Getting Annoyed Waiting For Confession

[franciscanheart]

[quote name='Lil Red' post='1083924' date='Oct 4 2006, 02:30 PM']
what i meant during Lent was the line for regular confession times was about 20 people. not the Communal Confession or whatever it's called where they have 6 or 7 priests available to the whole parish.
[/quote]
Red, as the end of Lent approaches, we have on average about four priests available for regular confession times. Of course this year will make more sense because we have three priests assigned to our parish anyway!

[quote name='Anomaly' post='1083940' date='Oct 4 2006, 02:40 PM']
LOL. I got over my 'uncomfortableness over confession at one of the Lenten doo-das. All the confessionals were being used, they had stations with little screens for visiting priests. The Pastor had two chairs sitting on the altar in front of the Tabernacle. Literally right in front of God and everybody. He had the shortest line too and NOBODY even close doing their penance. Everyone was staring at the 'brave souls in Fr. A's line.

Being a more tolerant than patient soul, I took the short line. No matter how you slice it, a 6 person line was better than my choice of 8 two dozen person lines. By the time I got up to Fr. A, I was over everyone just watching our line and the person confessing on the altar. (Though it was pretty interesting.) Fr. A made a joke that he's gotten all the really bad sinners all night because only people who wanted to confess would brave doing it on the altar in front of God and everybody. He said take my time, his line was short and there was no point in chickening out now. One of the best reconcilliation experiences I've ever had.
[/quote]
I think I would have a hard time not waving at them amusedly.

[Mercy me]

Oh, you just hit a peeve of mine. I can't stand it when people in the confession line are complaining. It just drives me nuts. Whenever, someone complains to me I just share my thought and it is this: Jesus Christ suffered and was crucified for me and the sins that I am confessing. I have no problem dealing with sore feet waiting in line for forgiveness because I can't seem to avoid sin. Jesus suffered for me. Who am I to complain? It usually ends the discussion.


I don't like to derail a thread, but it is just so hard to get to confession. We used to have it before each mass and on Saturday. There were always at least 10 people in line for confession and at least 15 at the LifeTeen mass. Then we lost 3 priests at our parish. Now we only have confession on Saturday - which is difficult for me. Now, I have to take a day off from work to go to another parish so that I can make my confession. Recently, I got questioned because I had confessed that I had not been receiving communion. I said it was because I couldn't get a day off from work. I wish that it weren't so hard to go to confession. Pray for vocations.

[franciscanheart]

Can I take this back now? I feel bad after reading Red's post...

[Lil Red]

[quote name='Mercy me' post='1083951' date='Oct 4 2006, 12:58 PM']Oh, you just hit a peeve of mine. I can't stand it when people in the confession line are complaining. It just drives me nuts. Whenever, someone complains to me I just share my thought and it is this: Jesus Christ suffered and was crucified for me and the sins that I am confessing. I have no problem dealing with sore feet waiting in line for forgiveness because I can't seem to avoid sin. Jesus suffered for me. Who am I to complain? It usually ends the discussion.[/quote]wow, i find that kind of response incredibly rude. it just sounds like a sharp retort because you can't hold your impatience with them to yourself.

so what if they are complaining? they shouldn't be talking in line anyway. be an example and pray silently so they get the hint they shouldn't be talking in the confessional line.

[prose]

I have had people complain. I usually whisper something like "It doesn't bother me." And then go back to praying.

One time a woman asked me if she could go ahead of me in line because she was going to be "really fast". I think I let her.... Can't remember.

[Guest T-Bone]

I used to get really annoyed when I went to Confession on my lunch breaks.

[IcePrincessKRS]

[quote name='Mercy me' post='1083951' date='Oct 4 2006, 03:58 PM']
Oh, you just hit a peeve of mine. I can't stand it when people in the confession line are complaining. It just drives me nuts. Whenever, someone complains to me I just share my thought and it is this: Jesus Christ suffered and was crucified for me and the sins that I am confessing. I have no problem dealing with sore feet waiting in line for forgiveness because I can't seem to avoid sin. Jesus suffered for me. Who am I to complain? It usually ends the discussion.
[/quote]

I've never complained aloud... I don't think I have ever heard anyone complain aloud, actually.

[Lil Red]

[quote name='T-Bone' post='1084115' date='Oct 4 2006, 02:40 PM']I used to get really annoyed when I went to Confession on my lunch breaks.[/quote]because you were on your lunch break, or because you were at confession?

[iggy]

I think there should be an intermediate where you would get annoyed if they go in knowing there is a couple minutes left in confessions and you are last in line and then they take a long time and you don't get to go. So I would say I only get annoyed if the line keeps me from going to confession.

[heavenseeker]

no and no

[Sojourner]

I've only gotten annoyed waiting for confession once ... although really it was more anxiety than annoyance. It was right before Easter, and I had only one hour to get to the church, confess, and get back to work. The dude four people in front of me took well over 40 minutes. I ended up being late getting back to work, needless to say.

Normally, though, I don't mind waiting. It gives me time to reflect and settle before going in. And sometimes I've had really good conversations with people I've been in line with.

[Jaime]

OMG last week the chick in front of me took FOREVER!!! She was in there so long, I was worried I needed a haircut!!

But on the bright side, she looked like she really needed it! (You know what I mean)

So I prayed for her soul while she was in there.

[ardillacid]

I once killed a man becuase the line was so long.

[Socrates]

I'll admit long waits in the confession line annoy me.
Especially when you can't have your confesion heard because people ahead are taking half an hour in the confessional.

A priest I knew some time back complained about people taking too long even, and said it was mostly old ladies who were lonely and wanted to chat.

I honestly don't understand why it should take so long. Even if you've broken every commandment multiple times, that should only take a couple minutes to confess. Just list each sin, and number times committed. I'm hardly sinless, yet my confessions take only a couple minutes at most.

I know it's none of my business what goes on with other people in the confessional, but I find it upsetting that people are not able to have their confessions heard because of excessively long confessions. I think both penitent and priest should have some consideration for the other people in line, who may be in need of the sacrament just as much or more than those currently in the box, and that many have busy shedules and can't wait all day.
(And most of the people who take a long time are older pious sorts who go every week anyway, so its not like we're dealing with a lifetime of sin.)

If people want detailed spiritual counseling or discussion, they should make a special appointment. If they want to socialize, they should save it for after church. If the priest wants to give a lengthy sermon, he should save it for Sunday morning.

[IcePrincessKRS]

[quote name='Socrates' post='1084455' date='Oct 4 2006, 11:15 PM']
If people want detailed spiritual counseling or discussion, they should make a special appointment. If they want to socialize, they should save it for after church. If the priest wants to give a lengthy sermon, he should save it for Sunday morning.
[/quote]

Amen! Seriously, this is one of the things that annoys me (I've heard priests say the same thing about people wanting to chat). Alot of people don't realize that Confession is for CONFESSING and NOT Spiritual Direction. And when you do only have one hour a week for confession those minutes tick away pretty quickly. I've been to Confession and Mass (in Steubenville) where there were two priests and when one started Mass the other was still hearing confessions. If (when) there was only one priest alot of people weren't able to go to confession and they'd had to miss receiving the Eucharist as well.