The photo below is not a photo of our confessions as I did not ask anyone to photograph those going to Confession. However, it was crazy last night.
We no longer do a Liturgical Penance Service. At 6pm I introduced the priests and their stations. Including our parochial vicar and I, there were five priests hearing confessions.
As I mentioned, we started at 6 pm and with five of us, we all finished by 8:45 PM.
That’s two hours and 45 minutes with five priests. Some times the old ways are better. The God of surprises has shown us that it is true. But many old people don’t like the old ways unless these are from the 1960’s!
4 comments:
That’s because you are a bona fide Catholic priest and your congregation respects you
I decided several years ago to do away with penance services, for these reasons:
First, the customary (dare I say, traditional?) manner was to have a hymn and readings, then a homily, then a collective examination of conscience -- all of which, even if reasonably brisk, still take 20 minutes, and easily much more, all before anyone confesses anything.
So that led me first to pare it down to one short reading to get to the part people need. More recently, when I hear confessions with our kids, I just give a brief exhortation and explanation, taking 5 minutes or so, then into the confessional.
But the second and more decisive reason I got rid of penance services: because they train people to think they only need to confess twice a year!
So, instead, I have LOTS of confessions ALL the time, and then, in Advent and Lent, more, and then, in the days leading into Easter and Christmas, a whole lot more. And I talk about it a lot from the pulpit...all the time.
The goal I think should be to cultivate this sacrament 12 months a year, not just a couple of times a year. Of course, some people will stick with twice a year or less, but not because I tacitly endorsed that mindset.
P.S.: It works!
Father Fox,
You are a joy!
Merry Christmas
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