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“This blog is like a fusion of the Baroque ‘salon’ with its well-tuned harpsichord around which polite society gathered for entertainment and edification and, on the other hand, a Wild West “saloon” with its out-of-tune piano and swinging doors, where everyone has a gun and something to say. Nevertheless, we try to point our discussions back to what it is to be Catholic in this increasingly difficult age, to love God, and how to get to heaven.” – Fr. Z
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I TRIED today! We had two priests hearing them, too, but the lines were so long (And people were using the confessionals as therapy….) I couldn’t get in before I had to get back to my office. So I’m trying again tomorrow.
Went a couple of days ago, right before Mass. But yesterday before Mass the lines were very long.
capchoirgirl: You can call for an appointment. I’ve never been turned down.
Well it’s not urgent, urgent…I mean, it’s not like I’m drowning in mortal sin here…(I know, I know Fr.Z, we gotta go to confession, don’t hurt me for saying that!) Tomorrow I should be able to wait–hopefully my office will let us out early so I can go to Mass and then confession afterwards.
Good reminder, Father Z. I went last Saturday to beat the last minute rush this week.
I did my good deed this morning though. Father hears confessions EVERY morning before Mass. A lady came in to church right at 7:30 AM when they were supposed to begin, however, Father didn’t show. After waiting for ten minutes, she moved into the narthex. Just then Father arrived. I went out to the narthex to find her and told her before she left the church that Father was now there in the box. She thanked me and was able to go right away. Seems Father was ten minutes late because his watch battery was dieing. Consequently, he started Mass ten minutes late too. Oh, well . . . .
Are you suggesting I might die on my long drive home tomorrow on the Highway of Death? Hmm… I just went on Saturday. Lord knows there won’t be confessions at my home parish, as there hasn’t been all Advent.
Been there, done that! And it feels good!
Gotta go tomorrow! Office is getting out early, but I might take lunch and head into town for confession. Or track down a priest friend…..
Last Sunday, Mass started late. Normally this would make me mad, as I am highly punctual, but the reason it was late was because Father was still in the confessional. After Mass, he went right back in. God bless our priests.
I just did! I waited in a terribly long line of 2 at the magnificent Rosary Cathedral in Toledo. I feel so much better (it had been way too long!)
Ah the benefit of scheduling a quick meeting with my spiritual director yesterday. Confession included and a line of… one. In addition my Parish Priest has put more availability times out this week and even roped a visiting Dominican into hearing them as well.
I’m lucky to be in a good parish.
Went at our Advent penance service — which really is just a quick welcome and directions, a short prayer and then into line for the many, many priests who show up to give of their time.
Got one of my favorite priests, too. He’s pretty tough (and that’s a good thing) and he is always amused by my iPhone Confession app . . . . ( insert heavy South Leinster accent here ) “Now you be sure to delete that, mind!” ( /heavy South Leinster accent )
Lovely youngish priest here in a soutane is having Confessions three mornings in a row for those who “missed” the Communal Penance service. I went. And, I thanked him for being there and having Confessions. Miss my wonderful, special holy priest I had before. But, this one is enthusiastic and doing the right thing.
Our priests are truly doing yeoman’s work, making sure that confessions get heard: I applaud them! Tomorrow I bet all of them (3) will be hearing confessions after Mass, as they’ve done in the past. WE take Confession Seriously at St. Pat’s. :)
Went today, Father.
Good news, Father! I went this afternoon. The local co-Cathedral is haveig them twice daily, this week.
Just got back after choir practice, which followed Benediction. My husband, my children, and I all went to confession for Christmas; two priests hearing; long lines!
I went this past Sunday and haven’t botched things up in any grave manner as of yet, Deo gratias. I am fortunate that my parish priest offers confessions prior to EVERY Mass throughout the week and on the weekend.
Thank you, Father Z, for your frequent reminders and encouragement on the matter!
Went last Friday. Our pastor recommends going every two weeks so we can try for a plenary indulgence every day and try to get souls out of purgatory. (It also really helps me to avoid the big ones to go regularly.)
Went last Sunday before our TLM. Felt great!!! If I need more than once a month I can usually make it in to our OF parish on Saturday afternoons. However, I prefer the Confession in latin.
went last night.
Thank you to all priests who make time for penitents. God’s mercy is shown to those who show it. Your sacrifice of time will be treasure stored in heaven, and your penitents will be eternally grateful!
Apparently Mike Peters the cartoonist (who’s Catholic) has been thinking along these lines.
Went this evening to a neighboring parish. Ten—yes, ten—priests hearing confessions, all with considerable lines of penitents.
Many thanks to them, and to you, Fr. Z. Thanks for the push.
Done
Went tonight.
Will be hearing tomorrow and Saturday.
Tomorrow morning….
Went to a Church last night for their annual Advent Reconciliation Service (6 priests, 4 open with whispering + 2 in normal confessionals). Needed it badly as I’m struggling with things in my life.
On a finer note ……………. BEST ……. POST ……. EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Try to do so every two weeks. Went last week. I also point out to my parishioners that it is not healthy to go to confession (different from being valid of course) to a priest who does not make his own confession.
Planning on hitting up the Franciscan Monastery today. Just hope I can get there before the traffic explosion due to the entirety of the US government getting early release…
@SemiSpook…gee wouldn’t it be great if the “entirety of the US government” headed straight for the confessionals???…just sayin’
nemo,
I do that. There are always souls for which to pray. Go for it!
I went last Saturday evening when they were scheduled for 30 minutes, I arrived 10 minutes after the scheduled start and the priest was outside the confessional adjusting some furniture. I was the only person there. I drove past a little later and there were no cars in the car park so I guess that I was probably the lone penitent that evening. This in a very large parish in the UK on one of the last opportunities to confess before Christmas!
I missed the big Advent penance service and couldn’t go last week, and I know there’s a Christmas vigil Mass during the normal Saturday Confession half hour. So I walked the couple of miles to church for the Friday one, and found out they were having a funeral today and had canceled Confessions. (Which didn’t surprise me, because even with three priests at our parish, we rarely have Confessions the week before any big holy day.)
The thing that gets me is this. Wouldn’t the time right before a funeral be the perfect time for one of the priests to be hearing Confessions? I mean, it’s like you’ve got a captive audience, some of whom may not have darkened a church door in many years, and all primed with a memento mori in solid form. Even if people didn’t go right then, they’d be thinking about it.
Went this past Sunday!
Thanks Fr. Z. for looking out for us.
Went on Tuesday.
Went last night (Thursday).