Confession at a monastery

Elizahbeth · #1 Jun 23, '12, 2:24 am

If you go to a Benedictine monastery for mass in france, say Fontgombault where there is daily mass open to the laity, could there also be confession available or are the Benedictines not allowed to hear confessions of the laity?

I ask this question because in Italy at a Cistercian Monastery near us there is no way to hear mass, certainly not make confession, as they are cloistered and never allowed contact with any lay people.

andremiguel · #2 Jun 23, '12, 4:03 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elizahbeth

If you go to a Benedictine monastery for mass in france, say Fontgombault where there is daily mass open to the laity, could there also be confession available or are the Benedictines not allowed to hear confessions of the laity?

I ask this question because in Italy at a Cistercian Monastery near us there is no way to hear mass, certainly not make confession, as they are cloistered and never allowed contact with any lay people.

Their job is to the inside: "ora et labora", work and pray, not hearing confessions.

James Miller · #3 Jun 23, '12, 4:22 am

Benedictines are on call for confession. There is a bell provided for the non-scheduled confession times.

katolsk · #4 Jun 23, '12, 4:31 am

Just speak to a priest, they will normally do ad hoc confessions. I've been to confessions at various Benedictine abbeys.

Elizahbeth · #5 Jun 23, '12, 6:12 am

Thank you all for the reponses to my question.

At the Benedictine Abby in Abbotsford, BC, Canada, confessions were heard before mass and if I remember correctly after also. There were several monks in the confessionals.

Perhaps it is the same in Fontgombault. They dont have anything on their web site about confessions ( only times for mass and vespers, which has got to be wonderful).

It could be that a diocesan priest hears confessions in Fontgombault, and with priests so scarce in small rural towns it doesnt seem likely that it would be only the diocesan priest who is allowed to administer sacraments in the villages.

I am not adjusted to the requirement of calling and making an appointment for confessions. That seems overcomplicated and kind of self agrandizing to me. Ive always liked weekly confession which is impossible in all three towns I have lived in here in Italy.

I dont speak french well enough to telephone them and I have not found an email address for the abbey, would anyone know if they have email?

Thank you James Miller for that information, so simple.

englishredrose · #6 Jun 23, '12, 7:19 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elizahbeth

Thank you all for the reponses to my question.

At the Benedictine Abby in Abbotsford, BC, Canada, confessions were heard before mass and if I remember correctly after also. There were several monks in the confessionals.

Perhaps it is the same in Fontgombault. They dont have anything on their web site about confessions ( only times for mass and vespers, which has got to be wonderful).

It could be that a diocesan priest hears confessions in Fontgombault, and with priests so scarce in small rural towns it doesnt seem likely that it would be only the diocesan priest who is allowed to administer sacraments in the villages.

I am not adjusted to the requirement of calling and making an appointment for confessions. That seems overcomplicated and kind of self agrandizing to me. Ive always liked weekly confession which is impossible in all three towns I have lived in here in Italy. Being Anglican and in a church that don't have a regular confession time and being me, I have only made my confession by making an appointment. All our priests seem happy enough though I do feel a little guilty about the church being opened especially for me - but even if we had set confession times I wouldn't go then as too shy as ours aren't in boxes so people see and sadly yes people gossip so I always have done confession by arrangement. Priest seem to hear my need of for the church to be empty. I did try once before a service, that went okay as no one else came to the service but we were done in time but another time someone came early, we moved to the vestry and they came into the vestry. That time my sin happened to be minor and the event leading to it was a sin but minor but still. It put me off trying again before a service

and I am not pressured to. Just simply asks me when I would like to and he sees if he is free at that time.

I dont speak french well enough to telephone them and I have not found an email address for the abbey, would anyone know if they have email? May do. You may be able to look up to see if they have a website or use the diocesian information for their email addresses?

Thank you James Miller for that information, so simple.

OraLabora · #7 Jun 23, '12, 8:17 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by andremiguel

Their job is to the inside: "ora et labora", work and pray, not hearing confessions.

Not true. You can confess at a benedictine monastery. At the abbey I'm associated with, 1/2 hr before Sunday Mass. Otherwise at any time you can ask to see a monk who is also a priest for confession.

Edmundus1581 · #8 Jun 23, '12, 9:55 pm

When I was a new Catholic thirty years ago I often made my confession at a Dominican monastery, by just turning up at the door. They had a small room set aside near the front door for that purpose. I don't know about the Benedectines, however, and times have changed also, with fewer priests in the monasteries.