Dave Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 There's a possibility that I might be moving to a small town in the near future (although it's much bigger than where I currently live). There's a Catholic Church there, but being in south GA, you can imagine there aren't too many Catholics around. Well, I checked the Mass and confession schedule, and confession is by appointment! I think it's so sad when I see parishes doing confessions by appointment and nothing more. I mean, come on, do you really think most people would make regular appointments just to go to confession? However, I guess that just goes to show how little many Catholics value confession these days. I know there are other Catholic parishes in neighboring towns with set confession schedules, and perhaps the parishioners go to one of those parishes. But who knows? In addition, the town I currently live in is really small (about 3000 or so people), and yet the parish here has set confession times. Unfortunately, few people go. The times I've gone to confession there that I've been the only one! I've heard it said that the number of people going to confession each week is a good way to measure a parish's spiritual health. Well, that sounds logical. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foundsheep Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 I live in a fairly large town and the only time I see a lot of people at confession is a week or two before easter. Otherwise there are maybe 3 or 4 people a week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Gus Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 Pray for more priests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary's Knight, La Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 the other thing you might consider is this might be a blessing for the priest perhaps by doing it by appointment he is able to tend to some specific spiritual needs he has or perhaps he can tend to some hidden needs of his parishioners(sp?) besides the priests I know who do it by appointment only will accept walkins any time they're not in the middle of doing something else Just think of it as him letting you pick his hours in the confessional Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JP2Iloveyou Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 I heard Cardinal Arinze speak on this very topic once. Someone asked him in teh Q & A afterwards what they should do if their parish doesn't offer confession. He said, "Drive to one that does." IMO, it is rediculous if a priest can't hear confessions at least once a week, however, we can offer the slight inconvenience up and remember places where people can't drive to the next parish or where the Church is persecuted. It was pretty powerful coming from Cardinal Arinze, who is from Africa for those of you who don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paladin D Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 Yeah, the local parishes around here do Confessions by appointment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 Maybe you should consider the priests schedule before you judge him. Did you contact him and ask him why he schedules confession by appointment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted November 1, 2003 Author Share Posted November 1, 2003 Maybe you should consider the priests schedule before you judge him. Did you contact him and ask him why he schedules confession by appointment? Uh, Cmom, you forget that the reason why the priest only schedules confessions by appointment may very well be that no one comes to confession anyway! I wasn't judging any priest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmotherofpirl Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 (edited) Its just the general overall tone of the thread Dave, not you. I didn't mean it personally, sorry. I was typing and yelling at a teenager at the same time. It may be no one comes to confession and that could be the result of his lack of preaching etc, but the guy might just be overworked as well. We have confession here every week which gets a few people, but the big crowds come in Advent and Lent when there are penance services and there are 8-10 different priests to choose from. Edited November 1, 2003 by cmotherofpirl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted November 1, 2003 Author Share Posted November 1, 2003 Its just the general overall tone of the thread Dave, not you. I didn't mean it personally, sorry. Oops, my bad. I'm sorry, Cmom. (blushes) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JP2Iloveyou Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 Maybe you should consider the priests schedule before you judge him. Did you contact him and ask him why he schedules confession by appointment? I'm sorry cmom, usually, you and I see eye to eye, but I can't disagree more with you. The most important job a priest has, second only to offering the Holy Mass is hearing confessions. So, unless he has to offer Mass all day, he should be hearing confessions. He should cut something else out of his schedule before cutting out confessions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomas Michael Posted November 1, 2003 Share Posted November 1, 2003 (edited) There's one parish here in the middle of the DFW Metroplex that does regularly scheduled Confession once a MONTH. And this is a big church (which recently got a brand new worship space) with about 3000 members. Edited November 1, 2003 by Thomas Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellenita Posted November 2, 2003 Share Posted November 2, 2003 Can only a priest hear confession? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted November 2, 2003 Author Share Posted November 2, 2003 Can only a priest hear confession? Yup, only priests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellenita Posted November 2, 2003 Share Posted November 2, 2003 What happens if you can't get to see a priest? I understand that you cannot participate in communion if you haven't said confession, but does that mean that the prayer of confession said at the beginning of the mass is not enough? So if you haven't seen a priest you cannot have communion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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