When your confession is long

[dividus]

Makes you think there was a godly priest in the confessional with him. I wonder who the pacing impatient man was with.

I can indeed attest to the fact that there was a godly priest in the confessional as he also heard my confession. Despite his years – he could not have been beyond his early thirties - he also gave me wise pastoral advice.

 

[TideFalcon]

I really appreciate the OP’s sentiments. Obviously, if one thinks they have sin on their soul, it needs to be confessed. I do, however, think that when a person knows that they are likely to be in the confessional for a long time, it is thoughtful to make an appointment, if possible. I myself am a very busy and hard worker. I work anywhere from 55-60 hours every week. Usually, when I go to confession, it is on Saturday afternoon at any of the numerous local parishes, and it is between shifts at work, so I am sometimes stressed if I have enough time for reconciliation when there are a lot of people in line. Just this past Saturday, I think one person who was ahead of me was in the confessional for 15-20 minutes. One gentleman who was behind me in line was fidgety and kept looking toward the door. My style is to tell the priest what I have to tell him and to not beat around the bush. I don’t use if for an extended counseling session, although I understand why some need the counseling and seek it at that time. I try not to judge those who are in the confessional for an extended period of time, and I try to remain calm and consider that the stress that I have while I am waiting is one form of payment/punishment for my transgressions.

 

[AHapka]

As for the one hour block, I’m guessing it’s listed as “Confessions will be heard from x o’clock to y o’clock or until all are heard.” So if you aren’t able to have an appointment and therefore go at the regular time, you’ll be able to be heard.

Though one issues is that some confessions are scheduled before Mass. At my parish, confession starts an hour before Mass. So if you end up going in with 15 minutes left, there won’t be time for a long session. But I’m sure the priest will be willing to make alternate arrangements.

 

[AmyEliz]

I thought I might as well give an update.

So I went to confession at the normal Saturday time. It was my first time at this parish so I didn’t know what to expect, but I figured there would be lines… There was barely anybody there! It’s sad, really, as it’s such a beautiful sacrament, but at least my time issue became a non-issue.

 

[jlhargus]

Hello, I know this topic has been brought up before, but I’m bringing it up again.

I recently returned to the Church after over a decade away; my time away was filled with poor decisions and bad living, so I had a lot of sins to confess (I brought a list along so I wouldn’t forget any) when I returned to the sacrament of reconciliation. My long confession was heard at an event where confessions were being heard all day long, so I didn’t have to worry about the time.

Well it’s been a month since that confession, and I’ve remembered so many more mortal sins and possibly mortal sins that my confession will probably take a long time again, even if I’m really quick with my “new” sins. I’ve tried scheduling an appointment with one priest via e-mail (the parish secretary suggested this way) with no luck; soon I’ll try emailing another priest and after that, I guess I’ll start asking priests from other parishes. I’m trying to schedule an appointment because I don’t want to make confession impossible for any of the poor penitents stuck in line behind me during the one hour a week that our parish has confessions. I also don’t want to be moving to the back of the line every time another person gets in line, because there probably would be no time for my confession.

Then I think of how rude it is to be asking to take up a busy priest’s time. So no matter what I do, I’m being inconsiderate to somebody. Is it more rude to make a long confession when there’s a line? And what if I can’t find a priest who will see me by appointment? There doesn’t seem to be a right way to go about things, and now that I also possibly am in a state of mortal sin, I’m getting a little panicked. Any advice? What would you do?

If you have a list, number the sins by category. Such as 4 times had sex, 6 lying, etc… It is not necessary to go through why, where, when, how and certainly not who. This should cut way down on time. If it still goes to long ask the priest what to do and do as he tells you.

After posting I see you solved your problem.

 

[dshix]

I thought I might as well give an update.

So I went to confession at the normal Saturday time. It was my first time at this parish so I didn’t know what to expect, but I figured there would be lines… There was barely anybody there! It’s sad, really, as it’s such a beautiful sacrament, but at least my time issue became a non-issue.

Great!! Sometimes God just removes the obstacles for us so we don’t have to worry about it.