True confession? I didn’t go to confession for over half a decade. I was too busy acting like a heathen. Trying to be less of a heathen, I try to go more. Simple sinners are as simple sinners do. We need it, pray for us.
I am without wheels of my own right now - long story… so I share a vehicle with a roomate… A vehicle he bought from me. I pay the insurance, I get to use it when he is at work.
Today he gets off work and gets home at 4:08. I am wanting to go to confession accross town to a great priest, but to not take up too much time (the roommate needs to go grocery shopping), I opt to go to the parish six blocks down. The website says confessions are heard at 4pm. This should work.
I get there at 4:18 - the kindly lady passing out missals informs me Father was done 5 minutes ago. “You have to get here right at four, he’s there about 15 minutes.”
In a suburban parish with three Masses and a parking lot 25% full at 4:20 for the 5pm Mass, confessions can be heard in thirteen minutes??? Maybe that is the parish I need to attend. They are so holy, apparently there isn’t much to confess… What little there is, takes one priest 13 minutes a week.
No problem, Saint Robert’s (named changed to protect the innocent) has confession half an hour before Mass - Mass is at 5pm. I can get there by 4:35 - I am good. I get there, I stand in line for 5 minutes only to find out, there is no priest in the confessional. There is no notice on the door. I hope Father is ok.
MAYBE I can make it to the Dominican parish. They hear it daily at noon until the last one is heard (a line for two confessors) and 1 hour before each Mass. Mass is at 5. I get there are 5:10, he is just leaving.
Go Dominicans. I should have come to you first.
Priests who read this blog (probably just Father J) is it that tough to sit and read a book for 30 minutes while waiting for a poor penitent? If you want, take a book while you are waiting for the prodigal sons. I am enjoying (then Cardinal) Ratzinger’s Without Roots if “People” is more your speed, that is fine. Bring your iPod™. If you are a smoker, go ahead and take an ash tray - it won’t bother me, I will be happy you are there.
Without the opportunities for confession there will be no saints. There will be no holy vocations to the priestly, religous and married life. To be a good priest, seminarian, sister, husband, wife, child, butcher, baker, candlestick maker, you need confession. Full stop.
Please be there. Give us 30 minutes.
David Bennett
Jennifer
asimplesinner
Fr. J.
Chad Toney
Jorge Flores
Jonathan B
carmelbennett
nicenehobbit
Jason S
jaybird68
papaz
December 30, 2007 at 4:43 am
Sorry, Simple. Confession is all over the map these days. In the 70’s and 80’s it was in dismal condition as then heathens such as yourself and yours truly stayed away from the sacrament. But, there was a huge re-awakening to the sacrament in certain sectors of the Church in the 90’s and up to the present.
Here at Notre Dame we have confessions 3 times a day with two confessors each. And, there are lines. I used to take a lot of time for each confession, but it just isnt practical any longer to do that unless it is by appointment.
At the parish where I assist, we have two confessors hearing for 90 mins on Friday evenings and 90 mins on Saturday afternoon, plus dozens of random impromptu confessions throughout the week.
The sacrament has thoroughly blossomed here in northern Indiana, and I never bring a book as I would never have time to read.
It seems to me that parishes where the sacrament is emphasised and it is given priority do have a thriving ministry “in the box.” As you know, people shop. They go where they are spiritually fed.
One thing about the sacrament that I have never seen discussed online is the resurgence of scrupulosity. This is truly concerning and needs to be dealt with among the Catholic faithful.
December 30, 2007 at 5:25 am
Father, excellent points.
To be clear, a rant is a rant! I am well aware of the renaisance in some places… And that I am preaching to the choir. Truly it is just sad that sacramental availability can effectively be an accident of your geography. Then again, Providence working how and where It will, maybe God intends for the Holy Souls of Indiana to be the re-enlighteners of America. Go Irish!
On your last point, that is well recieved. Scrupulosity can insinuate itself into piety. In some circles it gets forgotten or ignored that the Devil has plans for the pious - that is why, in part, I have never been a fan or advocate of bishop fightin’. They could be very wrong, and you could be very right… The end result could and often is two parties covering all ends of the spectrum for being wrong.
I would invite a post offering the Church’s wisdom on scrupulosity.