When You're Going To Confession...

[nleyetn]

[quote name='Nathan' post='1448248' date='Jan 19 2008, 08:56 PM']I got "told" once by a fellow parishioner for taking too long in the confessional with a line-up behind me. When I exited this guy was like "Hey you!" and tapped his finger on his watch, clearly infuriated. (He must've had some urgent transgressions to unload!)

Then I was like, "WHAT! You got a problem with me confessin' my sins, homes? I takes howeva long I wanna takes, sucka!" Actually, no, I didn't say anything.[/quote]

That would be awesome, but I guess not apropiate considering where you would have just come from

[quote name='Ash Wednesday' post='1448331' date='Jan 19 2008, 10:49 PM']Now if someone said that to me in response, I think that would be awesome. Especially if it was the old lady. "Aight Mrs. Fletcher. That's da way you roll..."[/quote]



[quote name='isilzha' post='1448333' date='Jan 19 2008, 10:51 PM']I always laugh when I wait behind my Mom for the confessional. She's in there a long time (there's never a line at our church though) and the confessionals aren't completely sound-proof - you can't make out what people are saying but sometimes we hear her laughing in there.[/quote]

I hate when confessionals are that way. I'll have to kind of clear my throat, or rustle my jacket a little just so I can block out the talking. You can't make out the words usually, but I think if you were aware of the talking and concentrated on it, it would probably be too easy.

[quote name='CoffeeCatholic' post='1448347' date='Jan 19 2008, 11:57 PM']The best line a priest ever taught me to add to the end of any confession "For these and all the sins I know i have forgotten, I am truly sorry".

Saved me many a time, I swear! I go in with my mental list and come out knowing that one of them got forgotten half way through![/quote]

Very good advice, whenever I'm in confession I try and end with something like that because there's likely something forgotten and it brings more peace of mind to know I did what I could.

Edited January 20, 2008 by nLEyETn

[Mercy me]

I never really have an issue waiting line for confession even if they have to cut off the confessions to start mass. I have never felt worthy of the sacrament. So, my feet hurt. But Jesus hurt much more than that while he was hanging on the cross for me. Who am I to complain?

[Norseman82]

Yes, I do sometimes get worried about missing my train and the dog not being able to "hold it" when I go to confession after work.

However, who am I to deny a person the opportunity for the same forgiveness I seek?

[Autumn Dusk]

Ever consider it may be a priest who came up with a long-winded statement? I used to know a hard of hearing priest would would get stuck on tangents. It was really funny unless you were the one who got stuck. Most confession would be over in minutes, sometimes it would take up to a half hour.

[Deo Iuvente]

[quote name='Nathan' post='1448248' date='Jan 19 2008, 11:56 PM']I got "told" once by a fellow parishioner for taking too long in the confessional with a line-up behind me. When I exited this guy was like "Hey you!" and tapped his finger on his watch, clearly infuriated. (He must've had some urgent transgressions to unload!)

Then I was like, "WHAT! You got a problem with me confessin' my sins, homes? I takes howeva long I wanna takes, sucka!" Actually, no, I didn't say anything.[/quote]
Lawl. I had my first confession when I was sixteen,it took a good ten minutes.Luckily,I was last. Our confessionals didn't use to be soundproof,in fact, sometimes you could hear everything.And there weren't any lights to let you know that the confessional was being used,so the priests had to put the end of their stole out if their door*.But they're soundproof and have lights now.


*Which you could not always see.imagine barging in on someone's confession.

[Ash Wednesday]

Lordy, now I feel like everyone is dogpiling on me.

[Fr. Antony Maria OSB]

For a few of the priests at my parish, they give advice and talk for ten minutes, so there's a long line of people waiting for confession and each person is in there for at least ten minutes: if you don't get there early, sometimes you don't get to go.

As to the above statement on barging in on someone's confession, I was once the recipient of that, lol. Luckily Fr. had already given me absolution and I had just asked him a question (there was no one in line when I went in!), and then someone came into the confessional and started confessing behind the screen! The way our confessional is set up, you can either come in through the door and sit behind the screen or walk around for face to face. I was face to face, and again by luck our confessional has two doors, so instead of going out the one that leads back to the nave, I went out the 'back' door. I didn't hear any of the other person's sins, just "Forgive me Fr., for I have sinned:" then Fr. gave me the signal to leave. It was interesting.

May God bless and protect you always in all of your endeavors!

Your Brother in Christ,

Joe

[Deb]

Confession is still very hard for me and I prefer to get in and out as fast as I can. I usually examine my conscience at home and write down all my sins. (they always seem to be pretty much the same, I should make a tablet list and then just check them off) I try to go every two or three weeks so I don't build up a ton of stuff. My general confession was an appointment and covered 35 years.

Last night I went before mass. I am usually shaking by the time I go in but, floating when I come out. I was so filled with grace when I exited that I shut the door behind me. The next person had to call to me to ask if someone had gone in after me. I was very embarrassed. We don't have lights on ours, just leave the door open and the next person comes in.

If I thought I was going to take a long time, I would make an appoinment with Fr.

[salterrae]

One of the many reasons we need to pray for all those men who are called to this vocation.

[HeavenlyCalling]

I try to go as often as possible and be as brief as possible, because confession is before Mass and I dont want people to miss the oppertunity to recieve the Eucharist worthily. If there is something really weighing on my mind or some question I have, I make an appointment. It kinda ruins the whole anonymous thing, but my priest knows my voice anyway, so it doesn't really matter. ( The first time he said "Hello Lily" when I walked in behind the curtian I was kinda freaked out, but I got used to it )

[Deb]

I always sit across from my Priest. After my life long confession, my sins now are pretty minor. Plus, there is something about having to actually face someone when you confess that is a more freeing than behind the screen.

[Lil Red]

[quote name='Autumn Dusk' post='1448458' date='Jan 20 2008, 01:41 PM']Ever consider it may be a priest who came up with a long-winded statement? I used to know a hard of hearing priest would would get stuck on tangents. It was really funny unless you were the one who got stuck. Most confession would be over in minutes, sometimes it would take up to a half hour.[/quote]
good point, maybe it's the priest.

[quote name='Ash Wednesday' post='1448463' date='Jan 20 2008, 02:19 PM']Lordy, now I feel like everyone is dogpiling on me.[/quote]
i know how you feel though.

[Nathan]

I actually MUCH prefer face-to-face Confession than the traditional behind-the-screen Confession as well. I'm much more comfortable and at ease... it really makes a significant difference for me. (This is just me... I know lots of Catholics who feel quite the opposite.)

[jeffpugh]

[quote name='Autumn Dusk' post='1448458' date='Jan 20 2008, 03:41 PM']Ever consider it may be a priest who came up with a long-winded statement? I used to know a hard of hearing priest would would get stuck on tangents. It was really funny unless you were the one who got stuck. Most confession would be over in minutes, sometimes it would take up to a half hour.[/quote]
Yeah, I know that kind of priest. The leader of my youth ministry is one of those priests. It's a good long, though.

[quote name='Ash Wednesday' post='1448463' date='Jan 20 2008, 04:19 PM']Lordy, now I feel like everyone is dogpiling on me.[/quote]
DOGPILE!!! RAHHH!!!!!

[Autumn Dusk]

[quote name='Ash Wednesday' post='1448463' date='Jan 20 2008, 05:19 PM']Lordy, now I feel like everyone is dogpiling on me.[/quote]

My feeling is that the priest knows best how to handle his confession, not we, the bystander. He knows that there are others waiting and he did his best to care for the soul handed to him. If it was wise for him to tell a long talker to stop, then he would.

I know that its frustrating to not be able to go to confession, but if anything its the place that one sacrament in which one should approach the most patience.

[Ash Wednesday]

[quote name='Sacred Music Man' post='1448682' date='Jan 20 2008, 10:06 PM']DOGPILE!!! RAHHH!!!!![/quote]

[img]http://content6.flixster.com/photo/35/33/43/3533436_gal.jpg[/img]

You sound like Walken as the Hessian Horseman.

[MissyP89]

One of the priests at my Church loves to counsel people, so when he hears confessions you can sometimes be in there for 15-20 minutes. Just last week he let me confess after the time for confessions had officially ended...

"Melissa, are you the last one?"
"Yes, just me."
"Oh, thank goodness...I'm saying Mass tonight..."
"Monsignor, it's 4:55."
"Don't worry. They can't start without me. "

I was in and out of there in three minutes, and Mass was on time! It's always easier for me when I go quickly. I get very nervous if I have to wait and am usually braindead by the time I get in there, anyway.

If I know I'm going to need a lot of time, I'll show up extra early so I don't need to rush.

The other week, someone was in the confessional for 25 minutes. People were tapping their watches and looking disturbed. I thought it was funny...

[Deb]

[quote name='Ash Wednesday' post='1448153' date='Jan 19 2008, 09:49 PM']When you're going to confession, unless it's a private appointment or something, or if it's been 40 years since your last confession, and ESPECIALLY if people are waiting behind you -- [b]don't turn your flippin' confession into a psychiatric counseling session![/b]

There was a lady who took, I don't know, almost 20 minutes today. Given that the priest only has an hour to hear the confessions and there's several people waiting -- you know, speed it up a bit.

Love, your local fellow parishioner. [/quote]

Did you confess your lack of patience and your anger over that woman taking so much of confession time? Hmm, lack of charity, lack of compassion, love thy neighbor? Hmmm, you could have been in there for twenty minutes.

[Ash Wednesday]

[quote name='Deb' post='1448943' date='Jan 21 2008, 01:34 PM']Did you confess your lack of patience and your anger over that woman taking so much of confession time? Hmm, lack of charity, lack of compassion, love thy neighbor? Hmmm, you could have been in there for twenty minutes. [/quote]

Ha. Ha. Real funny. Thanks a lot.

If I ever post [b]anything[/b] like this on here again I'm really going to think twice.

Edited January 22, 2008 by Ash Wednesday

[esmith818]

No worries Ash. I went to Confession this past Saturday too. I thought with it snowing in NC that the line would be super short, but apparently everyone thought they were going to freeze to death and had to get that last sin purged before their frozen demise. This one older gentleman (who is my favorite lector) went in and took no less than 15 minutes. I couldn't help but wonder what he had to confess that could take so long. After all, no one could possibly sin as much as me.

I will concur with previous posters though that many times it's the priest who goes long. I'd be OK with a little absolution, but often Father has a "pearl of wisdom" for me to overcome my bad habits. But if I overcame them so easily what would I have to confess next time??