Is it just me, or is set time for confessions becoming an endangered species

mburn16 · #1 Jan 16, '12, 12:43 pm

Hello all,

I'm just wondering whether anyone else has noticed this, but giving confession seems to be becoming something of a quest in itself. My church attendance in the past year or so has been sporadic, which naturally establishes the need for confession. Yet, my home parish (I'm a college student, so I'm not often there) offers confession only by appointment outside of the Lenten season, two of the parishes that I've visted near college listed confession time before mass, yet this did not take place either time I visited, a third parish offers set confession time in the middle of the day during the week (how many people can really make it? I have work/class), and a fourth makes no mentions of confession.

What gives?

I understand the Vatican has nixed the idea of providing confession over the internet or some other telecommunication channel, but I'm start to see why those exact things might make a LOT of sense.

**Bookcat** · #2 Jan 16, '12, 12:46 pm

Usually everywhere I have been..it is on Saturday.

Cathedrals often have daily.

One can also make an appointment ...or drop by.

Luvtosew · #3 Jan 16, '12, 12:52 pm

An hour a week where I go , unless you make an appoint. I guess.

It makes it hard.

DihydrogenOxide · #4 Jan 16, '12, 12:54 pm

Look for a church that offers more time for confession.

Without confession, the parish will become weak and fail.
The following is time tested and true: a solid parish places a large emphasis on confession. You see this time and again. The parishes where there is a lot of fluff, place little emphasis on sin. Find another parish.

Check here: www.masstimes.org

Put your ZIP in and it'll list nearby parishes and times for confessions.

Mijoy2 · #5 Jan 16, '12, 12:55 pm

I figure it's supply and demand. Where there is little demand there is little supply.

I usually go to a Carmelite Chapel in my area which has confessions multiple times a day. And there, I have never not had to wait. There, for whatever reason, there is a geat demand and also an abundant supply (of avaliablity).

It is almost always a line of sweet looking elderly ladies of which I need to wait for.

Funny how it's the sweet elderly ladies who seem to do most of the sinning isn't it?

mburn16 · #6 Jan 16, '12, 1:00 pm

Quote:

I figure it's supply and demand. Where there is little demand there is little supply.

You would think so, yet I went to Mass yesterday at the only church in the area that offers the TLM, and even they weren't offering confessions at the time listed.

Thats the one that surprised me.

TheRealJuliane · #7 Jan 16, '12, 1:03 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by mburn16

Hello all,

I'm just wondering whether anyone else has noticed this, but giving confession seems to be becoming something of a quest in itself. My church attendance in the past year or so has been sporadic, which naturally establishes the need for confession. Yet, my home parish (I'm a college student, so I'm not often there) offers confession only by appointment outside of the Lenten season, two of the parishes that I've visted near college listed confession time before mass, yet this did not take place either time I visited, a third parish offers set confession time in the middle of the day during the week (how many people can really make it? I have work/class), and a fourth makes no mentions of confession.

What gives?

I understand the Vatican has nixed the idea of providing confession over the internet or some other telecommunication channel, but I'm start to see why those exact things might make a LOT of sense.

Both the parishes I attend have Saturday morning hours, and one also has a Wed. evening hour. Why wouldn't you want to make an appointment if the hours are inconvenient? You can have as long as you need in that case, and you can also talk to the priest about things that bother you that aren't really sins.

And I would call the churches near your college and ask why there was no confession.

asia53 · #8 Jan 16, '12, 1:06 pm

My parish offers confessions for an hour on Monday evenings, Saturday afternoons, 20 minutes before 9 AM and 11 AM Mass on Sunday.

I've overheard Father say, participation goes in cycles. Sometimes, there are a lot of people, sometimes, he spends the time praying without a visit. It's either one extreme or the other.

LayingHands · #9 Jan 16, '12, 1:06 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by mburn16

Hello all,

I'm just wondering whether anyone else has noticed this, but giving confession seems to be becoming something of a quest in itself. My church attendance in the past year or so has been sporadic, which naturally establishes the need for confession. Yet, my home parish (I'm a college student, so I'm not often there) offers confession only by appointment outside of the Lenten season, two of the parishes that I've visted near college listed confession time before mass, yet this did not take place either time I visited, a third parish offers set confession time in the middle of the day during the week (how many people can really make it? I have work/class), and a fourth makes no mentions of confession.

What gives?

I understand the Vatican has nixed the idea of providing confession over the internet or some other telecommunication channel, but I'm start to see why those exact things might make a LOT of sense.

There was a time when you could just walk in at anytime, and wait behind the last person and complete your confession...I drove through a town once and feeling the need for GOD's shelter, entered into a CC, on a corner, so I could light a candle and pray for a bit...a young priest came up to me and said he would light the candle for me later? "Just leave your donation, and I will light the candle for you later..." I left feeling confused, hurt and a little insulted...

mburn16 · #10 Jan 16, '12, 1:07 pm

Quote:

Why wouldn't you want to make an appointment if the hours are inconvenient?

Because I am among those who prefer to give confession anonymously.

Phemie · #11 Jan 16, '12, 1:09 pm

It's not just you. In our parish the priest used to be available for confession for 30 minutes before the Saturday evening and Sunday Masses, starting 45 minutes before the Mass. Unfortunately for several years, if not a decade, we had Advent and Lent reconciliation services with general absolution -- people got out of the habit of going to private confession, in fact of going to confession at any other time.

Fast forward to 2004 and a new pastor. Within a few months he declared, "I'm not wasting my time sitting there waiting for penitents who never come. If you want to confess, call and ask." His successor didn't change that and now he's back as administrator and the same thing goes. Confessions have fallen by the wayside, the biannual reconciliation services draw about 20 of whom maybe 1/2 actually avail of the sacrament. But it is any wonder when sin is never mentioned, all sermons seem to end with "God loves you and forgives you no matter what you do," but repentance and confession is never, ever mentioned as being necessary?

asd72 · #12 Jan 16, '12, 1:46 pm

Ours is straight after Vigil Mass on Saturday, or by appointment which is good, because if no one turns up then our Priest can leave, or if there are lots of people he doesn't have a deadline and have to turn people away.

I guess if there are no set times and you want regular confession perhaps arrange a wkly/mthly time with your Priest.

txangel · #13 Jan 16, '12, 1:49 pm

I continue to be amazed at how extremely blessed I am to belong to my parish. The priests are incredible. We currently have 3. We have confession 17 times a week !!! Can you believe it??? 3 daily weekday Masses (Mon - Fri) and one on Saturday morning. Confession after each one of these, except the Sat morning....(the last Mass of the day is at 5:30, Mon-Fri, so confession starts around 6:15ish); then Saturday afternoon confession for an hour and confession before 5:00 Mass on Sunday, starting at 4:00.

May God continue to bless the selfless service our Priests provide to us.

Barbkw · #14 Jan 16, '12, 1:49 pm

90 minutes (for one hour) prior to Saturday Mass. Mass is at 5, Reconciliation starts at 3:30.

nickybr38 · #15 Jan 16, '12, 1:50 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phemie

It's not just you. In our parish the priest used to be available for confession for 30 minutes before the Saturday evening and Sunday Masses, starting 45 minutes before the Mass. Unfortunately for several years, if not a decade, we had Advent and Lent reconciliation services with general absolution -- people got out of the habit of going to private confession, in fact of going to confession at any other time.

Fast forward to 2004 and a new pastor. Within a few months he declared, "I'm not wasting my time sitting there waiting for penitents who never come. If you want to confess, call and ask." His successor didn't change that and now he's back as administrator and the same thing goes. Confessions have fallen by the wayside, the biannual reconciliation services draw about 20 of whom maybe 1/2 actually avail of the sacrament. But it is any wonder when sin is never mentioned, all sermons seem to end with "God loves you and forgives you no matter what you do," but repentance and confession is never, ever mentioned as being necessary?

Confession is not readily available where I am BUT my priest is amazing. It seems like every Sunday he is challenging us and convicting us to be better. He's amazing and certainly not preaching the loosey goosey stuff at all.

I think our society is teaching us we don't need to be forgiven - because we're strong and beautiful and worthy without any help at all - and when we're not careful to immerse ourselves in Christ's church we can get lost in society.