question for Catholics re: confession - Page 2

[KempsMama]

Originally Posted by xekomaya

I'm sorry that you think I was attacking you, but I wasn't at all. I just don't understand how you came to the above opinion since it IS the view of the Church, before and after VII. If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine.

I'm not talking about the view of the CHURCH. I'm talking about the view of lay people, and those that help to counsel and form the faith of others. Not the Church herself.

[JollyGG]

Originally Posted by claddaghmom

But the times it is available are extremely inconvenient. I think it's a catch 22. Few people understand or appreciate the value of this sacrament. So it's offered rarely. (And of course a priest shortage/overworked priests adds to this). But then it also means people who want to go, can't.

So my attendance spikes around Lent and Advent, b/c that is when parishes start offering evening and weekday confessions.

This.

I am one of those Catholics who has fallen into the habit of being very lax about confession. In my adulthood there have been a 4 year period and an 8 year period where I have not attended confession. My son is in second grade and just did his first reconciliation. I am trying to get in the habit of going both to provide a better example to my son and to improve my own spiritual life. I work full time and the only confession times at my church are 4 in the afternoon M-Sat. M-F I'm still at work. Saturday at the offered time I'm in the middle of running my kids around town to their events.

As one who was lax in going to confession I can say that some contributing factors are bad past experiences (though there are plenty of good too), laziness, dreading the experience once you've gone so long. But mostly it's about habits. Once you get out of the habit of going it gets easy to stay out of the habit.

[BMG580]

Originally Posted by Tradd

Too many Catholics across the country I talk/email with describe Confession going like my above description, so it seems to be at least somewhat common practice.

That's odd that that is the sum total of your Catholic friend's experience with Confession. I have been Catholic less than a year and have confessed with various priests at three different parishes within the months that I have been Catholic and not one of them wanted a laundry list from me and they all gave council on various sins that I confessed. In fact the last time I went I ended up taking all three of my children with me (never again! and I had nothing "exciting" to confess so it wasn't inappropriate, I considered it a teachable moment for my 4 year old ) and even feeling overextended with all three of them there fidgeting and being loud, the priest STILL took the time to offer council.

The parish I participated in RCIA in did teach that confession is necessary prior to receiving communion if a mortal sin has been committed with every month being suggested otherwise to take care of venial sin. I can't tell you how many homilies I've heard in the last couple years that directly deal with the necessity of confession, the topic is especially discussed during pentitential seasons.

[moonshoes]

Just thought I would throw in that our first communicants must receive First Reconciliation before their First Communion. (We are not a Trad church)