Why the lack of Confession times?

[Paddy1989]

This is most unfortunate and needs to change, too many souls will be lost. So many have become lukewarm that they rarely ever go to confession and even worse still regularly receive the body of Christ in a state of mortal sin, something i done myself many years ago when i was lukewarm and had little understanding. The problem i have is priests know this yet carry on as if it’s not essential. Don’t they know their parishioners are in grave danger, why not every so often mention this in their sermons, give out leaflets explaining this etc. Just to give us a good kick up the backside every so often, i understand lay people have responsibility but Priests are the shepherds, they need to give everything to can for their flock especially if they KNOW this is such an issue. I understand they can’t have confessions everyday even but half an hour a week is disgraceful

 

[Mi_Rose]

Our pastor is 83 and disabled. He is not retired because there are so few priests. He is also deaf. He hears confessions for a half an hour on Saturday.
What is the solution here? I would say more vocations. What can you do to be part of that solution? Most of us can do nothing except pray.

 

[phil19034]

phil19034:

Look, I don’t know why we are arguing about this.

My experience has been that priests are pretty well stretched to the limit as it is. Telling them “surely, you have 15 minutes more that you can do your job” sounds rude to my ears – essentially, it says “you’re working at my convenience, buddy, so snap to!”

1. you are putting words in my mouth. I know there are many priests who are very busy. And I used to 100% make the same argument that you are making now. But then, I made a passing comment to a priest talking about how far too many lay people don’t understand how busy priests are.

The priest I was talking with, said the idea that priests are busier than lay people is a myth & that priests have far more free time than the average married, lay person with children. He said he’s experienced first hand trying to contact other priests, numerous times, when they are not in their office & the staff have no idea where they are.

The staff isn’t going to tell a lay person that father is MIA, but many are more honest with other priests.

NOW - I am NOT saying that all priests goof off. However, I am saying that priests are human. I waste time every single day. I’m sure we all do. We always say you make time for things that are important to you.

So the idea that a pastor can’t find at least 15 minutes to schedule Confession M-F and on Sunday is silly. Sure, it might not be at every Church if he has multiple church buildings, I don’t accept that a pastor can’t find at least 15 minutes each day to have confession offered in his parish, even if another priest does it or he partners with a neighboring parish, chapel, or shrine for some Confession times.

1. I know we are the Church. But only priests and bishops can hear confessions. The only thing we laity (and Deacons) can do is encourage priests to offer more confession times and encourage people to go to confession (which is something I do). Personally, I love Confession- I hate sinning, but I love Confession. Every time I have the opprortunity to tell my “return to Confession” story, I do. To me, Confession is arguably the most important Sacarment that lay people can receive after baptism.

I also look at it like this… Priests & Parishes often bend over backwards to make communion available to everyone, including have 9PM Sunday masses for college kids (and others) who prioritize sleeping in on Sunday. And some Parishes bring communion to the homebound every single week (not just once or twice a month). So why don’t we do the same for Confession? Because while the Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith, Confession & Baptism are the doors to the Eurcharist.

So in closing: I’m not saying our priests are all doing bad jobs. I’m saying that most (if not more Parishes) can find more time for scheduled confessions. Even if it means one priest has to work 15 more minutes a day.

God Bless.

 

[Gorgias]

The priest I was talking with, said the idea that priests are busier than lay people is a myth & that priests have far more free time than the average married, lay person with children.

Good on him. Ask him, personally, then, to take on more confession time, and don’t assume he speaks for all priests. The ones I know wouldn’t agree with his take on things.

So the idea that a pastor can’t find at least 15 minutes to schedule Confession M-F and on Sunday is silly.

Fine. By the same token, the idea that laity can’t re-jiggle their schedules to find 15 minutes in which to get to confession according to existing schedules is silly. (See how much fun it is to make blanket assumptions? )

So in closing: I’m not saying our priests are all doing bad jobs. I’m saying that most (if not more Parishes) can find more time for scheduled confessions. Even if it means one priest has to work 15 more minutes a day.

So, in closing, what you’re saying is “priests need to work harder.”

 

[phil19034]

So, in closing, what you’re saying is “priests need to work harder.”

Harder, no. Just move confession higher on the priority list.

Again, we go out of our way to provide mass times that work around people’s schedules. Why can’t we do the same with confession?

I’m not asking for additional hour per priest. I’m asking for 15 minutes per Parish (or parish cluster). I’m not even asking per church building.

So if a pastor has 3 parishes to himself, he only has to offer it at one.

If a Priests work 8 hours a day, all I’m asking them to do is find 2 minutes of efficiency each hour so the parish (or parish cluster) has room to offer 15 minutes of confession.

I don’t know why you feel this is impossible.

 

[Gorgias]

Harder, no. Just move confession higher on the priority list.

Same problem. Go tell a parent that they need to “move confession higher on the priority list.” Just as difficult…

If a Priests work 8 hours a day

And you say that you have priest friends with whom you talk?

I don’t know why you feel this is impossible.

Because I do have priest friends, and they don’t put in 8-hour days, nor do they have “an extra 15 minutes in their schedule” (which, keep in mind, isn’t really “15 minutes” – it requires that they set aside that time every week, which means they have to schedule their other commitments around it, and they have to get to the church from wherever they are, and get set up, and probably have unexpected meet-ups with parishioners… so you’re talking more than “15 minutes”, even if you think you aren’t! )

 

[phil19034]

Because I do have priest friends, and they don’t put in 8-hour days, nor do they have “an extra 15 minutes in their schedule” (which, keep in mind, isn’t really “15 minutes” – it requires that they set aside that time every week, which means they have to schedule their other commitments around it, and they have to get to the church from wherever they are, and get set up, and probably have unexpected meet-ups with parishioners… so you’re talking more than “15 minutes”, even if you think you aren’t! )

I know they don’t work 8 hours… I was using that as an example.

I’m also not talking about some random 15 minutes where they have to get to the church from wherever they are.

I’m saying schedule 15 minutes before or after a scheduled mass.

I also know I can’t ask 100% of the Parishes to do this. But I know there are Parishes that could. I’m asking more priests to give this a try and for more than just Lent of advent. Give it a try for 6 months and see if the culture changes over time.

A parish could also include it with a parish wide study of the “Forgiven” series by Dr Tim Gray & the Augustine Institute.

My overall challenge to Parishes is to increase Confession attendance. Making a goal of eventual daily confession is a great goal to strive for. YES - it might not be logistically feasible for every single parish, but it’s a worthy goal to strive for.

 

[Kima]

I simply message the priest in another parish on Facebook and ask him if it´s possible to make a Confession before or after Sunday Mass since it´s the only time I´ll be around that parish. I talked to him and he walked into the confessional

 

[aldocera]

One of them is that they don’t want to deal with people. Another could be that people don’t go often to confession so it not that “necessary”.

 

[tafan2]

I don’t want to get into an argument about how busy or not priests are. But I believe that many parishes could offer confessions more often than once a week. And it would make a difference. Now, if it is only 15 minutes before/after a scheduled mass, I doubt that will help much, as people will assume its there for daily mass goers. And daily masses are often at a good time for people to goto the parish. I know a parish that does this, and that parish doesn’t seem to me to have people going to confession more often, as the confession before mass in the morning is only utilized by those people going to mass.

But in general, I agree that more parishes could offer it more than once a week and they should. My experience is it makes a huge difference

 

[Gorgias]

I’m saying schedule 15 minutes before or after a scheduled mass.

I’d like to ask you to try an experiment: keep your eye on your priest for the 15 minutes immediately prior to Mass and the 15 minutes immediately following it. You might be surprised to find out that Father is already extremely busy – prepping for Mass, dealing with whatever “before Mass crises” have popped up, and greeting people after Mass, and having impromptu meetings with folks who have decided that the best time to bring their problem to the priest (which warrants a 30-minute discussion with Father) is right before or right after Mass.

So, what you’re really talking about is the timeframe that begins at a half hour or more before Mass or a half hour after Mass has concluded. And, trust me… no one wants to stick around and wait for Father. “It’s too inconvenient.” (And, let’s not forget that Father might have a Mass immediately preceding or immediately following your Mass, and therefore, isn’t even available at that time.)

 

[Kima]

In my parish we have Confession 20-25 minutes before Mass on most weekdays except from when the priest is away for some reason.
He just sit in the confessional being available for Confession.

 

[phil19034]

phil19034:

I’m saying schedule 15 minutes before or after a scheduled mass.

I’d like to ask you to try an experiment: keep your eye on your priest for the 15 minutes immediately prior to Mass and the 15 minutes immediately following it. You might be surprised to find out that Father is already extremely busy – prepping for Mass, dealing with whatever “before Mass crises” have popped up, and greeting people after Mass, and having impromptu meetings with folks who have decided that the best time to bring their problem to the priest (which warrants a 30-minute discussion with Father) is right before or right after Mass.

So, what you’re really talking about is the timeframe that begins at a half hour or more before Mass or a half hour after Mass has concluded. And, trust me… no one wants to stick around and wait for Father. “It’s too inconvenient.” (And, let’s not forget that Father might have a Mass immediately preceding or immediately following your Mass, and therefore, isn’t even available at that time.)

I am simply saying this: I think it would be a very good thing to increase the number of scheduled confessions. I don’t care when or how. Individual parishes should figure that out. My ideas are just suggestions.

But I do think it’s something that every parish should work to do. That doesn’t mean stop everything now and change tomorrow. But I do think every parish should rework their schedules over time in order to increase the number of scheduled confessions offered to Catholics in their area.

Even if multiple parishes coordinate and take turns hosting. For example:

• Monday night at St. John
• Tuesday morning at St. Matthew
• Wednesday night at St. Peter
• Thursday morning at St. Peter
• Friday morning at St. John
• Saturday evening at all 3
• Sunday morning at St. Matthew

In my opinion, offering scheduled confession on just Saturday evening (at the same time every other parish in the area is offering it) is not enough. And in my experience, the parishes that offer Sunday confessions and weekday confessions see a lot of confessions during those times.

God Bless

 

[phil19034]

I’d like to ask you to try an experiment: keep your eye on your priest for the 15 minutes immediately prior to Mass and the 15 minutes immediately following it. You might be surprised to find out that Father is already extremely busy – prepping for Mass, dealing with whatever “before Mass crises” have popped up, and greeting people after Mass, and having impromptu meetings with folks who have decided that the best time to bring their problem to the priest (which warrants a 30-minute discussion with Father) is right before or right after Mass.

@Gorgias
This will be my last reply to you regarding this. I do not want to further argue.

Of course. Offering confession for 15 minutes before mass means starting it 30-25 minutes before mass starts so Father can have 10-15 minutes before Mass to finish getting ready and speak with his Altar servers. I said as much in a previous post.

God Bless

 

[phil19034]

Now, if it is only 15 minutes before/after a scheduled mass, I doubt that will help much, as people will assume its there for daily mass goers. And daily masses are often at a good time for people to goto the parish

I agree with you 100% on this. The 15 min before/after a scheduled mass was just a bare minimum I was suggesting. However, I totally agree, it would be much better at different time slot(s).

However, the advantage of offering it BEFORE daily mass is to get the daily mass goers out of the way if the parish has long confession lines on Saturday. So the “before daily Mass” time slot only shortens the Saturday line.

And the after daily mass works if it’s early in morning or evening (for example a 6 / 6:30 AM or a 5PM mass for example) provided the start time and end time is set.

For example: our Cathedral has confession at 11:30 to noon, and then Mass at 12:05. Usually, the priest who does the 12:05 mass hears the confessions, but if the confession line runs long another priest takes his place or he hears confessions again after mass for the people who couldn’t confess before hand.

Regardless, everyday, the lines are pretty long for the 30 minutes.

 

[Gorgias]

This will be my last reply to you regarding this. I do not want to further argue.

OK. I don’t think we’re arguing, though – we’re just talking through a series of proposals, in order to see what might work and what challenges the proposals present.

Offering confession for 15 minutes before mass means starting it 30-25 minutes before mass starts so Father can have 10-15 minutes before Mass to finish getting ready

One last “devil’s advocate” question: what happens when there are still folks in line and it’s 10 minutes before Mass? How do we prevent folks from getting offended by having stood in line and then finding out that Father can’t hear their confession because he has to prepare for Mass? How do we manage the issue that comes up when it’s 20 minutes before Mass and the person that steps into the confessional takes 10-15 minutes for their confession?

Lots of issues to consider, here…

 

[phil19034]

One last “devil’s advocate” question: what happens when there are still folks in line and it’s 10 minutes before Mass? How do we prevent folks from getting offended by having stood in line and then finding out that Father can’t hear their confession because he has to prepare for Mass? How do we manage the issue that comes up when it’s 20 minutes before Mass and the person that steps into the confessional takes 10-15 minutes for their confession?

That’s up to Father.

I’ve been to Churches where Father says:
“Sorry, I have to get ready for Mass now, come back tomorrow.”
“Sorry, I have to get ready for Mass now, if you stick around, I’ll hear your confession after mass.”

This situation happens a ton of parishes. I know at my parish, the Saturday evening confessions are from 4 to 5, mass starts at 5:15. And at our parish, the priest who is celebrating the 5:15 mass, hears the confessions. So there have been times when there are still people in line when Father has to stop hearing confessions so he can say Mass.

He either tells them to come back next week or wait for him after mass.

So this happens plenty. That’s why I like it when they publish a starting and ending time for confession.

 

[Nelka]

I hate it when I see a lot of people queuing up for confession before Mass but the confession slot isn’t long enough so people who are queuing miss out, I hate it when they are turned away.

 

[tafan2]

Yes, our parish has a daily mass at 7pm and confessions start at 6pm. Long lines. I was simply referring to the (all too common) 8am, 830am , and 9am daily masses. Those mass times are my pet peeve, but that is a different problem.

 

[InThePew]

I am simply saying this: I think it would be a very good thing to increase the number of scheduled confessions. I don’t care when or how. Individual parishes should figure that out. My ideas are just suggestions.

But I do think it’s something that every parish should work to do. That doesn’t mean stop everything now and change tomorrow. But I do think every parish should rework their schedules over time in order to increase the number of scheduled confessions offered to Catholics in their area.

I think you make a fair point. 15 minutes before Sunday mass is a non-starter (there’s almost always something which needs sorting) but certainly weekday mass could work at least for my parish and other parishes I’ve been in. The objection you’d hear from a lot of priests is that “no one comes anyway so why should I bother” which reminds me of the old definition of insanity: doing the same thing over again and expecting a different result! If people aren’t coming during the scheduled time then the problem may well be with the scheduled time (it might also be the the sacrament doesn’t get promoted as much as it should).

That said, no single time will suit everyone but that’s why priests need to make themselves available at other times as well. Parishioners also need to remember that a priest is obligated to hear their confession at any reasonable time and hold them to it!