Getting Annoyed Waiting For Confession

[Guest Rick777]

I've heard it said somewhere...I think Fr. Corapi said it actually, that a confession shouldn't really take no more than 10 minutes.

[Sojourner]

[quote name='hot stuff' post='1084436' date='Oct 4 2006, 09:56 PM']
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.
[/quote]



I prefer to be called a "classy dame," if you don't mind.

[Robbi]

[quote name='Socrates' post='1084455' date='Oct 4 2006, 09:15 PM']
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.
[/quote]

Hello Socrates,

they are my exact thoughts as well, the parish i attend are mostly elderly, so some confessions have taken a long long time. I sometimes feel guilty for not being long enough, thinking i may have missed confessing some sins?

[Sojourner]

I have to say that once I'm in the confessional, I don't really pay attention to how long it's taking, even if I know people are waiting. And I personally prefer having the priest take a little time to really hear my confession -- not just an "uh huh, uh huh, now say 3 Hail Marys." I just had the best confession every three weeks ago -- the priest gave me a great penance, very thoughtful and tailored to the sins I'd confessed. I'm all for having consideration for the volume of people going through the confessional, but sometimes it's just nice to be reminded that grace isn't about a quick scrubbing of the soul but about a transformation of my desires.

[Andrea348]

if you don't like waiting you have HATED my college Newman Center. on Advent and Lenten confession night, you could wait an hour or two for 15 people in from of you. I wouldn't mind because I stayed the whole night anyway, and the priest at my Newman Center spent at least 10-20 minutes with each person really talking to you about your sins and discussing reasons and what to do to prevent doing it again. I miss those confessions.

[Mary-Kathryn]

This is why priests have to offer daily confession...my priest offers confession twice a day except there is a day where it is only once. He also stays until the line gives out. There's never any sense of rush-rush-rush. If you have to leave, it's Ok. Just look at the next day's schedule.

It is a wonderful gift to have Confession so readily available at everytime you can think of.

[Norseman82]

[quote name='Mary-Kathryn' post='1084770' date='Oct 5 2006, 08:16 AM']
This is why priests have to offer daily confession...my priest offers confession twice a day except there is a day where it is only once. He also stays until the line gives out. There's never any sense of rush-rush-rush. If you have to leave, it's Ok. Just look at the next day's schedule.

It is a wonderful gift to have Confession so readily available at everytime you can think of.
[/quote]

I work downtown/near north Chicago, and there is a church in the Loop called St. Peter's that offers confessions M-F 7:30 AM - 6PM and 12-4:30 PM Saturdays. I normally stop by after work. Occasionally I worried that I might miss my train because someone was taking a long time, but I figure that if I want my sins forgiven, I can't complain when someone else wants the same, so it gives me an exercise in patience (plus, I don't think my dog ever had an accident in the kitchen because I had to take a later train to get home due to confession).

Edited October 5, 2006 by Norseman82

[Norseman82]

[quote name='Socrates' post='1084455' date='Oct 4 2006, 10:15 PM']
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.[/quote]

Are any of you familiar with the late Irish comedian Dave Allen? He had a half-hour comedy show "Dave Allen at Large", and in it he would have religious humor and skits (the vast majority of which was tasteful). Anyway, two skits came to mind when Socrates posted the above:

1) There was a chatty lady who just went off-topic in confession; she took so long that the priest had time to shave, etc. and finally the priest pushed one of those buttons that turned the wall around (like in those secret agent movies) and the lady just kept on talking outside oblivious until she realized that the gardener was standing right next to her.

2) In another skit he showed what confession would be like if women were allowed to become priests. It showed a woman who went to confession to a woman priest, and they ended up having a long gab session over afternoon tea - meanwhile outside the line for confession went through the church and out the door!

[IcePrincessKRS]

[quote name='Sojourner' post='1084581' date='Oct 5 2006, 12:54 AM']
I have to say that once I'm in the confessional, I don't really pay attention to how long it's taking, even if I know people are waiting. And I personally prefer having the priest take a little time to really hear my confession -- not just an "uh huh, uh huh, now say 3 Hail Marys." I just had the best confession every three weeks ago -- the priest gave me a great penance, very thoughtful and tailored to the sins I'd confessed. I'm all for having consideration for the volume of people going through the confessional, but sometimes it's just nice to be reminded that grace isn't about a quick scrubbing of the soul but about a transformation of my desires.
[/quote]

I suppose I don't pay attention to how long I take either, but I know I don't take an inordinate ammount of time. I confess, the priest talks for a minute, etc. and I'm out. I like it when the priest gives me some food for though, but I don't try to converse with him.

[Ash Wednesday]

I only get very mildly annoyed on occasion, and it doesn't happen very often. I try to be brief for the sake of others. As SoccerTease said, sessions for extensive counsel should be a separate appointment.

One time I was at a church and some older guy was taking forever in the box but then I heard him chuckle rather loudly and say jubilantly (and inadvertantly loud enough for me and others to hear) "And here I am Father... back in the confessional after 38 years! Whaddaya know!!!" (38 years or something like that... it was a long time in any case) I smiled to myself and never forgot that. The guy sure sounded amused with life.

So when someone's taking a little longer than usual I think of that man and figure maybe they really need it. It's obviously not the ideal that someone takes a long time but I try to just patiently bear with it.

[Tom]

A Priest friend of mine told me that he'd gone to the Cathedral for confession and there was a big queue. The lady next to him turned to him and said "I'm in a bit of a hurry, do you mind hearing my confession Father?". He ended up hearing four or five confessions while still waiting in the queue!

[RC_]

That is so cool!!!

[Resurrexi]

There was once this chick in front of me who was in the Confessional and I could hear her crying... it took like 10 minutes... and I was late for a freind of mine's party...

Edited October 6, 2006 by StThomasMore

[homeschoolmom]

[quote name='Tom' post='1084960' date='Oct 5 2006, 03:04 PM']
A Priest friend of mine told me that he'd gone to the Cathedral for confession and there was a big queue. The lady next to him turned to him and said "I'm in a bit of a hurry, do you mind hearing my confession Father?". He ended up hearing four or five confessions while still waiting in the queue!
[/quote]
That's funny...

[quote name='StThomasMore' post='1085380' date='Oct 5 2006, 11:58 PM']
There was once this chick in front of me who was in the Confessional and I could hear her crying... it took like 10 minutes... and I was late for a freind of mine's party...
[/quote]
Too bad for you. Arrive earlier next time.

[Old_Joe]

One of biggest peeves is when I've been waiting in line for 10-15 minutes, and there's no one in the confessional.