Why is confession scheduled on certain days?

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fakename

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I was just wondering, what is more important than confession and yet it is scheduled only sometimes.

I can think of some reasons but I want to here what other people think.
 
So that people know that when they show up, the priest will be there.

Almost all priests also provide for Confession at other times by appointment but the scheduled times are when you know for sure a priest will be available.
 
Corki said:
So that people know that when they show up, the priest will be there.

Almost all priests also provide for Confession at other times by appointment but the scheduled times are when you know for sure a priest will be available.
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Wow! I seriously never thought of that! How logical!
 
Most priests run very busy schedules.

Most have morning or noon mass. They meet with families planning funerals, couples planning weddings, couples requiring counseling, parishioners who have complaints about various things in the parish or happenings during mass, and the parish staff for staff meetings. They meet with the liturgist to discuss music. They must attend the finance committee meetings. They must attend the parish council meetings. They must write their homilies. They often have meetings off site with the diocese committees. They must visit several hospitals and care facilities to visit sick parishioners. They are called out for emergency anointings of parishioners. If a school is associated with the parish, they often schedule time in the classrooms. When religious education meets on various nights, they must appear for all of those children. Somewhere in there, they grab lunch and maybe a quick bathroom break! Some like to exercise to keep themselves physically in shape. If they are lucky, they get one day a week to themselves.
 
fakename said:
I was just wondering, what is more important than confession and yet it is scheduled only sometimes.

I can think of some reasons but I want to here what other people think.
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I don’t really understand the question. Do you expect priests to stay in the confessionals all day, every day to be available for confessions? They have many other duties every day. Life happens on a schedule, so confession does as well. The times are posted and pre-set so folks can arrange their schedule to get to confession. Individuals may also schedule an appointment with a priest to have confession heard on an emergency basis or if they cannot go during the posted times. All they have to do is ask.

Our Church offers confession on Saturday afternoons before Mass and one Wednesday evening a month.
 
I would like to see Saturday morning (or early afternoon) and/or a weekday evening Confession time. It can be for an hour or 2. I think the evening time would work out better for working people who may have to complete things on Saturday they may not be able to do during the working week. Perhaps more will come to Confession if the times were more plentiful. Also, churches in a local area should spread their times and days to allow for people to confess no matter if its their parishioners and/or visitors.
 
The time and day of scheduled confession is set by each priest based on his experience and the needs of his parish. Confession is more commonly offered on Wednesday, Friday, or Saturday. But you can probably set up a standing appointment for a Monday each month if that worked for your schedule.
 
Mrs_Sally said:
The time and day of scheduled confession is set by each priest based on his experience and the needs of his parish. Confession is more commonly offered on Wednesday, Friday, or Saturday. But you can probably set up a standing appointment for a Monday each month if that worked for your schedule.
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appts. are often the way to go. you can also get to know your priest quite well this way, meeting him once a week like this.
 
fakename said:
I was just wondering, what is more important than confession and yet it is scheduled only sometimes.

I can think of some reasons but I want to here what other people think.
Click to expand...
Our parish Church has Confession every day.
 
fakename said:
I was just wondering, what is more important than confession and yet it is scheduled only sometimes.

I can think of some reasons but I want to here what other people think.
Click to expand...
Mass and Last Rites for the sick are just two things that are equally (not to say more) important in relation to confession.

Confession schedules are a balancing act between the times most parishioners are free to go and the times the priest is free to hear them.

Having a scheduled time lets parishioners know that their anonymity will be preserved if they show up at that time, which is sometimes a concern people have with directly making an appointment.

It also allows them to plan their time around the schedule, for example many parishes will have confessions directly or shortly prior to their Saturday evening Mass, so some people do a twofer, confess and then stay for Mass.
 
Anonimity is a very good reason. There may be some who would never go to the rectory or clal to ask for an appt. If they know when a priest is in the confessional, they could choose to stay behind the screen and curtain, especially if they are anxious about the sin or sins they have to confess.
Another very good reason is that the priest has so many other duties, he needs to schedule the time so there will be no conflicts.
Howver, everyone has the option to call and be seen as soon as posssible, every day. Priests are very accomodating when it comes to hearing confessions as a general rule. 🙂
 
fakename said:
I was just wondering, what is more important than confession and yet it is scheduled only sometimes.

I can think of some reasons but I want to here what other people think.
Click to expand...
Priests often have a pretty tight schedule, particularly those with large parishes.

If there is only a single priest in a parish, Saturday afternoon or perhaps an evening are the only times that can really be dedicated to this purpose.

Mornings are usually the scheduled time for funerals, there is no way to know when someone is going to be in need- sometimes its people they never even heard of. Marriages have to be prepared for, children and adults need catechized, visits to the sick have to done.
 
fakename said:
I was just wondering, what is more important than confession and yet it is scheduled only sometimes.

I can think of some reasons but I want to here what other people think.
Click to expand...
One weird explanation I’ve heard is that Sunday is a celebratory day and so penitentially-oriented activities such as confessions are inappropriate.

Another that I actually heard someone offer in total sincerity was that Vatican II did away with the concept of sin and now confessions are comparatively rare.

At any rate, we have confessions before *and during *practically all of our masses every day of the week. The confessor takes a quick break in the middle to go up and distribute communion. (We have a severe shortage of EMHCs.)

We have one of those extra-large curtain-optional confessionals that is just big enough for a wheelchair. You know, ADA compliance. We store sanctuary cleaning supplies and equipment in it. Our vacuum cleaner suffers from scrupulosity. Which is good for a vacuum cleaner.

We also have an outdoor confessional that doubles as a sidewalk around the parish property.
 
VicTorDominican said:
At any rate, we have confessions before *and during *practically all of our masses every day of the week. The confessor takes a quick break in the middle to go up and distribute communion. (We have a severe shortage of EMHCs.
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i think youre looking at it the wrong way. EMHCs are only to be used when there are no ordinary ministers, such as the priest in the confessional.
 
FatHead said:
i think youre looking at it the wrong way. EMHCs are only to be used when there are no ordinary ministers, such as the priest in the confessional.
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We try to promote the full, conscious, and active participation of the clergy. But the shortage is so serious that we are considering opening up the EMHC team to allow celibate members, even males.
 
VicTorDominican said:
We try to promote the full, conscious, and active participation of the clergy. But the shortage is so serious that we are considering opening up the EMHC team to allow celibate members, even males.
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What do you mean by this?
 
I went to an EF Mass, and the guest priest/celebrant was hearing confessions on Sunday for about 30 minutes before he went and vested for Mass - he heard about 15 to 20 confessions during that time. So the line about no confessions on Sunday cannot be true as this same priest does confessions at his own parish on Sunday mornings for the same time frame before vesting for Mass.

Personally, I like the anonymity of going at scheduled times especially if I have a serious sin or an embarrassing one to confess. I do not try to be the first in line nor the last either.

It would be nice if groups of parishes got together to do combination Communal with opportunity for private confession, penance and absolution more often besides at Christmas time and Easter Time. I’ve been to many parishes where they bring in many priests, do a few readings and a hymn and prayers and examination of conscience then spread the priests throughout the church. You line up and give distance between the priest & person confessing. Some priests will get to use a confessional, others may get private rooms, others just lines where the line has about 10 feet from the priest so you cannot hear the penitent that is confessing to him is saying. After all private confessions are heard, then we will say the Our Father, exchange a sign of peace, closing prayer and then sing a closing hymn.
 
Of course confessions can be heard on a Sunday. If they aren’t it is very likely due to the priest’s schedule. We have 6 Masses on a Sunday. Even with several priests, it would be difficult to hold confessions around the Mass schedule, since our priests all assist with communion at every Mass. Priests also need an opportunity to be prayerfully prepared for the Mass they celebrate and not just nip into the sanctuary with enough time to vest.

However, there are 6-8 hours of scheduled confession time throughout the week, so plenty of time for folks to get to the confessional before Sunday. During Lent and Advent they offer even more scheduled times. And of course, confession by appointment is always available.
 
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