to become their kid’s buddy and place mercy over justice. (“Johnny cursed at me last night, but he’s under stress so I let it slide”) I think many have extend that same dysfunctional relationship to the heavenly Father. Since he loves us he’ll just give us a pass.

Spot on.

 

[Sarcelle]

I attend a parish in the city, full range of incomes, and a large Mexican immigrant population.

Our priests do preach about sin, forgiveness, and the sacrament of confession. They do a great job. Our parish offers confession seven days a week, every day of the year except during the Triduum. I usually attend the sacrament before work during the week as the line is a little shorter, and I can easily get there 30 minutes early (first in line ) and pray.

And there are ALWAYS lines – people of every age

I think this is due to the leadership of our Bishop, and the excellent training of our seminarians in recent years. It doesn’t seem to matter which parish I attend for confessions either – even the “liberal” parish has some of the longest lines in town! I’ve seen long lines in every parish, regardless of the day or time.

Thanks be to God!

When visiting my mom in Orange County, CA, in June, I was delighted to see how many parishes close to her were offering Eucharistic adoration and frequent confession times. That was not the case there when I was growing up.

Thanks be to God!!

I am going to confession in a couple of hours.

Pray for me.

 

[ProVobis]

In what way?

I think she was referring to someone intentionally listening in to others confessions, but I’ll let her speak for herself. I stay away as far as possible when I see another do confession.

 

[Gertabelle]

I am going to confession in a couple of hours.

Pray for me.

You got it!

 

[808Catholic]

That would be breaking the Seal of the Confession!!! God Bless, Memaw

I believe Seal of Confession applies to the priest who’s hearing the confession; the person confessing can share his/her transgressions with anyone they choose. God Bless!

 

[Buddyroe]

Just my observation, but there are several reasons why I think that may be.

Sin and the consequences of sin is rarely, if ever, mentioned anymore.

An over-emphasis on Divine Mercy with everyone going straight to Heaven when they die. Consequently, Purgatory seems to have emptied out and, since everyone goes straight to Heaven when they die, has gone out of business.

I was catechized before Vatican II. Back then, the over-emphasis was on the Justice of God and we rarely, if ever, heard about Him being Merciful. We were being motivated by fear and not by love.

Sin used to be presented to us in a black and white fashion. There were no gray or murky areas.

It’s hard to know the exact answer to your question. These are just some of my thoughts.

No doubt there has been a cultural change, but God has not changed. As in I & II Chronicles the leaders of Judah were ambivalent in their faith towards God. So it is today with the prevailing attitudes that cause grievances beyond our imagination. We must not acquiesce against what is Holy but remain as a testimony for Jesus Christ knowing that it is our reasonable service and our passionate faith.

 

[Buddyroe]

In what way?

N o question about it, the general perception of confession is "I have already been forgiven’.

The idea of a need for ongoing confession is a vanishing concept and I would agree a dangerous one… Even though I am not RC I understand the need to be of a ‘broken and contrite heart’. The eternal need for absolution has been satisfied by our Savior Jesus Christ. The temporal need for absolution resides in the continual desire of confession, to acknowledge our situation and to redirect our vain assessments.

Confessing our sins is a commandment by Jesus, we must not make excuses to avoid our most severe obligations.

 

[Gordon_Sims]

This judgement thing is sooo far overrated it is pathetic. Just because one knows the line to Communion is far greater than the lines for Confession and knowing that fact, (as Father said in his Homily, to many people don’t believe in sin anymore) doesn’t makes us judgmental. You have NO reason to be “scared” of us for speaking the TRUTH. We are NOT judging their souls as you put it. Maybe your judging our souls??? God Bless, Memaw

Our priest made a similar point recently in one of his homilies. He reviewed the fact that the host truly is the body, blood, soul and divinity of Christ, then went into what our attitude should be when we receive Communion and when we should refrain from it. He wrapped it up with a great talk about Confession and several times throughout the homily mentioned the disparity in the length of the lines for the Eucharist and for the confessional. His points didn’t come off as judgmental at all and I pray that it did some good.

As for why so many people don’t go to Confession anymore, I think there’s a lot of reasons. A big one is poor catechesis. I was never taught that we needed to go at least once a year. Even worse, there are tons of mortal sins that we were taught were venial or not sins at all. Cultural attitudes are another problem. Many people I know don’t believe that anything they do short of murder is sinful or even slightly wrong. I have one friend who was caught him dirty dancing with someone who certainly wasn’t his wife at a party (bumping, grinding, groping everything that could be groped). He said there was nothing wrong with it because it wasn’t like they had sex. He used the same argument a year or so later when he was caught drunkenly making out with a coworker at an office party. He then refused to go to Confession shortly after that when they were preparing for their son’s Confirmation because neither of those instances were adultery.

I have one friend who insists that the Church no longer requires you to go to Confession. He’s the sort who never misses a Bible study and reads just about every Catholic book he can get his hands on. Another friend gets worked up whenever I mention going to Confession. He’s of the “if it’s not murder you don’t have to confess” sort. He always wants to know just what I’ve done that’s so wrong that I have to go to Confession. I gave in once and gave him my list of sins, which included missing Mass, not fasting for an hour before receiving the Eucharist and receiving Communion without going to Confession first because I was too embarrassed to sit in the pew when everyone else went up. He doesn’t ask me about Confession anymore.

 

[CuriousMike]

This thread has made me wonder whether the Protestant (whatever form you like) idea that “Jesus already did everything on the Cross, and you don’t have to do anything to deserve the forgiveness through him” has REALLY and TRULY made some inroads into our faith…

It is unfortunate that our faith isn’t taught 100% by folks with a burning fire inside them, wanting to tell everyone and everything about our Faith. I guess that is humanity.

I too, am of the opinion we need less of the mamby-pampy stuff from the pulpit, and a little bit more of a reality check; without being rude or obnoxious about the facts. For example, if we are talking about the Sacrament of Penance, then it is prudent to mention that God’s love is shown to us in our forgiveness - but we must also look at the OTHER side of the God’s love for us, in His just-judgement of our souls when we die.
Unfortunately, I guess this just isn’t what people want to hear.

It was interesting that this thread should pop up, as another lady in my Parish and I were discussing this in regards to a large quarrel in another ethnic group in our small community. Our Parish has a seasonal change in numbers, probably about 40-50 during 6 months of the year, and anywhere up to 15-25 the rest. As little as 4 people for Communion Service sometimes. Amongst all this, only two other people I know regularly visit Confession before our semi-regular Masses.
I honestly don’t know what to think about this. Should I be worried, and pray for all these people who could be committing sacrilege or just “let it be?”

 

[dividus]

When I was just about to leave school, aged about sixteen, we were taken on a two-day retreat to a Jesuit house in a town not far away. It was a beautiful, peaceful place surrounded by gardens and lawns and I remember drinking in the atmosphere of tranquillity.
At the end of the second day, before we left, we were lectured by one of the priests on the consequences of neglecting our faith once we were out in the world. I cannot recall exactly what he said but I can say that we all emerged from that room absolutely terrified of the visions of hellfire which he had conjured up.
I returned properly to my faith about two years ago and the major difference these days seems to me to be the emphasis on mercy and the glossing over – for want of a better phrase – of the need for sincere and contrite confession

 

[otjm]

It is hard not to notice the dramatic neglect of the sacrament.
One day we had lines, and the next we had none. This did not of course happen in one day, but in a very short period of time the sacrament became passe for most Catholics.

So it is impossible to avoid then, that the reasons for going to confession were not very substantial to begin with. A person does not desire something intensely one day, and the next day see it as unnecessary. That doesn’t follow. I desire my wife today, I desire her tomorrow.

The conclusion must be that the laity did not ever desire confession to any great degree. Might it be said that it was empty observance for most people? Or guilt? Guilt is one motivation to do something, but it is not lasting motivation. Or simply expectation. to be a good citizen in the Catholic community your were expected to go. Also a motivation, but not a lasting motivation. And when Church culture changed we breathed a sigh of relief and said “thank god that’s over”?

So we were sacramentalized but not evangelized (stealing a common phrase these days). And we still are. Sacramentalized but not evangelized. As long as Confession is seen as a punishment for sin, or a bargain with God to escape the consequences of sin, or a procedure to go through, people will not have a desire to go.

Rather, let’s talk about an encounter we have with the Son of the living God, Jesus Christ, in the confessional. The Good News is that he knows us. He knows our sins and weaknesses, and he is waiting to forgive us and heal us. Our desire to encounter him can be awakened but we must talk about him, both in our pulpits and our common conversation.

One of the better posts I have seen.

 

[otjm]

Yes. This.

We hear a lot about the good old days, the glory days of the 1950s, when people were well-catechized with memorized responses from the Baltimore Catechism and, of course, went to Confession. (Or, as my dad tells me, sinned on Friday so they’d have something to confess on Saturday.) But where are those people now? Where are their children? They were the first to stop going to confession and the generation to not send their children. How is it that they completely dropped such good practices in such a short period of time? Why were they not longing for the sacramental graces?

Ummm, I don’t think so. Age wise, the greatest % attending Mass on a regular basis are those over 55+. And they are the greatest number of people in the confessional lines, for the parishes I have visited.

Sadly, it does not take a lot of brains to be well-meaning; but if one is going to be well-meaning and not screw up everything, then one needs some synapses to be firing.

After Vatican 2, among a goodly number of the intelligentsia, there was a feeling that Vatican 2 had reinvented the Church - I say feeling, because any reading, even a sloppy one, of the documents would have indicated that the Church was not being reinvented.

The Baltimore was, like the baby, thrown out with the bathwater. It is a function of memory fade and and time passage ( or a matter of not even having been there) which convinces us that those in the pews in the 50’s were devout and focused. Some were; and some were in Mass simply because of their “obligation” and little else. Their “knowledge” was rote and not excessively internalized.

And the intelligentsia wanted involved followers of Christ, but had the sadly mistaken notion that the catechism had to be tossed out and a new one written, with no reference to what came before. Rather than trying to add to what could be a firm foundation, they tore out the foundation and then attempted to build a house without one.

That, pretty generally, doesn’t work for houses, nor does it work for learning one’s faith and growing into a mature faith.

Coupled with that was the spread of the Devil’s most subtle tool - television. Lassie might have had some redeeming qualities, although I don’t recall much reference to religion. And so began our journey from the spoken and written word, to visual images, and secularism started encroaching.

As someone somewhat pithily observed, since then we have lost two generations, and are in the process of lsoing the third (in large part because the two generations preceeing - parents and grandparents - were so poorly catechised that they have nothing to pass on).

For the last twenty to thirty years we have seen the kids brought to religious ed, but not to Mass - and what does that tell the kids? If their parents have no sense of even the minimal - the obligation - it is hard to get any serious depth to the child who sees the teachers on one side, and their parents on the other.

And there is the attitude of too many youth - “I got confirmed, so I don’t need to learn any more” - which didn’t start with the post-Vatican 2 excuse for catechesis - plenty had that before John 23rd was even a Cardinal. It just has not improved, and what is not moving forward is losing ground.

 

[Kielbasi]

Confession is a very labor-intensive tasks for the priest- it has to be done one on one.

Increasing the demand for the sacrament would really put the pinch on the priests’ schedules.

 

[twf]

At my cathedral, confessions are heard three times a day, six days a week. And there is always a line - and often two or three priests hearing confessions. The lines will often continue into the start of mass.

 

[ProVobis]

Confession is a very labor-intensive tasks for the priest- it has to be done one on one.

Increasing the demand for the sacrament would really put the pinch on the priests’ schedules.

Recently the Pope has “asked” all priests in the Vatican to set time aside to hear confessions. After all, isn’t that why they are ordained to do? The power to forgive sins is a pretty awesome power, if one thinks about it. What’s more awesome on the priests’ schedule?

 

[808Catholic]

Recently the Pope has “asked” all priests in the Vatican to set time aside to hear confessions. After all, isn’t that why they are ordained to do? The power to forgive sins is a pretty awesome power, if one thinks about it. What’s more awesome on the priests’ schedule?

The average pastor of a Catholic parish usually has himself and maybe one or two other priests. Between them, they have to schedule who’s going to celebrate the Masses; there’s usually a daily Mass on the weekdays, maybe 2 Masses on Saturday, and up to 4 Masses on Sunday. The pastor also has to manage and supervise his assigned clergy and lay employees and volunteers. He has to attend several parish council meeting such as the pastoral council, finance council, building committee, liturgical council, faith formation, bereavement team, and vicariate and Diocesan meetings. He has to visit the sick and elderly in his parish, beg for more donations, ensure his RCIA/CCD staff is on track so the children/adults might make the sacramental schedule. He has personnel squabbles to mediate, bills to pay, forms to file, and phone calls (don’t forget the scores of phone calls and texts that bombard his phone every day!) to answer. If he’s fortunate, he’ll have baptisms, marriages, and renewal of marriage vows to arrange. Sadly, he’ll also have hospital visits, anointing of the sick, and burials as well. In between all the sacramental and administrative duties, he’ll have to take time out for his own prayer life and to prepare of each and every sacrament and, if he wants vacation or is sick, or one of his parish priests are going on vacation or has taken ill, he needs to arrange for coverage.

And then there’s confessions to hear.

Pray for all the clergy. Their vocation is probably the hardest in our society yet least visible and appreciated. God Bless the clergy and all religious members.

 

[MissRose73]

I grew up post Vatican 2 also and the only pope I remembered & knew about for so long was Pope John Paul II. I do not recall being told when I went for my 1st Confession years ago that you had to do it at least 1 time a year (chalk it up to bad catechesis in the 80’s/90’s & it not being emphasized) and it was the era of the communal services without a chance for private confession during Lent & Advent which many considered good enough.

I see more people in lines before TLMs compared to the OF to go to confession (and the priest at the TLM I went to even mentioned before his homily during the announcements that he would be available for Confessions after Mass, I did see about 10 people line up after Mass, I would say about 10 to 15 people went before Mass - myself included). I do notice that most TLMs, the homilies are not afraid to mention sin and stuff compared to many OF Mass homilies. Confession and sin tend to get mentioned a lot more during Lent & sometimes Advent in homilies when I do not go to a TLM.

 

[Memaw]

In what way?

By not making SURE that Confessions cannot be overheard!! We had a priest ones about 30 years ago that had the girls all reveal their sins, (called faults), to each other. He was strongly reprimanded by the bishop. Don’t know what happened to him after that. That was breaking the seal of Confession. God Bless, Memaw