Why is confession dwindling?

[thistle]

How likely is it that a good 90% of the parish doesn’t commit at least one mortal sin a year?

Not likely but possible.
I’m simply pointing out the once a year (during the Lenten period) requirement is not to confess but to receive Communion. If the person is in a state of mortal sin they must confess first. If they are not they don’t need to confess.
Many people mistakenly think the once a year requirement is Confession.

 

[detoutcoeur]

This month I felt drawn to confession, and made three efforts to find one in the great big (Catholic) city that is Chicago.
I first went to my main parish on a Saturday during the bulletins confession hours before the Saturday mass, only to find the church doors locked and no cars in the parking lot. Strangely I waited and when church goers entered, I did not find a confessional in use.
Dismayed I went the next week to a parish that advertises confession daily from 7am-6pm. Arriving after work at 5:15 the confessional was closed. I’m not sure if it closed early or the priest was called away, but I could not make it to Church any earlier due to taking the bus from work.
Then yesterday I attended benediction at yet another parish, now more determined than ever to get a confession in, since I do not believe in coincidences and feel that someone or something is trying to keep me from the sacrament. Confession was to take place for an hour after benediction and I put myself first in line. When the priest opened the confessional doors, low and behold a person went in and after 30 minutes did not emerge. I waited and while doing so, 8-9 additional people came and inserted themselves in the line without acknowledgement to those of us who waited after benediction and I did not get to go within the allotted time.
My question to other Catholics is - do you see a trend of confession going away at your parishes? It seems like it is being downgraded to half-hour intervals a week at many parishes and canceled all the time?

I’m planning to go today just because I am overly motivated by being denied it three times!

Good for you!

Have you tried Holy Name Cathedral ? There’s Confession on Saturdays from

3 - 5 p.m. and 6:15 - 7:15 p.m.,
holynamecathedral.org/index.php?page=penance

before the Vigil Masses at 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
holynamecathedral.org/index.php?page=mass-schedule

Holy Name Cathedral , 730 N Wabash Ave Chicago, IL 60611 (312) 787-8040

There’s also the chapel at Loyola University on Lake Shore Drive:
luc.edu/campusministry/sacramental_life/sacraments/confession/index.shtml
luc.edu/campusministry/sacramental_life/eucharist/mds/index.shtml

Another possibility is to phone the priest at your parish (or one nearby) and make an appointment with him for Confession.

 

[larsont7]

I always assumed all the Catholic churches in Chicago had Confessions immediately following Cubs games.

Seriously, though, I think many have already summed up the main reasons:

1. Poor catechesis
   . . a. Lack of belief in hell / universal (or near universal) salvation of all mankind
   . . b. Lack of understanding of what constitutes a sin, particularly mortal sins
2. Priest shortages
3. Need for Confession not preached in homilies
4. Cafeteria Catholics
5. Shame
6. Poor catechesis - this deserves to be mentioned twice, so I did

 

[babochka]

As a not-yet-Catholic, I’m rather puzzled by confession. My church, which has several thousand people attending Sunday mass, has confession scheduled for one hour each Saturday afternoon.

As I’ve been studying Catholicism and the requirement to confess once per year with the recommendation to do it monthly or more often, I can’t quite figure out how all those people fit into that one weekly hour. Maybe the scheduling will make more sense to me once I’m allowed the sacrament.

Maybe they all confess at parishes that offer more frequent confession times, or go annually or semi-annually at a penance service, either at your parish or elsewhere.

 

[babochka]

When have you last heard a priest mention the sacrament during a homily?

At least monthly for the past 5 years. When he first got here, we thought our priest would include it in every homily. It has definitely had an affect as far as frequency of confession in our parish. I know of several people who had never been, or had not been in many years, who now frequent the sacrament.

 

[thistle]

At least monthly for the past 5 years. When he first got here, we thought our priest would include it in every homily. It has definitely had an affect as far as frequency of confession in our parish. I know of several people who had never been, or had not been in many years, who now frequent the sacrament.

From time to time during the homily our priest mentions that he notices the Confession lines are short but that the Communion lines are long and tells people they must not receive if they are in a state of mortal sin.

 

[Tigg]

Chicago… The only thing worse is Vermont. All the good Catholics moved south of Kentucky by now. Lines are long here in the south. Y’all come down.

I went today before noon Mass too. I just walked into the Church and stood by the vestry 15 minutes before Mass and waited for Father to show up. He was genuinely happy to hear my confession and we prayed the Our Father together in the confessional.

So yeah, y’all come down. We’ll leave the tabernacle light on for ya. Bring a book to read while you wait because the line is gonna be long.

You might have something here…is it a geographical thing? We had tremendously long lines when we lived in a state southwest of here - if you didn’t get in line 1/2 hour before confessions started on Saturday, chances are, you had to wait until after the Sat vigil Mass when they resumed.

Then we moved north and could not believe people simply did not go to confession. I am, however, happy to report that there has been a big change in the past couple of years. Instead of twice a month at our Cathedral, they are heard every Saturday afternoon. The only significant change I can think of in this diocese is that Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration was instituted by our new bishop a few years ago.

 

[commenter]

As a not-yet-Catholic, I’m rather puzzled by confession. My church, which has several thousand people attending Sunday mass, has confession scheduled for one hour each Saturday afternoon.

As I’ve been studying Catholicism and the requirement to confess once per year with the recommendation to do it monthly or more often, I can’t quite figure out how all those people fit into that one weekly hour. Maybe the scheduling will make more sense to me once I’m allowed the sacrament.

Welcome to the Church!
Sometimes the biggest barrier to people becoming Catholic is the witness of weak Catholics - like myself. The Church is always holy; individual Catholics are not, at least not as much as we should be. The “normal” practice for Catholics is more like every 2 weeks, no more than once a month, and that should guide you. The “normal” (typical) practice for most is much less often.

Remember Catholics (and Protestants) are heavily influenced by trends in the larger society. In the USA the culture in effect denies original sin. In one sense there is more repentance than ever now. The media, educational systems, many churches constantly confess the sins of the rich and powerful, drug and sex traffickers, large corporations, etc. In other words, they confess the sins of people other than themselves! Some political speeches sound almost like sermons. Parishes that don’t preach against personal sin usually have few in confession, but tend to sponsor Peace and Justice seminars, where people repent the sins - the sins of other people.

Clergy who preach against the kinds of sins their own people tend to commit are few. When we got a priest who did just that, confessions went up.

When I go to confession I can’t confess the sins of the politicians, or the “sin” of inequality, or the “sin” of war, or big business, or the “sin” of my upbringing, etc. etc. The priest only wants me to confess the sins I actually committed. I need that.

 

[ProVobis]

From time to time during the homily our priest mentions that he notices the Confession lines are short but that the Communion lines are long and tells people they must not receive if they are in a state of mortal sin.

FWIW, this is good, but I’m wondering how many people, aside from those who are unintentionally ignorant, start rationalizing their sins (perhaps it was not that grave, didn’t give full consent, etc.) once they see everyone else getting up to receive. Just a thought.

 

[babochka]

From time to time during the homily our priest mentions that he notices the Confession lines are short but that the Communion lines are long and tells people they must not receive if they are in a state of mortal sin.

My priest preaches on Confession. Sometimes, it is the focus of the homily, other times, he just mentions it in passing. When he first came, he preached a homily on confession and my 5 and 7 year old children (who had not yet had their first confessions) were begging to go. I think half the parish was lining up to go the next week. He is always positive. He makes us so long for heaven that we hardly realize that he is preaching about hell; he makes virtue so appealing that we don’t mind that he’s calling us each to task for our own sins. He helps us to really, really want to go to confession, to receive forgiveness for our sins and the many graces that come with the sacrament. He never shames anyone into going, just gives persistent and gentle encouragement. I find his approach very effective.

 

[firead]

FWIW, this is good, but I’m wondering how many people, aside from those who are unintentionally ignorant, start rationalizing their sins (perhaps it was not that grave, didn’t give full consent, etc.) once they see everyone else getting up to receive. Just a thought.

I would say many, because I have done this myself, and been tempted to many more times - well __ is usually a venial sin, only mortal in some cases, I didn’t really mean to __, etc. A large part of this because it can be embarrassing to stay in the pew when it feels like everyone else in the church is going for communion, so it perpetuates itself.

 

[Tigg]

From time to time during the homily our priest mentions that he notices the Confession lines are short but that the Communion lines are long and tells people they must not receive if they are in a state of mortal sin.

And how awesome is this!!

Anyone familiar with “Courageous Priest” probably saw a recent article entitled “10 sins that must be confessed before receiving Holy Communion.”

courageouspriest.com/10-sins-confessed

Of course, this is preaching to the choir as I would guess those most in need of this reminder do not frequent this site.

 

[aicirt]

On the feast of the Assumption, our priest pondered on how few were in attendance at Mass. I counted between 80 and 100 all of whom received communion which is fine.

My thoughts were if the priest was so concerned and truly believed that not attending was a mortal sin, then he should say two days later at Sunday Mass, "Those who attended the holiday of obligation on Friday and those who went to confession on Saturday and confessed that they missed the Feast of the Assumption may receive communion. All the rest, stay in your pews.

I fail to understand what is so difficult for a priest to stand up and tell his congregation that he knows full well all have not gone to confession and are not in a state of grace.

We have three Masses on Sunday plus the vigil Mass on Saturday afternoon. Yet on the feast day only one Mass was scheduled. Obviously, the idea that all would attend wasn’t considered when it should have been. People need to be reminded. If the priest doesn’t think it is important, the congregation will not.