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Author Topic: Very Long Confession  (Read 852 times)

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Offline Peter15and1

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Very Long Confession
« on: November 20, 2021, 08:03:09 PM »
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    • I hesitate to complain about this, because it is a good thing that people are going to Confession, but why do some people take so long in there?  I was in line today, and there was about 10 people waiting.  The first few people were in and out in a normal period of time, but then two people took 10-15 minutes each!  It was almost half an hour for just two people.  I cannot imagine they had a list to confess so long that it took 10-15 minutes.  What are they doing in there?  I know it isn’t the priest droning on, because he was very brief in what he said to me, and most everyone else was in and out quickly.

    What is really annoying about this is that it seems to happen every week.  Anyone else have this issue?
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    Offline Ladislaus

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    Re: Very Long Confession
    « Reply #1 on: November 20, 2021, 08:20:10 PM »
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    • Some people confuse Confession with spiritual direction.  Priest really should hurry them along and tell them to come back after Mass.
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    Offline DigitalLogos

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    Re: Very Long Confession
    « Reply #2 on: November 20, 2021, 08:28:41 PM »
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    • Never 15 minutes per person long at my chapel, wow, they must keep asking the priest questions. Only time I've ever seen that is at Novus Ordo chapels. Otherwise it's just in and out under 5.
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    Offline Matto

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    Re: Very Long Confession
    « Reply #3 on: November 20, 2021, 08:30:19 PM »
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    • It is okay if it is people who haven't been to confession in a while. If you go every week and take fifteen minutes there is something wrong.
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    Offline Stanley N

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    Re: Very Long Confession
    « Reply #4 on: November 20, 2021, 09:32:42 PM »
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    • I think Ladislaus has it.

    If you experience this regularly, you could consider saying something to the priest.

    At my (Eastern) church the priest usually announces before Saturday confessions to keep them brief.
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    Offline SimpleMan

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    Re: Very Long Confession
    « Reply #5 on: November 20, 2021, 10:06:06 PM »
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    • Yes.  I run into this all the time.  It is maddening!

    A routine confession of devotion, every three or four weeks, should take no longer than five minutes.  If you have a besetting sin, or haven't been to confession in a long time, you should really make arrangements with the priest outside of regular confession times. 

    Other people are in line behind you.
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    Offline Riddlsnthdrk

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    Re: Very Long Confession
    « Reply #6 on: November 20, 2021, 10:36:43 PM »
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    • Maybe it's the priest being thorough in his questions to properly dispense the appropriate penance?? So quick to judge that it's your fellow congregation members...I bet you all do the same at the super market. Could be a slow cashier and not just someone with a bunch of stuff? 
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    Offline Matthew

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    Re: Very Long Confession
    « Reply #7 on: November 20, 2021, 10:56:05 PM »
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    • Quote from: Peter15and1 on November 20, 2021, 08:03:09 PM
    I hesitate to complain about this, because it is a good thing that people are going to Confession, but why do some people take so long in there?  I was in line today, and there was about 10 people waiting.  The first few people were in and out in a normal period of time, but then two people took 10-15 minutes each!  It was almost half an hour for just two people.  I cannot imagine they had a list to confess so long that it took 10-15 minutes.  What are they doing in there?  I know it isn’t the priest droning on, because he was very brief in what he said to me, and most everyone else was in and out quickly.

    What is really annoying about this is that it seems to happen every week.  Anyone else have this issue?

    Yes, I've seen that before. It's unfortunate.

    There's a famous quote about how we should go to confession.

    Be blunt.
    Be brief.
    Be gone.

    There are alternative versions of this, including "be sorry", "be brutal", etc.
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    Offline MMagdala

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    Re: Very Long Confession
    « Reply #8 on: November 21, 2021, 12:46:13 AM »
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    • Some priests schedule General Confessions during the time for standard confessions, but they are not going to share that information with any of us. Mine was scheduled that way, even though I did not realize ahead of time that he was giving me an appointment during the time he would sometimes hear confessions, which was while another Mass was going on.  (A couple of people saw the light on and assumed that this was just routine confession hour; it wasn't, actually.)

    We never know why anyone else's confession is taking a long time, even if we've seen those same people there "every week."  Even if we consider it unwise on the part of their priest or selfish on the part of the penitent (if we think we "know" why it's taking so long), the wait I always consider a fitting penance.  There's something very symbolic to me about waiting for forgiveness.
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    Offline SimpleMan

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    Re: Very Long Confession
    « Reply #9 on: November 21, 2021, 07:31:24 AM »
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    • Perhaps priests could schedule longer times for confession to be available, and gently encourage those with more complicated situations, to get there earlier rather than later?
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    Offline Viva Cristo Rey

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    Re: Very Long Confession
    « Reply #10 on: November 21, 2021, 07:51:42 AM »
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    • Quote from: Peter15and1 on November 20, 2021, 08:03:09 PM
    I hesitate to complain about this, because it is a good thing that people are going to Confession, but why do some people take so long in there?  I was in line today, and there was about 10 people waiting.  The first few people were in and out in a normal period of time, but then two people took 10-15 minutes each!  It was almost half an hour for just two people.  I cannot imagine they had a list to confess so long that it took 10-15 minutes.  What are they doing in there?  I know it isn’t the priest droning on, because he was very brief in what he said to me, and most everyone else was in and out quickly.

    What is really annoying about this is that it seems to happen every week.  Anyone else have this issue?
    I agree.  Every week with the same people.  Very inconsiderate. 
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    Offline Viva Cristo Rey

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    Re: Very Long Confession
    « Reply #11 on: November 21, 2021, 07:53:10 AM »
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    • As long Mass is going on and I can receive communion then I’m good with waiting.

    I don’t like it when I come early enough for confession and some else is in the confessional for 15 minutes. Then many people are cut off from confession and communion. 
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    Offline xavierpope

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    Re: Very Long Confession
    « Reply #12 on: November 21, 2021, 09:19:32 AM »
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    • Sometimes people repeat sins

    Sometimes the priest can drag on with advice 
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