Contraception: The Reason Catholics Have Abandoned Confession

Catholic Lane ^ | 3/24/11 | Russell Shaw

[Mary Kochan]

What about the 75% of American Catholics who, according to polls, receive the sacrament of penance less than once a year or never? Escapists perhaps?

This year as in other recent Lents, dioceses and parishes across the country are making a push to get Catholics back to this neglected sacrament. I wish them much success. The flight from sacramental penance has been one of the genuine disasters of contemporary Catholic life.

What explains it? Many things undoubtedly combine to play a part: an often-cited loss of the sense of sin, fatuous presumption that God approves of me no matter what, shame at the prospect of confessing one’s sins after a long time (give it a try: it won’t hurt). But part of it, I feel certain, has to do with contraception.

It works this way.

[Salvation]

So have you forgotten all these duties too?

The Precepts of the Church

Directions

The precepts of the Church are set in the context of a moral life bound to and nourished by liturgical life. The obligatory character of these positive laws decreed by the pastoral authorities is meant to guarantee to the faithful the very necessary minimum in the spirit of prayer and moral effort, in the growth in love of God and neighbor:

1 The first precept ("You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation and rest from servile labor") requires the faithful to sanctify the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord as well as the principal liturgical feasts honoring the mysteries of the Lord, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the saints; in the first place, by participating in the Eucharistic c

2 The second precept ("You shall confess your sins at least once a year.") ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation, which continues Baptism's work of conversion and forgiveness.

3 The third precept ("You shall receive the sacrament of the Eucharist at least during the Easter season.") guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord's Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy.

4 The fourth precept ("You shall observe the days of fasting and abstinence established by the Church") ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts and help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart.

5 The fifth precept ("You shall help to provide for the needs of the Church") means that the faithful are obliged to assist with the material needs of the Church, each according to his own ability. The faithful also have the duty of providing for the material needs of the Church, each according to his abilities.

Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2041-2043

[Ransomed]

“There are well over 100 Catholic churches within a one hour drive of me...”

Holy moly you have a lotta choices! I have one church within an hour’s drive (35 minutes). Three others are just around an hour’s drive. I think those all have the hour on Saturday too.

Freegards

[Ransomed]

We have another hour added on Wednesday too, for lent. It’s still just two hours a week for a parish of 1500+ families, and normally just one hour. I don’t think our priest is a fan of “frequent confession”. Of course it’s not like the line for confession is very long, either. If even a fraction of folks showed up once a month for confession there would be no way he could hear them all in the time alloted.

Freegards, thanks for all the pings

[CaptainK]

I won't be bitter if you won't be a know it all.

[CaptainK]

I don't see anything on there about pastoral authorities who overstep their bounds.

[Salvation]

Can you say in what way you thought a pastor overstepped his authority?

A priest, through the Sacrament of Holy Orders, receives the power to forgive or not forgive sins.

What if someone went to confession, but really didn’t have a sin? The priest can’t forgive anything through God in the words of absolution.

[Eepsy]

Matthew Chapter 7:22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

Many powers are bestowed by Christ to those consecrated priests, and the powers of Christ are objective, not subjective. A priest who no longer believes in the True Presence can still confect the Holy Eucharist, a priest deep in sin can still forgive the sins of others in the confessional- just as surely as a validly obtained marriage is always valid and Richard Dawkins could baptise my new baby if he used the right words.

As far as their immortal souls go, however, these priests are heaping damnation on their own heads, and at their judgement Christ will not know them.

[steve86]

Know it all? Just a Catholic here.

[WPaCon]

I don’t understand how one bad priest or even just a bad question from a priest stopped you from going to confession for the rest of your life.

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

Sorry, but no. Any article that says it is about contraception, but begins by alluding to abortion doesn’t understand what the word “contraception” means. You can post all the links to insular Catholic websites that you like, but it still doesn’t change the fact that the author doesn’t have his definitions right.

[CaptainK]

I don’t care to

[johngrace]

I was leery at that age. Now I enjoy it. It's a release. The Holy Spirit gives such peace. If you go you will proably never need a therapist. In my Humbe opinion. Remember you were literally a kid coming of age. He was also coaching you what to say. It can seem crazy at that age. Priest have heard it all before. The people I have meet on line are more emotionally balanced than most.

I have protestant friend who wants to go she thinks it's great. She asked could I go. She does not want to become Catholic. I told her she could good advice.

[Religion Moderator]

To make a Religion Forum article a Catholic Caucus, simply add the phrase "[Catholic Caucus]" to the actual title of the article.

Click on my profile page for other guidelines pertaining to the Religion Forum.

[Straight Vermonter]

I agree whole-heartedly. I work Saturdays and my parish only has confession on Saturdays and only for one hour. With 6 parishes in my deanery, you would think that at least one or two could have alternative times.

The other issue I have is with the confessionals where you sit facing the priest. I have a hard time detailing my shortcomings, especially to someone like my pastor who I have known since I was a child. Why not have the option of the privacy screen? My pastor probably knows my voice but I can hide my embarrassment at least.

[CaptainK]

You don’t know the circumstances and are projecting what you want to think.

He wasn’t coaching me, he was showing an inappropriate prurient interest that even at a young age I knew was wrong. And as an adult I still see it the same way. The only one who needed the therapist was the priest.

[Salvation]

Can’t you call and make an appointment with the priest for a confession?

Our priest permits that for those who are wheelchair or homebound or who ride the bus and can’t come at specific times.

[Straight Vermonter]

I’m sure I could. He’s a great guy and I’ll bet he would set aside a time for me but as I said I’d like to be as anonymous as possible. Maybe if I confessed more I wouldn’t be so anxious about it...

[Salvation]

Aren’t you in a deanery or vicariate where you can go to a different priest, possibly even in a confessional?

I know here in our vicariate one of the churches, maybe two have kept the two-sided confessionals. In our Reconciliation room, one can either kneel behind a screen or sit facing the priest. Too bad your priest won’t make that arrangement. The screen that we have is a heavy tapestry.

[johngrace]

10-4 Too bad. You should not have to go through that nonsense. I understand better.

[redgolum]

Interesting thesis. But I think most Catholics don’t go because it isn’t a priority.